How to Make Text Bigger on Linux Mint

If the words on your Linux Mint screen look too small, you do not have to put up with them. You can adjust the font size and display settings to make menus, window titles, and other desktop text more comfortable to read.

The exact controls depend on which Linux Mint desktop you use. This guide focuses on the Cinnamon edition, which is the default for many Linux Mint installations, and explains what to look for if your menus are different.

What you’ll need

• Your Linux Mint computer.
• A few minutes to try different text and display sizes.

Step 1: Open the display settings

Start with the display settings, where you can adjust how large items appear on your screen. On Linux Mint Cinnamon, these options are available through the system settings.

1. Click the Menu button in the bottom-left corner of the desktop.
2. Open Preferences.
3. Select Display.
4. Look for the User interface scale or scaling options, if your version shows them.
5. Choose a larger scale if you want menus, buttons, and other interface elements to appear bigger.

The names and available scaling choices can vary between Linux Mint releases and screen setups. If you do not see the same options, use the search field in the Menu and type Display or Settings.

Tip: Change one setting at a time, then check how the desktop looks. It is easier to find a comfortable size when you make small adjustments rather than changing several options together.

Step 2: Increase the font size

If the menus and icons are already a comfortable size but the words are difficult to read, changing the font size may be enough.

1. Click Menu.
2. Open Preferences.
3. Select Fonts.
4. Find the font size controls for the desktop interface, such as Default font, Desktop font, or Window title font.
5. Click the size value or its adjustment control and choose a larger number.
6. Review the result on the desktop and in open windows.

The Fonts panel can offer separate settings for different parts of the desktop. For example, you may be able to enlarge the text used in menus without changing the font used in window titles.

Good to know: Linux Mint’s font settings affect the desktop and applications that use the system fonts. Some apps and websites have their own text-size controls, so they may not change when you adjust this setting.

Step 3: Make icons and desktop items easier to see

Sometimes the words are not the only things that look small. You can also adjust the size of desktop icons and, depending on the file manager version, the way files are displayed.

1. Right-click an empty area of the desktop.
2. Look for Customize or Desktop Settings, depending on your Linux Mint version.
3. Find the icon size option, if available.
4. Choose a larger size and close the settings window.
5. Open the file manager and check its view options if folder icons also need adjusting.

Tip: Larger icons can make folders easier to identify, but they also take up more room. Choose a size that leaves enough space for the shortcuts you use.

Step 4: Enlarge text in your web browser

If small text is mainly a problem when reading websites, you can increase the page zoom in your browser. This changes the size of a webpage without changing the Linux Mint desktop.

1. Open your web browser, such as Firefox.
2. Visit a webpage.
3. Press Ctrl and + together to zoom in.
4. Press Ctrl and - to zoom out.
5. Press Ctrl and 0 to return to the normal zoom level.

You can also open the browser menu and look for the zoom controls, often shown with a percentage and plus and minus buttons.

The browser may remember your zoom choice for a particular website. If you want larger text on most websites, check the browser’s accessibility or appearance settings for a default zoom or font-size option.

Step 5: Check the result and fine-tune the settings

After making changes, spend a moment using the computer as you normally would. Open a few windows and check whether the text is comfortable in the places you use most.

1. Open the Menu and check the app names.
2. Open the file manager and look at folder names.
3. Open a settings window and check its labels.
4. Visit a website and check the browser zoom.
5. Return to Fonts or Display if you want to make another adjustment.

If text becomes too large and some labels are cut off, reduce the setting slightly. You can return to the same panel whenever you want to change it again.

Troubleshooting: If the text size does not change

• You cannot find Fonts or Display: Open the Menu search field and type Fonts or Display. The location of settings can differ between Cinnamon, MATE, and Xfce editions.
• Only some apps change: Some applications use their own font settings. Check the app’s menus or settings for options such as Preferences, Appearance, Text size, or Zoom.
• The screen looks blurry: If you changed display scaling, try another available scale or return to the previous setting. Some combinations of monitor resolution and scaling can look less sharp.
• A website is still difficult to read: Use the browser’s zoom controls or look for an accessibility option in the browser.
• You use Linux Mint MATE or Xfce: Their settings panels have different names and layouts. Search the Menu for Fonts, Appearance, or Display rather than following Cinnamon menu paths exactly.

If you cannot find a particular setting, use the search feature in the Menu and type the name of the setting you want to change.

Make Linux Mint more comfortable to read

A few small adjustments can make a real difference to everyday computer use. Start with the Fonts settings, then try display scaling or browser zoom if you need more help. You can always return to the same settings and adjust them until the text feels right.