How To Change Font Size In Outlook
A practical step-by-step guide to how to change font size in outlook, including preparation, instructions, common issues, tips, and next steps.
How To Change Font Size In Outlook
Changing the font size in Outlook makes your emails easier to read and helps your messages look the way you intend. This guide covers the main ways to change font size in Outlook for new emails, replies, reading, and the folder list, so you can stop squinting and start writing.
Fast Answer
- Quickest fix: In a new email, press and hold Ctrl and roll your mouse wheel to zoom. This changes how big the text looks on screen.
Before You Start
- Make sure you have Outlook open and are signed in to your email account.
- Decide whether you want to change the read size (how you view emails) or the write size (what recipients see).
- Check if you are using Outlook for Windows, Outlook on the web (browser), or Outlook on a Mac — steps differ slightly.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Change Font Size for a Single New Email
Start by opening a new email message. You can do this by clicking New Email in the Home tab or pressing Ctrl + N on a Windows PC.
Look at the toolbar at the top of the message window. You will see a section called Font with a box showing the current font size, such as 11 or Calibri. Click the small arrow next to the font size number to open a drop-down list. Choose a larger number, like 14 or 16, to make the text bigger before you start typing.
Change the Default Font for All New Emails
To stop changing the font size every time, set a new default. Click File in the top-left corner of Outlook. Then click Options at the bottom of the left-hand menu.
In the Outlook Options window, click the Mail tab on the left. Look for the Compose messages section and click the button labelled Stationery and Fonts. A new window will appear with three buttons: one for New mail messages, one for Replying or forwarding messages, and one for Composing and reading plain text messages. Click the first one, New mail messages, to open the font settings.
In the font window, go to the Size box and pick a larger number. Click OK on each open window to save your changes. Now every new email you create will start with your chosen font size.
Change the Font Size When Replying or Forwarding
If you only want your replies and forwarded messages to be larger, follow the same path as Step 2: File > Options > Mail > Stationery and Fonts. This time, click the button for Replying or forwarding messages in the same window.
Set your preferred font size in the dialog box that opens. This changes how the text appears when you respond to someone, but it does not alter the original sender's text.
Change the Font Size of the Reading Pane
To make incoming emails easier to read without changing how they are written, use the zoom function. Open an email in the reading pane on the right side of the screen. Look at the bottom-right corner of the reading pane window for a small percentage number, like 100%.
Click the number to open a zoom slider. Drag the slider to the right to increase the zoom, or click Zoom to choose a specific percentage, such as 125% or 150%. Outlook will remember this zoom level for the reading pane so future emails open at this size.
Change the Font Size of the Folder List
If the list of emails in your inbox is too small, you can adjust the view size without changing any settings. Go to the View tab in the main Outlook window. Look for the Current View group and click View Settings.
In the window that opens, click Other Settings. Near the bottom, you will find a section called Column Font and Row Font. Click Row Font to change the size of the text in your email list. Pick a larger font size from the dialog box, then click OK and close the settings window. The email list will now show larger text.
Change Font Size in Outlook on the Web
If you use Outlook in a web browser (Outlook on the web or Outlook.com), start by clicking New Mail to open a message window. Click the ellipsis (three dots) in the toolbar. Look for the font size box, which may show a small "A" icon or a number like 12.
Click the font size dropdown and choose a larger number. To set this as the default for future emails, click the Settings gear icon in the top-right corner of the main Outlook page. Navigate to Mail > Compose and reply, find the Message format or Font section, and adjust the default font size there.
Change Font Size in Outlook for Mac
Outlook on a Mac works slightly differently. In the main Outlook window, click Outlook in the top menu bar, then select Preferences. A new window will open with options. Click Fonts.
You will see sections for Message list, Reading view, and Compose. Click the font size dropdown next to the section you want to change. For composing new emails, choose a larger size in the Compose section. For the email list, choose a larger size in the Message list section. Close the preferences window — your changes will save automatically.
Change the Font Size for Plain Text Emails
Some emails arrive in plain text format, which means they do not have any formatting like bold or coloured fonts. To make plain text emails easier to read, go to File > Options > Mail > Stationery and Fonts again. This time, click the third button: Composing and reading plain text messages.
Set the font size to something larger, like 14 or 16. This setting only applies to messages that come through as plain text, so your formatted HTML emails will still use their original fonts.
Quick Reference
| Situation | Use this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| New email looks too small on my screen | Ctrl + mouse wheel to zoom | Fast on-screen fix that does not change the email itself |
| Recipient says my emails are hard to read | Change default font size in Options > Stationery and Fonts | Changes the actual font size in the email before sending |
| Replying to emails, my text is too small | Change font size for "Replying or forwarding messages" | Keeps the original message size but makes your reply larger |
| Email list in the inbox is too small | View > View Settings > Other Settings > Row Font | Changes only the folder list, not the emails themselves |
| Outlook on the web | Settings gear > Mail > Compose and reply | Sets default font for web-based Outlook |
| Outlook on a Mac | Outlook > Preferences > Fonts | Central place to adjust all font sizes on macOS |
Common Problems When You Change Font Size in Outlook
Font Size Change Does Not Apply to Sent Emails
If you changed the default font but your sent emails still look small, check whether you opened Stationery and Fonts from the right menu. Go to File > Options > Mail, then find the Compose messages section. Click Stationery and Fonts and make sure you selected the correct button for New mail messages. Some users accidentally change only the plain text font.
Another cause: if you typed your email before changing the default, the old font size stays applied to that specific message. The default only applies to new messages created after the change.
Font Size Changes Look Different on the Recipient's Screen
This happens when you change only the zoom level in the reading pane. Zoom is a screen display setting that never travels with the email. To send emails with larger text, highlight the text and choose a larger font size from the message toolbar before sending.
Also check that you are not using a plain text format for that specific message. Click the Format Text tab and ensure HTML is selected. Plain text strips away formatting, including your custom font sizes.
Cannot Find the Stationery and Fonts Button
If the button is missing from the Mail options, you may be using a different version of Outlook, such as the new Outlook for Windows or Microsoft 365's simplified interface. In the new Outlook, look for Settings (gear icon) in the top-right corner, then go to Mail > Compose and reply. The font options are listed there.
Alternatively, search for "font" in the Search box at the top of the Outlook window. Outlook will suggest the correct settings page.
Font Size Resets After Restarting Outlook
This typically happens when the default font was not saved correctly. Go back to File > Options > Mail > Stationery and Fonts. Click each button one at a time, set your font size, and click OK on every window. Do not use the X in the corner of the window to close it — that may cancel the changes.
If you are on a work computer with IT policies, your administrator may force a specific font. In that case, contact your IT support team to request a change.
Advanced Tips for Changing Font Size in Outlook
Set a Minimum Font Size for All Incoming Emails
If you frequently receive emails with tiny fonts, you can make Outlook display them larger automatically. Open an email, then press Ctrl + A to select all text. Go to the Format Text tab and click Increase Font Size (the A with an upward arrow). This only affects the current message. To apply this to all incoming messages, you would need to set a higher zoom level in the reading pane as described in Step 4, because Outlook does not have a true minimum font size setting for incoming mail.
Use Quick Steps to Format Replies
Outlook has a feature called Quick Steps that can automate formatting. Create a Quick Step that applies a specific font size to your replies. Go to the Home tab, click Quick Steps, then New Quick Step > Custom. In the action list, choose Set Font or Format Font, select your preferred size, and save. When you reply to an email, apply the Quick Step to automatically set your font size.
Change Font Size in the Message Aesthetic
For consistent branding, you can change the theme that Outlook uses. Go to Options > Mail > Stationery and Fonts, then click Theme. Choose a theme with larger fonts built in. This changes font style and size across headers, body text, and links in one go.
Use Windows Magnifier as a Temporary Fix
If altering Outlook's settings is not enough, Windows has a built-in Magnifier tool. Press the Windows key and the Plus key together to zoom into any part of the screen. This works across all applications, including Outlook, and is useful for one-off reading sessions without changing any settings.
How To Change Font Size In Outlook FAQ
Common Issues
If the result is not working as expected, return to the previous step, check the material or setting involved, and make one adjustment at a time for how to change font size in outlook.
Will changing my font size affect the fonts of emails I receive?
No. Changing your default font or zoom only affects how you view or create emails. Emails you receive will always display using the font the sender chose. You can only change the display size on your screen, not the sender's original formatting.
Why does my font size change back to the original size after I close and reopen Outlook?
This usually means the default font change was not saved correctly. Follow Step 2 or Step 3 again and make sure you click OK on every dialog box, including the final Outlook Options window. If you are using the new Outlook for Windows, your settings may sync to the cloud, and changes can take a few minutes to apply.
Can I set a different font size for replies and new emails?
Yes. In the Stationery and Fonts window, there are separate buttons for New mail messages and Replying or forwarding messages. Set a different size in each one to keep them separate.
What is the best font size for professional emails?
Most business emails use a font size between 10 and 12 points. For users who need larger text, 14 points is still professional and readable. Anything above 16 points may look oversized for formal business correspondence.
How do I change the font size in the Outlook mobile app?
On the Outlook mobile app, go to Settings (gear icon), tap Reading, and adjust the text size slider. This changes the display size of emails on your phone screen. To change the font size of your composing emails, tap the Format button (usually an "A" icon) in the message toolbar and select a different font size.
Does changing the zoom in the reading pane increase the font size for the recipient?
No. Zoom is a screen-only feature. It changes how the email appears on your monitor but has no effect on the actual email file. To increase the font size for the recipient, you must change the font size in the compose window before sending.
Final Checklist for Changing Font Size in Outlook
- I decided whether I need a view-only change (zoom) or a permanent font change (compose settings).
- I changed the default font size under File > Options > Mail > Stationery and Fonts for new emails.
- I set a separate font size for replies and forwards if needed.
- I adjusted the reading pane zoom for comfortable on-screen reading.
- I increased the row font size in the email list if the inbox was hard to read.
- I checked the settings on Outlook on the web or Mac if I use those versions.
- I sent a test email to myself to confirm the new font size appears correctly on the receiving end.
