Just Ask: Integrating Accessibility Throughout Design

How to Change Text Size or colors

The UIAccess.com website is designed to let you change the text size, text and background colors, and other display settings through standard browser settings.

This page shows you how to use some of these browser display settings:

To Change Text Size

Most web browsers include functionality to let you increase or decreasethe text in a web page. For example, to increase text size:

Browser Example Menu Items Macintosh Shortcut Windows Shortcut
Internet Explorer Internet Explorer screen capture as described in the page View > Text Size > Largest
Firefox, Netscape Firefox/Netscape screen capture as described in the page View > Text Size > Increase Command+ Ctrl++
Opera Opera screen capture as described in the page View > Zoom > %

Command+

+ or 0

Safari Safari screen capture as described in the page View > Make Text Bigger Command+

Why doesn't this work with some other websites?

The browser settings on this page should work when browsers and websites meet WAI guidelinesand are designed for accessibility, flexibility, and user control.However, some browsers do not provide as much user control, and somewebsites are designed to defeat browser settings. Text resizing doesnot work well in browsers and websites that do not meet accessibilityguidelines.

For a Plain Layout View

Turning off the style sheet gives a plain layout view, which:

Browser Example Menu Items
Firefox Firefox screen capture as described in the page View >Page Style > No Style
Opera Opera screen capture as described in the page View > Style > User Mode

Other Text and color Changes

Many browsers provide functionality to set different aspects of font and color. Below are examples of how to access this functionality.

Browser Example To access functionality:
Firefox Firefox screen capture as described in the page

Windows Menu items: Tools > Options

Macintosh Menu items: Firefox > Preferences

In dialog box: General (in the left pane), Fonts & colors (button)

Opera

Windows Menu items: Tools > Preferences

Macintosh Menu items: Opera > Preferences

In dialog box: Fonts and Page Style (in the left pane)

Note: No Browser Endorsement

UIAccess.com does not endorse specific web browsers and does not recommend onebrowser over another. While some common browsers are included in this page,mention of a specific browser does not imply endorsement orrecommendation.

This page is based on a similar Web Accessibility Initiative resource.