How to Make Print Larger on Computer Screen
Increase text size for Boomers and Seniors with Aging Vision
Jan 27, 2009
Eye fatigue is a blurry misery for seniors who attempt to read tiny print. It is easy to make print larger on a computer screen. Knowing how to increase text size is important, but other solutions include: digital scanning and computer reading glasses.
Here is where readers should go to make words on paper printout larger.
Make Print Larger On a Computer Screen
- Ctrl: While holding down the Control key (Ctrl), press the "plus" key one or more times. For Mac: use Command key.
- Ctrl - : Press the minus key in the same fashion to make print smaller again.
- Ctrl and Mouse: While holding down the Control key, roll the mouse wheel.
Some computers do not allow the Control key method to make print larger, especially older laptops and some public computers. Here are alternate instructions to increase text size in Internet Explorer.
- Click “View” in the top left corner.
- Click “Text Size”.
- Click “Largest”.
Scan to Reduce Eye Fatigue, Let the Computer Do the Reading
Making print larger is not the only answer for aging boomers and savvy seniors. Here’s another solution: Read less. Computer usability specialist, Jakob Nielsen, says that people (of all ages) read 25% slower from a computer screen than from paper. This is true even when readers increase text size. Computers can “read” faster and better than humans by digitally scanning for words. This is especially true with long, dense blocks of Text.
To Scan a Single Page:
- Ctrl F : While holding down the control key, press the “F” key.
- A “Find” pop-up box will appear.
- Type a word, partial word, or phrase into the pop-up box.
- Click “Next” until the computer finds the correct information.
To Scan a Website Using Google
From a standard Google search page (or a similar web browser), type information into the search box using the format below.
- Site:website.com something
Example 1: Site:suite101.com dogs
There is no space after the colon. There is a space before “dogs”. Results will include all Suite101.com articles with the word “dogs”. This can be used for any website, for example: site:Amazon.com My-Favorite-Martian.
Example 2: Site:suite101.com trains Germany -Eurail
There is no space between the minus sign and Eurail. Results will include all Suite101.com articles about German trains which do not include the word “Eurail”.
People, who didn't grow up with the internet, should learn how to Google better to save one's eyesight from the horrors of reading big blocks of text online. There are several easy tricks for making the computer do the "reading". St learn some easy steps to get the right information, right away.
Seniors and Computer Reading Glasses
Regular single vision lenses and bifocals are not as good as Computer Glasses. Getting computer glasses sounds a little like a scam to make money, but computer reading glasses really help. Regular reading glasses are for reading paper, not monitors. Driving glasses are for distance. Computer glasses are for the intermediate space, which is around 20 - 30 inches from the viewer.
Tuck this information away for the next eye exam. For limited budgets, there are clip-on glasses for computer use. They're not pretty, but neither is squinting.
Other Ideas to Help SeniorsTechnology is always coming up with new ideas to help older people deal with technology. Computer accessibility is big now. Computer users now have text magnifiers, large print keyboards, and computer programs which read words aloud through computer speakers. As always, take breaks to avoid eyestrain. Every hour or half hour, one should get up and walk around. This might be a good time.
Resource: Nielsen, Jakob. “Writing for the Web, Jakob Nielsen’s Alertbox.” useit.com
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
