cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Upgrade to OS X Version 10.6.8 has shrunk my text et cetera

tsphillips
Grafter
Posts: 34
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎03-01-2008

Upgrade to OS X Version 10.6.8 has shrunk my text et cetera

Hello
My eyesight is not great so I have, for years, had my iMac set up to permanently show as many things as possible larger than the default size. I have recently installed OS X Version 10.6.8. Since then, virtually everything that was larger has gone smaller. The login box, text and icons on the desktop, dialogue boxes, icons in the dock, widgets, text in Finder, text and images in web pages in Safari such as the page I am now typing into, the toolbar, tab bar, bookmarks bar and status bar are all affected. Only the pointer has stayed large. I have installed the Version 10.6.8 updater; doing so has not helped. I cannot remember how I made things larger in the first place and I cannot make them larger again. I have looked at System Preferences, Finder Preferences, Safari Preferences and Mac Help but to no avail. Google has not helped me either.
t (squinting at the screen)
12 REPLIES 12
VileReynard
Hero
Posts: 12,616
Thanks: 582
Fixes: 20
Registered: ‎01-09-2007

Re: Upgrade to OS X Version 10.6.8 has shrunk my text et cetera

You could always try http://www.bresink.com/osx/TinkerTool.html to see if it does anything useful.

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."

tsphillips
Grafter
Posts: 34
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎03-01-2008

Re: Upgrade to OS X Version 10.6.8 has shrunk my text et cetera

Thank you, A Fox.
If I cannot get a better solution from a specialist Mac forum and upgrading to Lion does not help I will certainly consider downloading TinkerTool.
t
tsphillips
Grafter
Posts: 34
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎03-01-2008

Re: Upgrade to OS X Version 10.6.8 has shrunk my text et cetera

I have posted a query on a specialist Mac forum but have not got a better suggestion or indeed any response at all.
I have decided not to upgrade to Lion at present as (1) the on-line reviews I have seen are mixed, (2) my main Mac problems have stemmed from updates to the operating system and (3) I would, it appears, need to spend an additional £59 on a new trackpad to benefit from many of the features of Lion.
I have decided not to download TinkerTool as the functions listed on their website do not seem to address my particular issue.
I will, for the time being, make do with zooming into individual web pages using ⌘+
scc
Newbie
Posts: 7
Registered: ‎08-06-2011

Re: Upgrade to OS X Version 10.6.8 has shrunk my text et cetera

Hello. I think you may have to adjust this app by app. For example, if you go into Finder, then click on 'Action', at the top of the window, and select 'Show View Options'. From there you can select the text size that you want. As regards Safari, go into 'Preferences', (not system preferences), and select the 'Appearance' tab. From there you can change the text size.
It sounds as though the update has reset your apps to default text size. Hope this helps.
Simon.
tsphillips
Grafter
Posts: 34
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎03-01-2008

Re: Upgrade to OS X Version 10.6.8 has shrunk my text et cetera

Thanks Simon
In Finder, I have clicked on 'View' and selected 'Show View Options' and selected the largest of the text sizes available and the larger of the two icon sizes on offer. This has increased the size of text inside Finder windows but had no effect on the things on the window frame, i.e. the name of the window at the top, the list of devices, places et cetera on the left hand side and the statement of the number of gigabytes available et cetera at the bottom.
In the Appearance window in Safari I have selected a larger size for both Standard font and Fixed-width font. This works for some web pages but not for others. Again, everything in the window frame as opposed to the window itself is unaffected and still small.
Another application I use (Skype) does not have any 'Appearance' options and everything in it is still small compared to how it was before my OS upgrade.
scc
Newbie
Posts: 7
Registered: ‎08-06-2011

Re: Upgrade to OS X Version 10.6.8 has shrunk my text et cetera

I can't find a default way to increase the size of everything. I have also just upgraded my macbook to Lion. But if you have an imac with Snow Leopard, can you make any adjustments under 'Displays' in the System Preferences? Like changing the screen resolution? I wonder how you did it before?
Which version of osx did you upgrade from? 10.5?
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: Upgrade to OS X Version 10.6.8 has shrunk my text et cetera

When you read here http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?s=0e7110f6fe115c3cdd690b8bed961e62&t=352057 of MAC users going to Windows 7 because of the small fonts problem you seriously wonder if Apple even care about those with substandard vision
tsphillips
Grafter
Posts: 34
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎03-01-2008

Re: Upgrade to OS X Version 10.6.8 has shrunk my text et cetera

Thanks for your posts.
scc: I can make adjustments to, among other things, resolutions, using "Displays" in the system preferences and it does affect the appearance of the display - but not in a helpful way. My previous version of OSX was, I think, 10.6.7.
Jim: The site to which you posted a link has been very helpful. I have followed advice there by (1) giving my feedback to Apple and (2) installing a Safari extension listed under Productivity called "All pages zoom", which sets the size of the font globally. All you need do is press Cmd++ to where you like it, and it stays set throughout.
RPMozley
Pro
Posts: 1,339
Thanks: 83
Fixes: 13
Registered: ‎04-11-2011

Re: Upgrade to OS X Version 10.6.8 has shrunk my text et cetera

tsphillips: Did you ever find how you changed the font sizes before? Tinker Tool does have an option to change the size of system fonts. You should try it out and get things to your liking. The options are in the "Font" section to change the sizes (I have a copy of the program on my laptop).
That's RPM to you!!
tsphillips
Grafter
Posts: 34
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎03-01-2008

Re: Upgrade to OS X Version 10.6.8 has shrunk my text et cetera

No, I never found out how I changed the font sizes before. I have downloaded TinkerTool and selected larger sizes for the nine font categories that it offers. Most of the things that changed from large to small when I installed 10.6.8 are still small and, where a larger font size is now used, the down-hanging bits of letters like "p" and "y" are often either outside the button they are supposed to be in or completely invisible. On balance TinkerTool has, nevertheless, improved my position. Thanks for recommending it, RP.
RPMozley
Pro
Posts: 1,339
Thanks: 83
Fixes: 13
Registered: ‎04-11-2011

Re: Upgrade to OS X Version 10.6.8 has shrunk my text et cetera

Oh, I'd also recommend using the "Strong" setting in the Font Smoothing section. That improves readability of fonts on LCD screens.
That's RPM to you!!
tsphillips
Grafter
Posts: 34
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎03-01-2008

Re: Upgrade to OS X Version 10.6.8 has shrunk my text et cetera

Thanks, RP. I have followed your (latest) advice and am satisfied with the readability of fonts on my screen.