Font size (extremely) small on some websites.

Is there a fix?

from WinCustomize Forums
Over the past week, I have visited alot of websites, that the fonts are really small. It's as if the font size is (15), if there was such a thing. We're talking small.
I keep having to select user defined, to make the page look right or at least OK, to be able to read it.

Is it because websites are using .XHTML 1.0 and my browser (internet explorer) isn't reading it right?

Do you think I may have deleted something that caused it?

Do I just need to update my browser? Version 6.00.2800.1106 (xpsp1.020828-1920). Had a crash, a couple weeks ago. Still waiting for it to update to SP2. 56K. (But, it has only happened in the past week, before that it was fine.)

I checked the source code and the size of the fonts don't match what's on the website.

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks, in advance.
internet
25,299 views 17 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
maybe it's age?...

do yourself a favor in regards to SP2 - either order the disk or go to the IT section and download it (yeah, I know - I have dialup - I did it = 33 hrs +/- for full disk download)= if something goes wrong later and you need to reinstall it for something (I had to, to fix my broken BITS) WU won't let you. You'll get a 'you already have this, click okay so the box will go away' message.

can't help on the font size - I mainly use FF. when I use IE it seems okay, but every so often I may have to change it in the view tab.
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I get this on occasion, and I don't know why. If the page isn't using CSS, you can try holding down the Control Key while scrolling down on your mouse's wheel (assuming you have a wheeled mouse). This will change the font size larger on most webpages and even in emails that don't use CSS. HTH.
DD

Posted via WinCustomize Browser/Stardock Central
Siege of Centauri
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top

That was too cool...
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I feel a little embarassed (like a newbie) asking about this.
Here I can design and code websites but I can't, for the life of me, figure out this font issue.

It's kind of like knowing how to build a race care from scratch, but then can't figure out why the brakes don't work. lol
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top

That is SOOOO cool! Thanks DigitalDanes! and thanks Z71 for asking so we could all be enlightened. That is just a neato-nifty I did not know that type of thing. There are lots of sites I have gone to where I had to borrow my father's bi-focals to read. Imade a little post-it (those are all over my PC desk) with a note "Ctrl+scroll=bigger font". That should do me good.

Posted via WinCustomize Browser/Stardock Central
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I am sure you have checked but what is your text size set at? Go to View (menubar) and then text size.
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Well, Night Train, I am officially humbled. That did the trick after a reboot. It was set on small.
Haven't a clue how that happened in the first place.
Didn't even think to look there. LOL
I thought it just might have been certain websites I went to.
Thanks, you're the man of the hour.

At least people learned something "new" from DigitalDanes.

Oh, and btw, I meant to say the fonts are like size "1", not "15". I was thinking of header sizes.
I'm going to go back to banging my head against the wall, now.
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Sorry that my suggestion didn't help. I never thought to indicate to you to check the font size setting in your browser, though Glad that my other suggestion helped out some others here
DD

Posted via WinCustomize Browser/Stardock Central
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Sorry that my suggestion didn't help


Actually it did. It got me thinking that his settings might have changed. I never thought it would be the actual problem. Big relief Master Z71 (congrats by the way!).
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
but every so often I may have to change it in the view tab.
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
DD, it did help. Even I learn something new everyday and I didn't know that.
So now, when ever someone uses small fonts on the forum here, I can pop the old ctrl-key.

Wonder what I'll learn tomorrow.
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I love wondering what I'll learn tomorrow!!
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I actually found it by accident about 2 years ago...LOL I was getting ready to highlight some objects for selection and the last object was down at the bottom of the page and I used the scroll wheel at the same time that I was holding down the control key and *poof*! all the printing on the page changed size! What a shock it was then (I thought I had really screwed something up LMAO) Then I found out that it worked in emails and now I don't ever have to ask my friends to stop using a font size that they are comfortable typing in.
DD

Posted via WinCustomize Browser/Stardock Central
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Master Z71:

What you are encountering is very likely one of the extremely bad flaws in IE.

As DigitalDanes points out you can, most of the time, use Ctrl+scroll to change
font size, you can also use Ctrl together with + and - to change the text size
on most webpages. Or go to View > Text Size and change the size there.

People who make webpages has over the years learned to set the font size
on their webpages in "pixels", like 10px, 12px etc. This has been done
to keep their layout and design looking the same in most browsers.

The problem with setting the font size in pixels is that with IE you CAN'T
resize the text (as mentioned above) if the font is set in pixels!
Very bad for people who may need to make the text bigger to be able to read it

Stupid, I know, since all other browsers have no problem with resizing fonts
with a set pixel height, but that is IE for you, always doing things it's
own way =\

So, any page that you visit with IE in which you can't change the font size
has most likely pixel sized text.

Hope this helps.
Reply #15 from JoeUser Forums Top
Go figure...
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Ooops, sorry didn't read the follow-up comments well enough.
Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I have a lot of problems with font/graphic size when using my laptop due to resolution. Opera has a neat built in zoom function. I use it a lot here on the forum, 'cause this dinky font gives me eye strain if I don't.