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How to Fix Outlook Font Size Change in Reply Mode

By Jeff Adam February 29, 2020 27 Comments

Problem Summary

Ctrl KeyWhen you are replying to an email you received in Outlook, you may find that the size of the font in the message you are typing is so small that you can barely see what you have typed, even though the font size in your tool bar has not changed.

This has happened to me when the size of my font is at 11 in the tool bar, but any message I type when replying to an email is like font size 6. Many people have tried increasing their Outlook font size in reply mode up to size 18 or 20, just so they can read what they are typing, but only to find out to their dismay that when they send the message without reducing the font back to the normal setting, the recipients of their reply get the message in VERY large size 18 or 20 font!

The fix for Outlook font size when it changes to very small size when you are replying to an email is really very simple, and I have summarized it below. The Zoom factor in the Reply Mode is what you need to increase to 100%.

The Fix for Outlook Font Size Change in Reply Mode

In Outlook Reply Mode:

  1. Hold down the “Ctrl” key on your keyboard
  2. If you are using a mouse with a scroll wheel, scroll the wheel up or down to increase the Zoom to 100%
  3. Or, while holding the “Ctrl” key down, pinch the mouse pad on your laptop in or out to get 100% Zoom factor.

This should fix your font changing to very small size when you are replying to an email in Outlook.  This fix also works if your Outlook font in Reply Mode has increased, just reduced it to 100% with the same steps.

The key combination you may have to press to get 100% font Zoom factor may differ on your laptop. I have tested this fix on a Dell laptop running Windows 10.

If you find that a different key/Mouse combination works for you, please share it here so others can benefit.

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Tagged With: Email, Windows 10

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dave says

    July 31, 2019 at 2:45 am

    Pinching the mouse pad while holding the control key worked! Thank you!

    Reply
  2. Andy Hogendijk says

    December 22, 2019 at 4:59 am

    Thank you it worked ,solved another mystery.
    Thank you

    Reply
    • Jeff Adam says

      December 22, 2019 at 6:55 am

      Thank you Andy for the feedback. Glad the fix worked for you.

      Jeff

      Reply
  3. Bob Sheldon says

    March 21, 2020 at 2:20 pm

    Thanks Jeff

    Brilliant solution and trivial to do. Any idea why the problem arose?

    Reply
    • Jeff Adam says

      March 24, 2020 at 7:14 pm

      Thanks Bob for the feedback. I suspect the problem arose from a software update.

      Regards
      Jeff

      Reply
  4. Julie Pipke says

    May 11, 2020 at 7:18 pm

    Thank you, I was doing some rapid clicking and next thing I knew my reply message blew up larger than life. This was exactly what worked for the issue and I’m very grateful.

    Reply
    • Jeff Adam says

      May 12, 2020 at 5:11 am

      Hello Julie,

      Thank you for the feedback. I am glad the fix worked for you.

      Jeff

      Reply
  5. Austin Close says

    July 13, 2020 at 7:57 pm

    Thanks, quick easy fix.

    Reply
    • Jeff Adam says

      July 22, 2020 at 1:04 pm

      Hi Austin,

      Thanks for the feedback.

      Jeff

      Reply
  6. Francis Manuel says

    July 22, 2020 at 11:59 am

    Thank you that really helped

    Reply
    • Jeff Adam says

      July 22, 2020 at 1:06 pm

      Hello Francis,

      Thank you the feedback. Good to know the fix helped you.

      Jeff

      Reply
  7. Geert De Clercq says

    July 29, 2020 at 12:19 pm

    It works, brilliant, thanks! chrs Geert

    Reply
    • Jeff Adam says

      July 29, 2020 at 9:09 pm

      Thanks Geert for the feedback.

      Jeff

      Reply
  8. JohnPhua says

    August 13, 2020 at 8:07 am

    Thank you Jeff. Great help.

    Reply
  9. Craig LaMar, Sr. says

    August 18, 2020 at 5:03 pm

    thank you Jeff!

    Reply
  10. mark says

    September 17, 2020 at 11:33 am

    I suspect it is a software change also, it happened right after that but holding the control key and scrolling with my mouse ball doesnt help. The reply font is VERY small, everything else is great and when someone see’s my reply it is normal font. Any other suggestions? Thanks Mark

    Reply
    • Jeff Adam says

      September 18, 2020 at 3:18 pm

      Hi Mark,

      If every other thing look ok as you said, try the follow:

      1) Open any Outlook email message and click on the Reply button.
      2) Depending on your version of Outlook, in MESSAGE (or Format) tab, click on Zoom menu options.
      3) Change the Zoom setting to 100% (or whatever size you prefer) and click on the OK button.

      Let us know if it makes any difference.

      Regards
      Jeff

      Reply
      • mark says

        September 18, 2020 at 4:47 pm

        I did get your original message to work once I found a mouse with a scroll button, thank you so much for your reply

        Reply
        • Jeff Adam says

          October 7, 2020 at 9:01 am

          Thanks for the feedback.

          Jeff

          Reply
  11. Shelia S Hall says

    October 6, 2020 at 3:44 pm

    YOU ARE A GENIUS, JEFF! You don’t know how many times I went into other websites, yet the recommendations could not solve my problem. So glad that I found you, Jeff!

    Have a great day!

    Reply
    • Jeff Adam says

      October 7, 2020 at 8:59 am

      Hi Shelia,

      Thank you for the feedback. I am so glad the fix worked for you.

      Jeff

      Reply
  12. Skip Martin says

    November 15, 2020 at 3:27 am

    I have a related but different issue. When replying to an Outlook email I am not able to
    change the font and/or font size.

    All the font elements are greyed out.

    Is there a solution to this?

    Reply
    • Jeff Adam says

      November 18, 2020 at 9:58 pm

      Hi Skip,

      Have you checked that your Reply format is not set for Plain Text? Change it to HTML, if it is Plain Text.

      Regards
      Jeff

      Reply
  13. Michelle Albaugh says

    November 18, 2020 at 7:42 pm

    THANK YOU!!!

    Reply
    • Jeff Adam says

      November 18, 2020 at 9:49 pm

      Glad it worked for you Michelle.

      Jeff

      Reply
  14. Beth Copenhaver says

    January 6, 2021 at 8:15 am

    Can’t thank you enough! This was driving me crazy and your “fix it” worked! I don’t know how I accidentally changed it to the small type in the first place…, but your advice saved my eyes AND sanity. : )

    Reply
    • Jeff Adam says

      January 12, 2021 at 5:46 am

      Thanks for the feedback Beth. Glad you find the fix helpful.

      Jeff

      Reply

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