Why is 12 pt font in Apple Mail so tiny?

Question

Level 1

16 points

Why is 12 pt font in Apple Mail so tiny?

On Macbook, Mac Air, and 27-inch iMac, the font in Apple Mail is microscopic at a size 12. At best, it looks like 8 point type.

It is not like this in any other mail platform (Thunderbird, Outlook, or four others I've tried). It has nothing to do with resolution, screen size, or preferences best I can tell.

The only way to make the font look like a normal 12pt font is to make it a larger size. So you write the whole thing in a font size you can read, then you have to select it all again and make it smaller so it doesn't look totally stupid to the recipient. Or you zoom in on each email. What a pain! Anyone know what's up? I've seen this question other places and no one received a working response.

I'm going to go back to Thunderbird if it can't be resolved.

iMac 27″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Mar 18, 2021 10:40 PM

Answer 1

Owl-53

Level 10

123,799 points

Mar 19, 2021 2:43 AM in response to reebs26

Very correct is statement - the Look is small. To view what one is typing to appear larger and without making the Font Larger is to use the Command + ( plus ) while composing. Now it looks 16 point font but in print ( recipient ) is really 12 point.

Answer 2

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

124,784 points

Mar 19, 2021 8:05 AM in response to reebs26

reebs26 wrote:

you have to select it all again and make it smaller so it doesn't look totally stupid to the recipient.

I think that is mistaken. The font size you set in Mail > Preferences > Fonts > Message Font does not normally have any effect on what the recipient sees, only on what you see. Test it for yourself by setting the font very large in those Preferences and ask a recipient what size they see.

(If you set the font for each outgoing in the New Message pane, that will normally indeed be seen by the recipient)

Why is 12 pt font in Apple Mail so tiny?

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