Make email text bigger in the Mail app

Why it happens

Mail uses its own fonts for reading and writing, separate from the rest of your Mac. Out of the box they're fairly small. Changing them in Mail's settings makes plain emails easier to read without touching anything else.

How to fix it

1. Open Mail and press Command-Comma to open its settings.

2. Click Fonts & Colors, then click Select next to Message font. Choose a bigger size and close the small font window.

   Mail›Settings…›Fonts & Colors›Message font

3. To make the list of emails bigger too, change Message list font the same way.

   Mail›Settings…›Fonts & Colors›Message list font

Still not fixed?

1. Some emails, like newsletters, set their own text size, so Message font won't change them. While you read one, press Command-Plus to make it bigger and Command-Minus to shrink it. The same command is in Format, then Style, then Bigger.

   Mail›Format›Style›Bigger

2. To enlarge Mail's sidebar and message list, open Accessibility, then Display, then Text size, and give Mail a larger size there.

   Accessibility›Display›Text size

3. To make everything on screen bigger, choose Larger Text under Resolution in Displays.

   Displays›Resolution

4. For a quick close look, turn on Use keyboard shortcuts to zoom in Accessibility, then Zoom, and press Option-Command-Equals.

   Accessibility›Zoom›Use keyboard shortcuts to zoom

5. If text looks blurry rather than small, the display may need checking. Contact Apple Support or a repair shop.