How to enlarge the font for message list in Mail

What you probably want is to make the font of the message text larger. Even if you could change the "Message List Font" that would only change the font of the list of messages in the in-box, not the font of the actual message you are looking at.

If you want to change the size of the font of the message text right click on the button bar at the top of the window and select "Customize." You can then drag a pair of buttons into the header that are titled, "Smaller" and "Bigger."

Now when the font is too small in a message you just need to click the "Bigger" icon in the menu bar and you're good to go.

I realize this is the correct answer, it just seems a very random requirement. I can't think of any practical reason why you shouldn't be able to make the message list font bigger when in the non-classic view (or whatever it's called) except that Apple has decided not to allow it.

I agree. It's not like Apple to not give us this choice. We are able to change various font sizes to meet our individual needs according to eyesight, screen resolution, and preference. A seemingly arbitrary decision to not allow one to change the font size from 12 points (very tiny on a high-resolution (i.e., Retina) display) makes it more difficult to read the text in the message summaries. I find myself always using zoom to read them, when a simple preference setting would take care of it permanently.

The other related aggravation is the color choice for messages marked as spam. Let's see, how can we make it difficult for people to read this text? Oh, I know. Let's color it light tan on a white background and set it at a small text size. Then, nobody will be able to read it. Oh, and while we're at it, let's not give users a preference setting to change it.

It would be helpful if everyone ready your post carefully. I get what you're asking: it's specifically, exclusively the sidebar text size. Yes, you and I know how to enlarge the text in the actual message. Yes, you and I know how to read in classic view. But NO, you and I do not know how to enlarge the SIDEBAR TEXT SIZE only. And so it appears, there is no way the system allows a user to do this.

It's called an oversight, or a BUG. Hopefully it gets noticed in Apple's list of updates some month..........

A quick and easy way to increase the font size in an email that you're reading is to use the key combination of Command(⌘) - +

bobgoldstein wrote:

When I go to Mail preferences and Fonts and Colors, the message list font is greyed out and set to Menlo Regular 16. Is there no way to change the font size?

From the Mail help menu

Apple Feedback http://www.apple.com/feedback/

Came here looking for the answer to the same question. Not being able to change the message list font size (I'm use the 3 column view) is a silly bug.

+1 agreed

i need to make the message list bigger because i can't see it any more

thanks

You need to be in "Classic View" then you change the font for the Message List.

Go to Mail>Preferences...>Viewing> ✓ Use classic layout.

Tip: While you are in the Viewing tab select "Display unread messages with bold font"

Go to Mail>Preferences...>Fonts & Colors > now adjust your font size

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Thank you, I was having the same dilemma and now I know it's a flaw in the system.