Changing text size for Windows 7 top menu program bar?

[TechJeff]

Hi,

I was wondering if it was possible to change the text size and font or just the text size of the top menu programs bar?

Example: I open a program such as an image editor/viewer and that program, as do all others, have a "top" menu bar that has items specific to the program like open, save, etc. and other key features for that program. This is the area I am referring to.

What I want to do is change the text size of that top menu bar and also the font if possible. Yes, I have gone into the Windows features and increased text size to 125%, but that only effects Window text and icon text, NOT the text size or font of the top menu bar items. Also, I checked the accessibility features and nothing there seemed to do it.

The reason I ask is I find them very blurry, even with my glasses (no not blind, just use glasses due to age) and would like to change the size and font to read it better. I REALLY need to find something that allows me to do this because it is almost unusable for me.

I know the Mac OS lets you do this, but I have not found a way to do so under Windows 7. Is this possible to do and if so how?

Thanks.

 

[Concentric]

I'm not sure about altering the font size, that might be something available in the registry?
On the bluriness front, try going to Control Panel > Appearance & Personalisation > Adjust ClearType Text under Fonts.

It takes you through a wizard where you select the text that looks clearest to you and it uses that to adjust font appearance.

 

[Joe Average]

Follow these steps:

1) Right click the Desktop, choose Personalization

2) At the bottom, click the link or the image that says Window Color. (bear with me, this is all accurate)

3) On the next screen click the link that says Advanced appearance settings...

4) You'll get a dialogue box like this one:

Click where the red X is located. When you click that spot (the menu bar area), it'll change the options as follows:

Change the font settings as required using the lower section where you see Segoe UI and the size 9. You can also alter the actual size of the menu bar with the setting that shows 18 - in case you want a larger font but you wish to keep things looking "normal" because altering the font size can sometimes make things not fit quite right.

Simple.

 

[TechJeff]

Joe Average,

Thanks for the nice reply and help. That was exactly what I needed and was referring to. It really helps a lot.

The one problem I have now is that it seems only programs that are Windows 7 friendly or have been designed to take advantage of this works. For example, IE 8 works just fine and shows the adjustments, but others like Photoshop some some others I tried do not. It would seem they either do not work with this or have a fixed font size for their menu bar and font. It is a shame and they should all work like IE 8 does and show the font size changes. Maybe they just haven't had enough to request this but it would seem if properly written it should get the info from Windows 7 like IE 8 does.

Thanks.

 

[Joe Average]

That's one of the biggest gripes about Windows over the years: consistency in the interface, which even in Windows 7 isn't 100% "fixed" but, a lot of blame can be laid on the apps themselves, like Photoshop for example. Some apps have a locked in aspect to various parts of their own interfaces, or they just go completely bonkers and do some really funky stuff that nobody can figure out.

It's a price we have to pay, but... compared to other OSes, I got no beef with it.

 

[TechJeff]

That's one of the biggest gripes about Windows over the years: consistency in the interface, which even in Windows 7 isn't 100% "fixed" but, a lot of blame can be laid on the apps themselves, like Photoshop for example. Some apps have a locked in aspect to various parts of their own interfaces, or they just go completely bonkers and do some really funky stuff that nobody can figure out.

It's a price we have to pay, but... compared to other OSes, I got no beef with it.

Thanks, that's pretty much what I figured. Sure makes it hard though when it's so easy to read on other apps that support this. Oh well, thanks anyway for the help.