How To Change Font Size On Outlook

Struggling to read small text in your emails? This guide provides clear, practical steps to change the font size in Microsoft Outlook. Whether you want to make text larger for comfortable reading, or set a new default font size for the emails you send, we cover all the options. Follow these instructions for the Outlook desktop app, the web version, and the mobile app to personalise your email experience and improve readability.

Fast Answer

For new emails (Desktop): Go to File > Options > Mail > Stationery and Fonts to set your default font size.
For reading emails (Desktop): Use the Zoom slider at the bottom-right of the Reading Pane for a quick adjustment.

2-5 minutes Time needed

Beginner Difficulty

Settings vary by version Watch out for

Before You Start

Microsoft Outlook Account: You will need access to your Outlook account and be logged in.
Identify Your Outlook Version: The steps are slightly different depending on whether you use the Outlook desktop application (for Windows or Mac), Outlook on the Web (in a browser), or the Outlook mobile app (on iOS or Android). This guide covers all three.

Check first: Understand the difference between changing the font for sending emails versus reading them. Changing the font for composing new messages affects what the recipient sees. Changing the font size for reading or viewing only affects how emails appear on your screen.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Change the Default Font for New Emails (Desktop App)

This is the most common adjustment people want to make. It sets the default font, style, and size for all new messages you compose. This change will be visible to everyone who receives your emails.

Open the Outlook desktop application.
Click on the File tab in the top-left corner.
Select Options from the menu on the left.
In the Outlook Options window, click on the Mail category.
Look for the "Compose messages" section and click the Stationery and Fonts... button.
A new "Signatures and Stationery" window will open. Under the "Personal Stationery" tab, you will see options for New mail messages, Replying or forwarding messages, and Composing and reading plain text messages.
Click the Font... button next to "New mail messages".
In the Font dialogue box, you can choose your desired Font (e.g., Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman), Font style (e.g., Regular, Italic, Bold), and Size (e.g., 12, 14). You can also change the font colour.
Click OK to save your font choice.
Repeat the process for "Replying or forwarding messages" if you want those to have a different font size.
Click OK on the "Signatures and Stationery" window, and then OK again on the Outlook Options window to apply all changes.

Tip: For professional communication, stick to simple, readable fonts like Calibri (size 11 or 12) or Arial (size 10 or 11). Avoid novelty or script fonts that can be difficult for others to read.

Temporarily Zoom In to Read an Email (Desktop App)

If you just need to make the text of a single email larger for easier reading, the Zoom function is the perfect tool. This does not change the email itself or any of your settings; it only magnifies your view of the content.

Select an email in your inbox to view it in the Reading Pane.
Look to the bottom-right corner of the Outlook window. You will see a Zoom slider with a percentage next to it (e.g., 100%).
Click and drag the slider to the right to increase the font size, or to the left to decrease it. You can also click the + and - buttons for finer control.
Alternatively, if you have opened the email in its own window, click on the Message tab, find the Zoom group, and click the Zoom icon. This opens a dialogue box where you can select a specific percentage.

Outlook will often remember the zoom level for that specific message if you navigate away and come back to it.

Permanently Change the Font Size in the Reading Pane (Desktop App)

If you find all incoming emails are too small to read comfortably, you can change the default font size for the Reading Pane. This is a viewing setting and will not affect the font size of the emails you send.

Go to the View tab in the main Outlook ribbon.
Click on View Settings.
In the "Advanced View Settings" dialogue box, click on Other Settings....
Here you will see options for fonts. Click the Font... button under "Row Font".
Choose a larger font size and click OK. This changes the font size of the message list (sender, subject, date).
For the email body itself, the best method is the Zoom feature described in the previous step, as there isn't a direct "Reading Pane font size" setting in this menu for HTML emails. However, for plain text emails, the font size can be set here.

Tip: Another powerful tool for readability is Conditional Formatting (found in the same "Advanced View Settings" window). You can use it to make messages from specific people, or with certain words in the subject, automatically appear in a larger or different coloured font in your inbox list.

Change Font Size in Outlook on the Web (OWA)

If you use Outlook in a web browser like Chrome, Edge, or Safari, the settings are located in a different place. There are two main ways to adjust font size: setting the default for composing emails, and using the browser's zoom for reading.

To change your default composing font:

Log in to your Outlook account at Outlook.com.
Click the Settings icon (a small gear) in the top-right corner.
At the bottom of the settings pane, click View all Outlook settings.
In the new window, go to Mail and then select Compose and reply.
You will see a "Message format" section. Here, you can use the dropdown menus to select a default font and font size.
Click the Save button at the bottom when you are finished.

To change the size for reading emails:

Outlook on the Web does not have a built-in zoom slider like the desktop app. The easiest way to make text larger for reading is to use your web browser's native zoom function.
On most browsers, you can press Ctrl and + (Windows) or Cmd and + (Mac) to zoom in, and Ctrl and - (Windows) or Cmd and - (Mac) to zoom out.

Adjust Font Size on the Outlook Mobile App (iOS & Android)

The Outlook mobile app is designed to be simple and does not have its own in-app settings to control the font size of email content. Instead, it respects the system-wide font size settings of your phone. To change the font size in the Outlook app, you must change it for your entire device.

For iOS (iPhone/iPad):

Open the Settings app on your device.
Go to Accessibility.
Tap on Display & Text Size.
Tap on Larger Text.
Drag the slider at the bottom to adjust the text size across all compatible apps, including Outlook.

For Android:

Open the Settings app on your device.
Go to Display (this might be called "Display and brightness" on some devices).
Tap on Font size and style or just Font size.
Use the slider to set your preferred font size. The changes will apply to the Outlook app.

Quick Reference

Situation	Use this	Why
Sending new emails (Desktop)	File > Options > Stationery and Fonts	Sets the default font size that recipients will see.
Reading a specific email (Desktop)	Zoom Slider	Quickly magnifies the content for better readability without permanent changes.
All incoming emails look small (Desktop)	View > View Settings > Other Settings	Changes the font size of the message list for better navigation.
Using Outlook in a web browser	Settings > Compose and reply	Controls the default outgoing font size for the web version.
Reading emails on the web	Browser Zoom (Ctrl +)	The standard way to increase text size on any website, including Outlook Web.
Using the Outlook mobile app	Phone's Accessibility Settings	The app uses your device's system-wide text size setting.

Common Problems When You Change Font Size on Outlook

My font changes won't save.

This can happen for a few reasons. First, ensure you are clicking OK or Save on all open dialogue boxes to confirm the changes. If you are using Outlook at a workplace, your company's IT department may have policies in place that prevent users from changing certain settings. If you suspect this is the case, contact your IT support for assistance.

The recipient says my email has a different font.

When you send an email, the recipient's email client (e.g., Gmail, Apple Mail) has the final say on how it is displayed. If you use an unusual font that the recipient doesn't have installed on their computer, their system will substitute it with a default font. To ensure consistency, it's best to stick with universal, web-safe fonts like Arial, Helvetica, Times New Roman, Georgia, or Verdana.

The font in the folder list or menus is too small.

The font size for the Outlook application interface itself—such as the folder list, the ribbon, and other menus—is not controlled within Outlook's options. This is governed by your operating system's display scaling settings. To change this, you would need to go to your Windows Display Settings or macOS System Settings > Displays and adjust the scale (e.g., from 100% to 125%). Be aware that this will make text and icons larger across all of your applications, not just Outlook.

The zoom level keeps resetting every time I open a new email.

While Outlook's Reading Pane often remembers the zoom level, when you double-click to open an email in a new window, that window may revert to 100% zoom. There is a setting to make this permanent. While composing a new message or viewing one in a separate window, go to the Format Text tab, click Zoom, and set your desired percentage. There should be a checkbox to "Remember my preference". Ensure it is ticked.

Advanced Tips for how to change font size on outlook

Use Conditional Formatting for Important Emails

You can make Outlook automatically change the font size and colour of incoming messages in your inbox list based on rules you set. This is a great way to make important emails stand out. Go to View > View Settings > Conditional Formatting. You can add a rule to, for example, display all emails from your manager in a large, bold font.

Explore the Immersive Reader

For a superior reading experience, try Outlook's built-in Immersive Reader. When an email is open, go to the Message tab and click Immersive Reader. This opens the email in a clean, distraction-free view where you have precise control over text size, column width, page colour, line focus, and even have the email read aloud to you. This is purely a reading tool and makes no changes to the original email.

Create and Save Your Own Font Themes

If you frequently switch between different font styles (e.g., a formal one for work and a casual one for personal emails), you can save your settings as a theme. In the Stationery and Fonts window (File > Options > Mail > Stationery and Fonts), go to the Theme... button. After setting up your desired fonts, you can save the setup as a new theme that you can easily apply later.

How To Change Font Size On Outlook FAQ

How do I change the font size on Outlook for Mac?

The process on a Mac is slightly different. Open Outlook, then in the menu bar at the top of the screen, click Outlook > Settings... > Fonts. From there, you will get a similar dialogue box to the Windows version where you can set the default fonts for new messages and replies.

Can I change the font size for just one specific folder?

Yes, you can. Outlook's view settings can be applied to a single folder. Click on the folder you want to change, go to the View tab, and click View Settings. Make your changes (e.g., to the Row Font size or using Conditional Formatting). When you exit, Outlook will ask if you want to apply this view to just this folder or to all folders.

Why does the font in my email signature look different?

Email signatures are edited separately from the default message font. Your signature might have its own formatting that overrides the default settings. To edit it, go to File > Options > Mail > Signatures. Select the signature you want to edit and use the formatting tools in the edit box to adjust its font and size to match your new default.

How do I reset all my font settings back to the original default?

To reset your composing fonts, navigate back to the Stationery and Fonts window. For each section (New mail, Replying, Plain text), the font dialogue box will have an option or you can manually set it back to the default, which is typically Calibri, size 11. For view settings, you can go to the View tab and click the Reset View button to return the selected folder to its original layout.

Final Checklist for Changing Outlook Font Size

Identify your goal: Are you changing the font for sending emails (so others see it) or for your own reading comfort?
Set composing fonts: If you're changing the sending font, make sure you adjust it for new emails, replies, and plain text messages in the "Stationery and Fonts" menu.
Use Zoom for reading: For temporary reading adjustments, use the Zoom slider first. It's the quickest and easiest method.
Test your changes: Send a test email to yourself to see how your new default font looks to a recipient.
Check mobile settings: Remember that on your phone, the Outlook app's font size is controlled by the main device settings in Accessibility or Display.
Consider accessibility tools: Don't forget about powerful features like the Immersive Reader for a focused and highly customisable reading experience.