UI elements are way too large on IOS 26 and there doesn't seem to be a way to scale them. The keyboard, browser tab name, URL bar, etc - or icons on the main screen, are enormous on my standard iphone 16 pro. Scaling the text in accessibility doesn't change these items' sizes. This is unusable.
iPhone 16 Pro, iOS 26
If you’ve installed a third party keyboard app, please let us know. Here’s the settings to check.
Settings > Display & Brightness > tap Display Zoom (near the bottom) > choose Smaller Text (or the “Smaller ” zoom option) > tap Done > iPhone will briefly restart and the UI and keyboard will appear smaller
Settings > Display & Brightness > Text Size and move the slider to the Left
For even smaller sizes, go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Smaller Text, turn on Smaller Accessibility Sizes, then decrease the slider
Settings > Display & Brightness > turn off Bold Text to make characters on keys and UI text thinner
Lastly, restart your device.
If you’ve installed a third party keyboard app, please let us know. Here’s the settings to check.
Settings > Display & Brightness > tap Display Zoom (near the bottom) > choose Smaller Text (or the “Smaller ” zoom option) > tap Done > iPhone will briefly restart and the UI and keyboard will appear smaller
Settings > Display & Brightness > Text Size and move the slider to the Left
For even smaller sizes, go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Smaller Text, turn on Smaller Accessibility Sizes, then decrease the slider
Settings > Display & Brightness > turn off Bold Text to make characters on keys and UI text thinner
Lastly, restart your device.
Go to Settings > Accessibility > Zoom. Tap to turn Zoom off. Turn off Zoom in the Finder or iTunes. You can also use the Finder ...
If your Home Screen icons are magnified on your iPhone ...
sadsquatch wrote:
I'm unhappy with the design out of the box - but it's so bad that it seems like there must be a mistake. Why is everything so huge now? (Added: keyboard filling fully 50% of the screen.)
Judging by the forum postings, more than a few folks are unhappy with 26 appearance, function, and stability, yes.
Per reports, the adoption of iOS 26 is a fraction of where iOS 18 was this far into the release cycle, too.
Log your feedback for Apple here: Product Feedback - Apple
Screen shots would be helpful: Take a screenshot on iPhone - Apple Support
Without seeing what you are seeing, it’s difficult to know if this is something local to your iPhone and its settings, or something part of iOS 26. This is why posting a screenshot here can be helpful.
Without that screenshot, and past verifying or changing the Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size > [etc] settings, you can try using reset all settings, as there is unfortunately not a reset UI settings option available:
Reset iPhone settings to their defaults - Apple Support
That will unfortunately also reset Apple Pay and other non-UI settings.
But please post a screenshot.
sadsquatch wrote:
Changing the text size is something I've tried in accessibility and display options since the update, but the problem is that (mainly in Safari) when input forms are selected, the page will zoom so that only a very small fraction of the screen, perhaps 25% or less, is shown (at 75% text size). I've had to give that up since it made the browser even less usable. No custom keyboard is in use. I'm thinking of switching devices before resetting.
No point in switching when your iphone is not behaving normally. Try the reset first.
I've posted one screenshot under KiltedTim's response already, but I agree product feedback is probably the best place for those since it seems like this is (incredibly) on purpose and there isn't a way to change it. Thanks.
Please follow this path,
iPhone > Settings > Apps > Safari > scroll down > Page Zoom > Set to 100%.
If you’ve installed some extensions in Safari, they could be affecting just one site or it could be global, affecting the entire app?
Are the labels (app name) under each icon? If not, a customization has been set/activated.
Go to any blank are of a Home Screen and tap and hold, tap Edit button in upper left corner of screen, tap Customize, tap two square boxes in tight corner of popup that appears at bottom of screen.
Please post screenshots of what you're referring to. It's difficult to determine whether something is wrong or you are just unhappy with the design out of the box.
Changing the text size is something I've tried in accessibility and display options since the update, but the problem is that (mainly in Safari) when input forms are selected, the page will zoom so that only a very small fraction of the screen, perhaps 25% or less, is shown (at 75% text size). I've had to give that up since it made the browser even less usable. No custom keyboard is in use. I'm thinking of switching devices before resetting.
This is not helpful, because it is the default behavior. Zoom is not enabled.
sadsquatch wrote:
This is not helpful, ...
I think you meant "Thank you for that but ,,,,"
I'm unhappy with the design out of the box - but it's so bad that it seems like there must be a mistake. Why is everything so huge now? (Added: keyboard filling fully 50% of the screen.)
UI elements too large (ios 26)
