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Safari on iPad

IanSn
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Registered: ‎25-09-2011

Safari on iPad

Anyone know how to increase the text size on the Safari browser that comes with the iPad (mini)?
Can't seem to find anything.
I know you can zoom the page with the finger-sweep thing, but don't necessarily want to do that.
Have increased the text size for iPad overall, but doesn't effect the browswer...
(For my mum who can't read the text on the BBC site.)
14 REPLIES 14
IanSn
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Registered: ‎25-09-2011

Re: Safari on iPad

Looks like there is no option to increase text size on Safari on iPad.
Quite a few on Apple forums asking same question.
The two-finger swipe is suggested, but very unsatisfactory.
On small devices you'd have thought the standard browser 'text zoom' would have been needed more than usual!
Oh well, there's no accounting for decision-makers....
NedLudd
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Re: Safari on iPad

One thing you could try for your mum - use the iPad in landscape mode!  Cool
Geoff,
York.
IanSn
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Re: Safari on iPad

Yes, we discovered that! Slight improvement!
Also discovered that iPad will not bluetooth pair with iMac... What?  Undecided
Among other things you can't do. Good job mum only wants it for email and catching up on news...
RPMozley
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Re: Safari on iPad

Sorry to come to this one late but have you considered using an alternate web browser? One I would recommend is Dolphin browser (the iPhone / iPod version has a text size option available in its settings, don't know if the iPad version differs from that) anyway it can't hurt to try it out.  Wink
Or another thought, if it's just wanting to read the BBC news, get the News app and set the text size for articles to whatever is comfortable in the app.  Smiley
That's RPM to you!!
IanSn
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Registered: ‎25-09-2011

Re: Safari on iPad

Can you download Dolphin from the browser as you would on a desktop? (Slightly fuddled with the iPad and its curious contraints!)
Think a different browser would be a good start all round.
I'll have a go at sorting that out over the weekend.
(Not keen on iPad. Would've been very frustrated if I'd got one for my own use.)
RPMozley
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Re: Safari on iPad

All apps are available to download from the App Store (browsers, games and any other stuff). There's no other way to install things on the iPad unless it's jailbroken but that's for the more adept in 'fiddling'.  Wink
That's RPM to you!!
IanSn
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Registered: ‎25-09-2011

Re: Safari on iPad

Got that impression!
No reason why this shouldn't work out fine for mum tho.
I'll check it out over the weekend. Cheers.
IanSn
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Re: Safari on iPad

Worra a palaver!  Need to grumble...
Turns out the 'increase text size' on the iPad also screws up the page layout - div for the text stays same size so text runs into itself and becomes near unreadable. (Really?) So we had to get rid of that in order to sign-up for the AppleID to get into the App Store.
Jeez, the text is tiny on some of those pages, even with my reading glasses, and the finger-pinch thing doesn't work on them.
App Store timed out the session (it took a while for my elderly mum to get registered with 8 digit password she could remember, and answer all the 'just in case' questions, etc., etc. And write them down as she's unlikely to remember them.
Although (eventually) the page was saying 'sign-in' we had to leave the page to go to Mail to verify the addy... (Can't open two 'windows' on iPad?)
Had to use my email address as an alternative address - she only has the one.
She didn't want to give them her telephone number, so had to use mine. (I didn't want to give them my number either - but...)
At which point mum is exasperated with whole thing.
And me, too. Took up the best part of this evening.
Finally got the BBC News app, and 5live on the BBC RadioPlayer app.
BBC News app allows text size increase only in the content frame, its still unreadably small in the selection side bar - and the finger-pinch doesn't work on the app.
Manual said 'Messenger' was good for sending texts which my mum wanted to do, but gave up the installation as it required FaceBook login. (Neither of us want to go near that.)
Didn't get round to the Dolphin browser. Will have another go at that on my own another time.
Now have to read through the iPad manual again to find out what all those non-intuitive click-able items are everywhere.
So, wonder if I'll be back for another grumble when I get the Toshiba tablet I've been looking at...  Grin    def wont be buying an iPad!
RPMozley
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Re: Safari on iPad

Quote from: IanSn
Manual said 'Messenger' was good for sending texts which my mum wanted to do, but gave up the installation as it required FaceBook login. (Neither of us want to go near that.)

Messages I think it meant, not Messenger (which is a Facebook chat app), that's installed by default though but you can only use it to send messages to others with an Apple ID and either an iOS device or Mac running 10.8+.
Ah, so many things I could have helped you with. I believe the phone number is only required for when entering billing details, which is also optional as you should be able to choose the 'None' option for payment. Maybe it's just different for me as I had an Apple ID for years before (it was required for the developer tools on Mac) and I've not tried setting things up from scratch.
There is an option in the settings for zooming the screen, three finger touching is required to activate and move around. Not sure if that is something useful for your Mum's requirements. (Settings app > General > Accessibility)
That's RPM to you!!
IanSn
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Re: Safari on iPad

Messages! Ok, I'll have another look at that. (Wants to send texts to my sister and grandkids.)
Tried to leave the phone number field blank when signing up for the Apple ID but it refused to proceed without it. (Yes, did select 'None' for payment option.)
I'll check the Accessibility settings.
From now I'll try to figure out these things on my own and give it back when its all sorted. (Ahem...)
What happens if you get a doc or pdf attachment from someone and click 'save', where does it go?
Don't tell me, iTunes or something! (I hope that was a joke...)
I also hope Microsoft are paying attention to all this and get smart - backtrack from the smotheringly corporate control avenue (which Apple once renounced in a famous anti-MS ad). Times change...
Thanks for you help  Smiley
RPMozley
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Re: Safari on iPad

There's no save function as such but can be opened in another app if you wish and then it is stored (if app works that way) in its storage space. Doc and PDFs can be viewed directly within the mail app, if that's the way you're receiving them.
If you do want to save them away from the actual email, for reference later, one app I've found useful to view files and manage them (ie storage management) is "FileApp" (viewing is particularly good with many page documents as there is a page slider included, making scrolling much easier).
That's RPM to you!!
IanSn
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Re: Safari on iPad

FileApp noted!
I guess you can't edit that file?...
but if you wanted to move/send a saved doc it just goes straight from the app to Mail and gets sent, right?
Then you can edit or backup to local storage via a more accomodating device?
So, iPad is really just a 'view-on-the-go' extra.
I saw something about iPad for Business. That would have more functionality via apps?
Not applicable here, I'm just curious...
RPMozley
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Re: Safari on iPad

FileApp does have some editing functions, for a few different file types. Obviously not a PDF as most of those are just read only anyway.
There's a website for it and a few other useful things. www.digidna.net or something, can't remember exactly too sleepy... (Edit: DuckDuckGo to the rescue!)
Ah, better get to bed and sleep.
Good luck with your endeavors.
That's RPM to you!!
IanSn
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Registered: ‎25-09-2011

Re: Safari on iPad

Wow, yes, FileApp looks like the biz. Bookmarked digidna and will try it later.
That 3-finger zoom thing in accessibility worked a treat apparently. M very happy with that. Easy.
She sends thanks + v grateful for your help (and  Lips_are_sealed ing my grumbling probably!)
Now just need to show her how to send emails and we're on a roll   Cheesy
Will also look at Dolphin and Messages.
Brilliant, thankyou  Smiley

[edit - trying to change the subject text on this thread but can't figure out how to do it.]