Struggling with small or unreadable text in Outlook? Learn how to change the font permanently in 2025 with this simple guide to updating font style, size, and color.
If you’ve ever opened Microsoft Outlook and wondered why the text feels a bit too small, too plain, or just not “you,” you’re not alone. Many users want to change font in Outlook to make emails easier to read, more professional, or simply more comfortable on the eyes.
The good news? Outlook gives you plenty of flexibility to adjust the default typeface, font style, font color, and even the text size so every message looks exactly the way you want.
Whether you’re trying to customize Outlook font, fix an Outlook font size problem, or update your email body to match your brand, the process is straightforward once you know where to look.
Outlook supports font changes across Windows, the new Outlook interface, Outlook Web, macOS, and even the mobile app — giving you full control over how your emails appear.
In this guide, we’ll walk through everything step-by-step so you can easily update your Outlook font settings, adjust the reading pane for better visibility, and even tweak fonts for replies, forwards, and plain text messages.
No technical jargon — just simple, practical solutions to help you make Outlook feel more like your Outlook.
What Is the Default Outlook Font?
When you open Outlook for the first time, the app chooses a default font for you — and this font can vary depending on which Outlook version you’re using. Modern versions, including Outlook 365 and the new Outlook for Windows, use Aptos as their default typeface, while older or classic versions rely on Calibri.
Both are clean, easy-to-read fonts designed to make your email body look neat without extra styling.
Aptos = default font for new Outlook versions
Calibri = default font for older Outlook versions
This default setup is great for most users, but it isn’t always ideal for everyone. If the text feels too small, too light, or just not your style, it’s completely normal to want to change default font in Outlook or adjust the font size for better readability.
Many users also look for ways to tweak the plain text, HTML format, or rich text appearance — especially if they prefer a more personalized look.
You can customize fonts for new emails, replies, forwards, and plain text individually.
It’s also good to know that if you update your Outlook font settings, recipients will only see your chosen font exactly as intended if they have the same font installed. Otherwise, Outlook will automatically substitute a similar one.
Outlook substitutes fonts if the recipient doesn’t have your chosen font installed.
This is why popular fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman tend to display consistently across devices.
So, whether you’re customizing your emails for branding, fixing a small font issue, or exploring accessibility options like larger text, knowing the default font helps you understand what you’re starting with — and why making changes can upgrade your overall Outlook experience.
How to Change Font in Outlook (Windows – Classic Outlook 2013–2019)
If you’re using the classic Outlook desktop app, you get some of the most flexible font customization options. This version lets you adjust the default font, font size, and font color for new emails, replies, forwards, and even plain-text messages — all from one place.
Here’s the easiest way to update your Outlook font settings without getting lost in menus:
Step-by-Step: Change Default Font in Classic Outlook
- Go to the File tab in the upper-left corner.
- Select Options > this opens the main Outlook settings panel.
- Choose Mail from the left sidebar.
- Click Stationery and Fonts — this is where all your formatting lives.
- Under the Personal Stationery tab, you’ll see three important sections:
- New mail messages
- Replying or forwarding messages
- Composing and reading plain text messages
- Click Font under each section to choose your preferred typeface, style, and size.
- Hit OK twice to save your changes.
Pro Tip: If your text in Outlook looks unusually small or too light, adjusting the font style and size here usually resolves the issue instantly.
This setup helps you maintain a consistent look, especially if you regularly switch between HTML, plain-text, or rich text formatting. Classic Outlook gives you more control than most other versions — perfect for users who want a tailored email experience.
How to Change Font in New Outlook (Windows – 2024 & Microsoft 365)
Microsoft has redesigned the new Outlook to feel more modern and streamlined, including how you access message format and update your font settings. While simpler, it still gives you the essential tools to customize the look of your emails.
Change Font for Composing Emails
- Go to the View tab at the top.
- Select View settings.
- Choose Email > then open Compose and Reply.
- Under Message format, pick your preferred font, size, and style.
- Click Save to apply your changes.
The new Outlook applies these settings per account, so check the dropdown at the top if you manage multiple email addresses.
Adjust Font Size When Reading Messages
If incoming emails look too small or zoomed out, here’s a quick fix:
- Select any message in the Reading Pane.
- Go to View > Zoom.
- Use the + or – icons to adjust the text size.
- Click Reset if you want to return to the default view.
Unlike the classic version, the new Outlook remembers your zoom level, making it easier to maintain a comfortable reading size.
This version focuses on simplicity. Whether you’re adjusting the reading pane, fixing a font size problem, or customizing your email formatting, New Outlook keeps everything easy to reach without overwhelming menus.
How to Change Font in Outlook Web (OWA)
If you prefer managing your email in a browser, Outlook Web (OWA) makes it surprisingly simple to update your default font, text size, and font style.
Everything lives in one clean settings panel, so you don’t have to hunt through multiple menus.
Here’s how to customize your email look in just a few clicks:
Step-by-Step: Change Default Font in Outlook Web
- Open your browser and go to Outlook.com.
- Click the Settings (⚙️) icon at the top-right.
- Select View all Outlook settings at the bottom.
- Go to Mail → Compose and Reply.
- Under Message format, choose your preferred font, size, color, and style.
- Click Save to lock in your changes.
Important: These Outlook Web font settings apply only to new messages you compose — not to the way incoming emails are displayed, which depends on how they were formatted by the sender.
OWA also supports HTML, rich text, and plain text formats — so your formatting stays consistent across browsers and devices. If your goal is to improve readability or give your emails a polished look, updating your Outlook Web signature and font together can make a big difference.
How to Change Font in Outlook on MacOS
Mac users get a clean, streamlined interface for adjusting Outlook’s font settings, whether you’re updating your default typeface, changing the look of replies, or tweaking plain-text formatting.
Here’s how to make your Outlook emails on macOS more personalized and readable:
Step-by-Step: Update Default Font on Mac Outlook
- Open Outlook on your Mac.
- In the top menu bar, click Outlook > Settings (or Preferences depending on the version).
- Under Personal Settings, select Fonts.
- Click the Font button next to the section you want to customize, such as:
- New mail
- Replies / Forwards
- Plain text messages
- Choose your preferred font family, font size, and font style.
- Select OK (or the equivalent) to save your changes.
Mac Tip: If your emails look too small — especially on screens with high resolution — increasing the font size here helps instantly, without tinkering with system zoom.
That means whether you’re working with a brand-specific style or simply trying to make your messages easier on the eyes, updating your Outlook for Mac font settings ensures your emails stay clear and consistent — no matter which device you or your recipients use.
How to Change Font for One Specific Email
Sometimes you don’t want to change your default font settings — you just want to style a single message differently. Outlook makes this super easy, whether you’re highlighting important details, adjusting text size, or experimenting with a new font style.
Here’s how to update the font for one email without affecting anything else:
Step-by-Step: Customize Fonts in a Single Email
- Click New Email to open a fresh message window.
- Type your content, then highlight the text you want to customize.
- In the Message tab, head to the Format Text section.
- Use the toolbar to change the font, font size, color, or style (like bold, italic, or underline).
- Review your message and hit Send once you’re happy with the formatting.
Quick Shortcut: Press Ctrl + A to select the entire email body if you want to apply the same style to all text.
This method is perfect when you want to format just one email — maybe to emphasize a point, create a cleaner layout, or match a temporary email formatting requirement — without changing your overall Outlook font settings.
How to Increase Font Size When Reading Emails
If emails look too small or strained on your eyes, don’t worry — Outlook offers several ways to adjust the reading pane and boost text size for easier viewing. This is especially helpful if you deal with long emails or receive messages formatted in smaller fonts.
Increase Font Size Using the Zoom Tool
- Open any email in the Reading Pane.
- Go to the View tab.
- Select Zoom.
- Use the + button to make text larger or the – button to make it smaller.
- Click Reset if you want to return to Outlook’s default view.
New Outlook Advantage: The updated version automatically remembers your zoom level, so you don’t have to adjust it every time.
Use Keyboard and Mouse Shortcuts
If you want something even quicker:
- Hold Ctrl and scroll your mouse wheel up to increase zoom.
- Scroll down to decrease it.
This works in both classic Outlook and New Outlook, though classic Outlook applies the zoom only to the email you’re currently viewing.
Why This Helps
Boosting the font size in the reading pane can instantly solve issues like:
- tiny incoming email font
- Outlook text too small to read
- accessibility needs
- comfort while skimming long threads
Adjusting the reading pane zoom doesn’t change how your sent emails look — it simply makes incoming messages more comfortable for you.
How to Change Font Size in Outlook Message List (Inbox View)
If your Inbox view feels cramped or the text looks too tiny, you’re not imagining it — Outlook’s message list uses its own set of display settings. That means changing your default email font won’t affect how your subject lines, sender names, or message previews appear.
The good news? Outlook gives you separate controls to make the message list more readable.
Below are the steps for both Classic Outlook and the New Outlook / Outlook Web so you can adjust your view no matter which version you’re using.
Change Font Size in Classic Outlook (2013–2019)
Classic Outlook gives you deeper control of your Inbox formatting, letting you change fonts for columns, rows, and message preview text independently.
Here’s how to update it:
- Open your Inbox (or any folder you want to adjust).
- Go to the View tab.
- Select View Settings.
- Choose Other Settings.
- Update the following controls:
- Column Font > changes the font for headers like From, Subject, Received.
- Row Font > updates the font for subject lines.
- Message Preview Font > adjusts the snippet of text shown under each email.
- Click OK twice to save your changes.
Tip: These font settings apply only to the folder you’re viewing. If you want the same look everywhere, apply the view to all folders using Change View > Apply Current View to Other Mail Folders.
Adjusting these settings is a great way to fix issues like small subject lines, hard-to-read previews, or cluttered folder views — especially if you rely on your Inbox to skim messages quickly.
Change Font Size in New Outlook (2024+) & Outlook Web
The redesign of the new Outlook simplifies things. Instead of multiple font controls, you get easy preset options for scaling the message list.
Here’s how to adjust it:
- Click the Settings (⚙️) icon in the top-right corner.
- Open Mail > Layout.
- Under Text size and spacing, choose between:
- Small
- Medium (default)
- Large
- Click Save to apply your new view.
Good to Know: These changes apply per account in the New Outlook. So if you use multiple email accounts, adjust each one to maintain a consistent look.
This setting is the fastest way to fix issues like Outlook inbox text too small, hard-to-read message list, or general visibility problems — especially on high-resolution displays.
Why Your Outlook Font Changes Automatically (Quick Fix)
If you’ve ever opened Outlook and noticed your font suddenly changed by itself, you’re definitely not alone. This is one of the most common Outlook frustrations — and luckily, it usually comes down to a few simple settings that can be corrected in minutes.
Outlook may auto-change your default typeface, font size, or font color for several reasons, most of which are tied to formatting rules or display features rather than actual errors.
Here are the most common causes and the quick fixes:
A Theme or Stationery Is Overriding Your Settings
If a theme is applied under Stationery and Fonts, Outlook may ignore your custom font style and switch to the theme’s predefined formatting.
Quick Fix:
- Go to File > Options > Mail > Stationery and Fonts
- Under each section (New mail, Replies/Forwards, Plain Text), reset the Font to your preferred style
- Remove any Theme that’s been applied
Highlight: Themes can override both HTML format and rich-text settings.
Emails Arrive in Plain Text
If the sender uses plain text, Outlook removes formatting entirely — meaning you’ll see basic fonts, no colors, and no styling. This isn’t a bug; it’s how plain text works.
Quick Fix:
- Convert the email to HTML or Rich Text using the Format Text tab
- This restores styling so you can apply your own formatting
Conditional Formatting Rules Are Active
Outlook’s View Settings allow you to apply different fonts based on rules (for example, unread messages in bold). Sometimes these rules shift your message list font unexpectedly.
Quick Fix:
- Go to View > View Settings > Conditional Formatting
- Review or disable any rules changing your row font or preview text
Zoom or Display Scaling Is Causing Size Changes
If your reading pane looks bigger or smaller, this may be caused by zoom changes rather than actual font changes.
Quick Fix:
- Press Ctrl + 0 or open View → Zoom → Reset
- Set a consistent zoom level if using New Outlook, which remembers your preference
Accessibility Settings Are Adjusting Text Automatically
High-contrast themes or system settings in Windows or macOS may adjust how Outlook displays text.
Quick Fix:
- Check Windows Display Settings or macOS Appearance
- Disable auto-adjust features that impact email body text
Outlook Signature Formatting Is Overwriting Email Font
If your Outlook signature uses a different font, it may override the first part of your message when you begin typing.
Quick Fix:
- Go to Mail > Compose and Reply (Outlook Web / New Outlook)
- Or open Stationery and Fonts (Classic Outlook)
- Update your signature font size, color, and style to match your defaults
Whenever your Outlook font changes suddenly, it’s almost always caused by formatting rules, plain-text restrictions, zoom settings, or signature overrides — and each of these can be fixed in just a few clicks.
Outlook Font Tips & Best Practices for Better Formatting
A few thoughtful tweaks can make Microsoft Outlook feel smoother, more readable, and a lot more “you.”
These simple best practices help you maintain consistent Outlook font settings, avoid sudden formatting surprises, and create emails that look polished across all devices.
Use Email-Safe Fonts for Reliable Outlook Formatting
While Outlook allows nearly any typeface, not all fonts are available on every device. When a recipient doesn’t have your selected font installed, Outlook substitutes it — often changing layout and style unexpectedly.
Choose widely supported fonts such as:
- Calibri
- Aptos
- Arial
- Verdana
- Times New Roman
- Georgia
These email-safe fonts stay consistent across HTML, Rich Text, and Plain Text formats, ensuring your emails look the same everywhere.
Match Outlook Signature Font to Your Default Email Font
A common cause of inconsistent formatting is when your Outlook signature uses a different font than your email body. Outlook often continues the signature’s style when you start typing.
To avoid mismatches:
- Use the same font family, size, and color in both your signature and default email font settings.
- Update your signature any time you change your default Outlook font.
This keeps your emails clean, consistent, and professional.
Use Zoom for Reading Emails, Not Formatting Emails
If your emails look too small or too large, remember:
- Zoom affects only your viewing experience, not how your email appears to others.
- It’s an easy way to improve readability without altering your default typeface or message formatting.
Use Ctrl + Scroll or the Zoom option in the View tab for quick adjustments to your reading pane.
Avoid Fancy or Uncommon Fonts in Outlook Emails
Decorative fonts, bright colors, and oversized text may look creative, but they often cause:
- Inconsistent rendering
- Broken formatting
- Forced font substitutions
- Poor readability on mobile devices
Best Practice: Stick to clean, professional fonts that display well across all platforms. Use serif fonts for formal emails and sans-serif fonts for modern, screen-friendly readability.
Review Outlook Conditional Formatting Rules in Inbox View
If your Inbox shows inconsistent font sizes or unexpected bold text, the issue may come from Conditional Formatting rules in your view settings.
Check under:
- View > View Settings > Conditional Formatting
Disable rules that adjust row fonts, subject lines, or message preview text if you want a clean, uniform Inbox view.
Reset Outlook Font Settings When Things Look Off
If your formatting feels messy — strange colors, mismatched sizes, odd spacing — a quick reset often solves everything.
Reset by revisiting:
- Stationery and Fonts (Classic Outlook)
- Compose and Reply (New Outlook & Outlook Web)
Reapply your preferred:
- Font family
- Font size
- Font color
- Text style
Also ensure your signature font matches your default settings.
Resetting restores clean, consistent formatting and resolves issues like tiny fonts, unexpected substitutions, or inconsistent previews.
FAQ: How to Change Font in Outlook
How do I change the default font in Outlook?
Go to File > Options > Mail > Stationery and Fonts (on desktop) or Settings > Mail > Compose & reply (new Outlook / web). Pick your preferred font, size, style, color — these settings apply to new emails, replies, and forwards.
Why can’t I change my Outlook font?
Common reasons: a theme or stationery is overriding your choices; the email is in plain-text format; or you have active conditional formatting rules that force certain fonts. Switching to HTML or clearing theme preferences usually lets you customize again.
How do I change the font size in my Outlook inbox (message list)?
In Classic Outlook (desktop): Go to View > View Settings > Other Settings — then adjust Column Font, Row Font, and Preview Font.
In New Outlook / Outlook Web: Go to Settings > Mail > Layout > Text size and spacing and choose Small / Medium / Large.
How do I change the font on incoming emails in Outlook?
You can’t reliably force all incoming emails to use your font. Instead, for readability, adjust the Zoom or reading settings: use View > Zoom or Ctrl + scroll to enlarge text for yourself.
Where is the font setting in Outlook?
Desktop (Classic): File > Options > Mail > Stationery and Fonts.
New Outlook / Web: Settings > Mail > Compose and Reply.
How do I change the font in the New Outlook for Windows?
Open Settings > Mail > Compose and Reply, then under Message Format pick your font, size and style and click Save.
Can I change the font for replies only in Outlook?
Yes, in your font settings (Stationery and Fonts), you can choose a different font/style for new mails and replies/forwards separately.
Why is my Outlook font suddenly so small?
Often it’s not the font but a changed zoom level or display scaling. Press Ctrl + 0 or reset Zoom in the View menu to restore readability.
How do I reset Outlook font settings to default?
In desktop Outlook, open Stationery & Fonts, click Font under each section and restore default values (e.g. Calibri, 11 pt). On Web/New Outlook, reselect default options in Compose settings.
How do I make Outlook email text bigger while reading?
Use the Zoom tool from the View tab or Ctrl + scroll up. This only changes viewing size for you — not the actual email formatting.
Does Outlook mobile allow changing default fonts?
As of 2025 update, many users see a new font picker in the mobile app (Android / iOS), allowing font customization for composing emails. But results vary depending on app version and rollout.
How do I change the font in my Outlook signature?
Open signature settings via Compose / Stationery menu, set the same font, color, and size as your default body font. This ensures consistency across your entire email.
Conclusion: Final Thoughts on Changing Fonts, Text Size & Formatting in Outlook
Changing the font in Outlook is one of those small adjustments that can make a big difference in how comfortable and confident you feel while emailing. Whether you’re updating your default font, tweaking the font size, or customizing how your reading pane displays messages, Outlook gives you plenty of tools to personalize your experience.
By understanding where each Outlook font setting lives — in Stationery and Fonts, Compose and Reply, or Inbox View Settings — you can easily control how your emails look, read, and feel. And with simple options to adjust message format, zoom, and signature styles, you can avoid common issues like tiny text, mismatched formatting, or fonts changing on their own.
At the end of the day, customizing your Outlook email font isn’t just about aesthetics — it’s about readability, clarity, and creating a consistent communication style that works for you.
If you ever forget how to:
- change default font in Outlook,
- change text size,
- or fix unexpected font changes,
just revisit the steps in this guide. You now have everything you need to take full control of your Outlook formatting and create cleaner, more polished emails every time.
Useful Official Resources for This Guide
If you’d like to explore Outlook’s font settings even further, here are some official resources that walk you through everything from changing your default font to adjusting your Inbox text size. These links are especially helpful if you’re switching between Outlook versions or want to double-check specific features.
Change the Default Font or Text Color in Outlook: Microsoft’s official guide for updating your default font, size, and color across new emails, replies, and forwards.
Set the Font or Text Color for Messages You Send (Classic Outlook): If you’re using Outlook 2013–2019 or Outlook for Microsoft 365 (classic), this page explains exactly where to find Stationery and Fonts settings.
Adjust Font Size in the Outlook Message List: Perfect if your Inbox text looks too small. This guide shows you how to update Row Font, Column Font, and Message Preview settings.
Change Font Sizes in Outlook for Mac: A helpful walkthrough for Mac users who want to customize new mail, replies, and plain-text message fonts.
Customize the Reading Pane in Outlook: If you need better readability, this guide shows you how to use the Reading Pane and Zoom features effectively.
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