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How do I adjust the FONT SIZE on Safari 10?

I'm using OS X 10.11.6, and I just downloaded Safari 10.0. It seems to have replaced the "minimum font size" with a "zoom" function; but there's a big problem: If I make the font size as large as I prefer, the page runs off the screen; if I make the page zoom optimal, the font is too small! So I have to either squint at the text, or keep sliding back and forth to see the whole page. This is annoying and stupid. Isn't there a way to adjust the font size ALONE?

MacBook Air, OS X El Capitan (10.11.6)

Posted on Sep 20, 2016 11:12 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Sep 20, 2016 11:28 AM

Have same question. Safari 10.0 is USELESS to me if I can't change font size. Never imagined Apple would do such a Microsoft (see IE) thing.

122 replies

Sep 29, 2016 10:46 AM in response to johnnylundy

Mine was already un-checked, so after selecting it, it then allowed the Option + Command + +/- to function, and yes, it does increase font size but as you mentioned, whacks-out the page boundaries so isn't a viable solution for me.


By far, the aforementioned Terminal font procedure is the best workaround for those who want to keep OS 10.12 (Sierra).


I elected to boot up in Command Option R, erase and reinstall my native El Capitan, then pick and choose the sub upgrades that avoided OS 10.12 install and turn off automatic updates.

Sep 29, 2016 12:05 PM in response to AppleMacBrett

Once you have checked the box, does [option][command]+ work any differently than [command]+ did before? I'm wondering if there is really any point in changing the System Preferences/Accessibility.


I'm still with El Capitan, but unfortunately I "upgraded" to Safari 10.0, and I really don't want to try to reverse the procedure. I haven't started getting pushed to upgrade to Sierra yet, and when I do, I will ignore it as long as possible.

Sep 29, 2016 6:38 PM in response to Egtverchi

If you expand Safari Edit menu and press Alt (⌥), you will see that "Zoom In" (⌘+) and "Zoom Out" (⌘+) are turing to "Make Text Bigger" (⌥⌘+) and "Make Text Smaller" (⌥⌘+). Which makes the trick, it does old-school "Zoom Text Only".


Although there is some bug, so pressing ⌥⌘+ on keyboard doesn't do anything. Anyways this should be marked as answer! Believe in Apple again (especially when you press Alt. ⌥ all other the macOS).

Sep 29, 2016 6:55 PM in response to tearaway_Tea

Thank you for that explanation. It does work - but the control is too coarse; the text expands much too much, and I can't fine tune it the way I could with "Minimum font size", or the way I still can with the Terminal command.


I did check the box to which johnnylundy and AppleMacBrett referred (above), and afterwards, pressing [option][command]+ does affect the display - but in an odd and unsatisfactory way: it zooms up just the center of the page, and I can't scroll sideways to view the left or right margins! Pressing [command]+ works as it did before I checked the box, but works as I described earlier.


So it looks like the Terminal command is the only way to properly adjust the text size to my liking, unless Apple comes to its senses and reinstates the "Minimum font size" control.

Sep 29, 2016 8:06 PM in response to Egtverchi

By the way, instead of typing or copying/pasting the line in Terminal over and over, you can also just hit the up arrow on the keyboard and that will bring up the last command you entered. Then you just edit the last 2 characters to change the size of the font.


Standard Unix philosophy - keyboard jockeys are lazy and write all kinds of keystroke-saving gimmicks.

Sep 29, 2016 10:55 PM in response to Egtverchi

"I did check the box to which johnnylundy and AppleMacBrett referred (above), and afterwards, pressing [option][command]+ doesaffect the display - but in an odd and unsatisfactory way: it zooms up just the center of the page, and I can't scroll sideways to view the left or right margins!"


If you move the cursor to the edge, the rest of the page slides into view. This can be changed in System Prefs>Accessibility>Zoom then click options. You can set it so the page moves around with the cursor.

Sep 30, 2016 6:50 AM in response to johnnylundy

"By the way, instead of typing or copying/pasting the line in Terminal over and over, you can also just hit the up arrow on the keyboard and that will bring up the last command you entered. Then you just edit the last 2 characters to change the size of the font."


Next to the Terminal solution itself, that's the most helpful post I've read on this whole thread! Thank you!

Sep 30, 2016 7:11 AM in response to PAWatkins

"If you move the cursor to the edge, the rest of the page slides into view. This can be changed in System Prefs>Accessibility>Zoom then click options. You can set it so the page moves around with the cursor."


That's good to know, but you still end up with a page too big for the screen. If you're not bothered by that, isn't it easier just to use [command]+ to zoom the page - or for that matter, just use the two-finger "unpinch" gesture, which allows precise control of size, has no effect on page layout, and can be done on the fly without using the keyboard? (Certainly more effective than the one-finger gesture I've been using towards Safari these last few days.)

How do I adjust the FONT SIZE on Safari 10?

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