Making text easier to see in Windows XP
Changing Your Screen Resolution
- Open the Start menu by clicking on the Start button or by pressing the Windows logo key (located between the Ctrl and Alt keys) - or Ctrl + Esc
- Click on Control Panel or press C.
- Double click on Display or press the D key repeatedly until Display
is highlighted and press Enter to bring up the Display Properties. (see
fig. 1)
Fig 1 - Click and drag the slider underneath the heading Screen resolution to a lower setting than what is already there, IE 640 by 480 or 800 by 600. Alternatively, press Alt + S to select the screen resolution slider bar and then press the left or right arrow keys to adjust the slider bar.
- Click OK or press Enter to close the dialog box and see the changes you have made.
Using Large Fonts
- Open the Start menu by clicking on the Start button or by pressing the Windows logo key (located between the Ctrl and Alt keys) - or Ctrl + Esc
- Click on Control Panel or press the letter C on the keyboard.
- Double click on Display or press the D key repeatedly until Display is highlighted and then press Enter. This should bring up the Display properties box.
- Click on the Appearance tab or press Control + Tab until the Appearance tab is at the front.
- Under Font size click on the drop down menu to change it to large or
extra large. Alternatively press Alt + F on the keyboard and then use
the up and down arrows to select the font size followed by Enter. You
may need to press Enter or click OK again to return to Windows. (See Fig
2)
Fig 2
Changing Appearance
It is possible to change the font size for the individual elements within Windows such as menu’s, title bars etc.
- Open the Start menu by clicking on the Start button or by pressing the Windows logo key (located between the Ctrl and Alt keys) - or Ctrl + Esc
- Click on Control Panel or press the letter C on the keyboard.
- Double click on Display or press the D key repeatedly until Display is highlighted and then press Enter.
- Click on the Appearance tab or press Control + Tab until the Appearance tab is at the front. (see fig. 2)
In order to change the font for individual items, you need to make sure that the Windows and buttons setting is set to Windows Classic Style.
- Click in the Windows and buttons drop down box and choose Windows Classic Style. Alternatively, press Alt + W, press the down arrow until Windows Classic Style is selected and press Enter.
- Click on the advanced button or press Alt + A to display the Advanced
appearance page. (see fig. 3)
Fig 3
As an example we'll change the font style of all the menus through out Windows from 8point MS Sans Serif to 10 point MS Comic Sans. If you do not want to keep these changes, you can just press cancel at the end of the exercise.
- Click on the drop down box below the Item heading, or press Alt + I to jump there.
- Use either the mouse or the up and down arrow keys to navigate through the list of items. Each of these items can be modified individually. Move down the list until Menu is highlighted and then press Enter. Any font changes you now make will only apply to Menu items throughout Windows.
- Click in the Font drop down box or press Alt + F to select it. Use the mouse or the arrow keys to select the font you want to use, IE Comic Sans MS (western).
- Click in the Size box to the right of the font dropdown box or press Alt + E to jump there.
- Use the mouse or the arrow keys to scroll through the different sizes and either click on the size you want, IE size 10, and then click OK, or when the size you want is selected, IE size 10, press Enter. Alternatively, just type in 10 and press Enter.
- Now press Enter or click OK to return to Windows.
Now look at a menu to see the changes you have made. If you are still not happy with the font, repeat the above steps until you find a font style and size you are happy with.
Apart from the menus within Windows, many other items can also have their font style modified. Just follow the above instructions, choosing the appropriate item from the item list instead of Menu.
The following items can all have their font style changed:
- Active titlebar
- Icon
- Inactive titlebar
- Menu
- Message box
- Palette title
- Selected items
- Tooltip