Adjusting Your Display

What We'll Learn

1. How to customize your screen for ease of use and reading

Settings That Work for You

Windows XP Settings

Change the size of your screen text (or font) with these steps:

1. <Right-click> on a blank area on the Desktop
2. Click on Properties
3. Click on the Appearance tab
4. Click the Font size drop-down, box and pick a new size.
5. Click OK to save your settings

The screen on your computer has a number of things that can be easily adjusted. Before you spend too much time on your computer, it may be helpful to adjust:

- The default text size. Is it large enough to read easily?
- The size of icons on your desktop or toolbar.

Below we've included a section for Windows XP and Windows Vista / 7 to help you quickly adjust these settings

Change the size of your desktop icons and text with these steps:

1. <Right-click> on a blank area on the Desktop
2. Click on Properties
3. Click on the Appearance tab
4. Click the Advanced button
5. Click the Item list
6. Choose Icon. Select the size of icon you want to use.
7. Choose Menu. Select the size of text you would like for menus
8. Choose ToolTip. Select the size of text on pop-up messages
9. Click OK to save the changes
10. Click OK to exit and apply these new settings

Change the size of the Quick Launch Icons using these steps:

1. <Right-click> an empty area on the Task Bar.
2. Make sure the Lock the Taskbar option is not checked. If it is, click to uncheck.
3. <Right-click> on the drag handle of the Quick Launch section.
4. Select View
5. Choose Large Icons
6. Repeat steps 1 and 2 to Lock the Taskbar

For more customization options - visit the Microsoft Help Topic - Personalize Windows XP

Windows 7 and Vista Settings

Change the size of your screen text (or font) with these steps:

1. Click the Start button
2. Click Control Panel
3. In the Appearance and Personalization section, click Adjust screen resolution
4. Click on the link - Make text and other items larger or smaller
5. Choose Medium or Large and click Apply

For more customization options - visit the Microsoft Help Topic - Personalize Windows 7

Adjusting Your Display