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How Do I Change the Mailbox Font Size in the Sidebar?

In an earlier preview build of Lion, I was able to change the size of the Mailbox font used in the left sidebar to view more content in the column, but I don't remember what I did to change it. The Mail/Preferences/Fonts & Colors pane no longer has a Mailbox font option.


Does anyone know how to change the Mail sidebar font size in Lion?

2.8GHz 24, Mac OS X (10.7)

Posted on Jul 20, 2011 4:04 PM

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Posted on Jul 20, 2011 4:55 PM

Go to system prefs > general. change sidebar icon size, and the font size will also change.

33 replies

Jul 22, 2011 1:56 AM in response to docmhmark

I'm not sure what you're responding to. Bob H. above pointed out a clear bug in changing the Mail list font when he went to Mail/Preferences/Fonts & Colors and changed the font setting for the Mail list (second column), and it didn't work.


My issue was the font size in the first column (sidebar), which is not controlled in the Mail app, but by going to System Preferences/General and checking the box for changing the sidebar font size. This checkbox also controls the font size for Finder (Desktop) windows sidebars (left column), where hard drives, other volumes, user Documents folders, and the like are listed. This does work perfectly for me.


I have no other suggestions for you, except for perhaps trying removing the com.apple.finder.plist file located in the ~/Library/Preferences folder, which you can access by holding down the option key while selecting the Go menu at the top of the screen. This controls the Finder window settings you have previously selected, and may be corrupted. Simply move it to the Desktop for temporary safekeeping, then if it simply copied it, vice moving it out of the folder, right click on the file in the folder to move it to the Trash (you may have to authenticate). This will force the Finder to recreate a default version of the file, which you can then remodify to your liking. If that works, Trash the copy you moved to the Desktop. If not, put it back in the folder to restore your prior settings.


Good luck.

Jul 22, 2011 5:38 AM in response to docmhmark

docmhmark wrote:


I tried this and it did not work. I even restarted my computer, any other suggestions?

There is no way currently to change the font size in the sidebar message list, and believe me I wish there was because on my 13' Macbook Air it's barely readable. They even reduced the font size in Address Book. But as for Mail if you change back to Classic view in mail preferences you can alter the font size there but you won't see the first lines of the message itself.

Jul 22, 2011 9:36 AM in response to Pappasbike

The sidebar (leftmost column) in the Mail app and in Finder windows is controlled by System Preferences/General, checking the Sidebar icon size box, and selecting small/medium/large, which will also change the TEXT size in those sidebars, at least between small and medium options.


My issue was that the text was too large, preventing all my nested folders in the sidebar from displaying, without scrolling down.

How Do I Change the Mailbox Font Size in the Sidebar?

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