Changing the text size, text and background colors, and other display settings

This web site is designed to let you change the text size, text and background colors, and other display settings through standard browser settings.

This page shows you how to use some of these browser display settings.

To Change Text Size

Most Web browsers include functionality to let you increase or decrease the text in a Web page. For example, to increase text size:

Browser	Menu Items	Macintosh Shortcut	Windows Shortcut
Internet Explorer	View > Text Size > Largest	Command+	Ctrl+
Firefox, Netscape	View > Text Size > Increase	Command+	Ctrl++
Opera	View > Zoom > %	Command+	+ or 0
Safari	View > Make Text Bigger	Command+	Ctrl+

Why doesn't this work with some other Web sites?

The browser settings on this page work when browsers and Web sites meet WAI guidelines and are designed for accessibility, flexibility, and user control. However, some browsers do not provide as much user control, and some Web sites are designed to defeat browser settings. Text resizing does not work well in browsers and Web sites that do not meet accessibility guidelines.

In Internet Explorer Version 6 and earlier, the text may not resize because the Web site is designed with "hard-coded" or "absolute" text sizes. To override Web site setting:
1. Menu items: Tools > Internet Options
2. In Internet Options dialog box: Accessibility button (bottom right)
3. In Accessibility dialog box:
  [/] Ignore colors specified on Web pages
  [/] Ignore font styles specified on Web pages
  [/] Ignore font sizes specified on Web pages
In Firefox early versions, the text should resize even if the Web site text is not "coded" for flexibility. However the sections of the Web site may not resize, making it difficult to use the site with large text. This is because the Web site was designed with "hard-coded" or "absolute" sizes. Firefox does not resize images.
Opera resizes all aspects of a Web site, including font, images, and sections. Resizing should work fairly well in Opera, even if the Web site is not "coded" for flexibility.

For a Plain Layout View

Turning off the style sheet gives a plain layout view, which:

makes text black on a white background (or however your browser is set)
puts all the information in one column (called "linearized")
leaves content images
removes background images

Browser	Menu Items
Firefox	View > Page Style > No Style
Opera	View > Style > User Mode

Other Text and Color Changes

Many browsers provide functionality to set different aspects of font and color. Below are examples of how to access this functionality.

Browser	To access functionality:
Firefox	Windows Menu items:Tools > Options Macintosh Menu items: Firefox > Preferences In dialog box: General (in the left pane), Fonts & Colors (button)
Opera	Windows Menu items: Tools > Preferences Macintosh Menu items: Opera > Preferences In dialog box: Fonts and Page Style (in the left pane)
Internet Explorer	Version 7 of Internet Explorer allows you to turn off colours and font styles used on websites. Access this function using the Tools > Internet Options menu item and then (at the bottom of the dialog box) select the options in the 'Appearance' section. Use the 'Colours' option to set the colours you wish to use, and the 'Accessibility' option to tell the browser software to ignore the colours, fonts and other display elements used on the page.

Browser

To access functionality:

Firefox

Windows Menu items:Tools > Options
Macintosh Menu items: Firefox > Preferences

In dialog box: General (in the left pane), Fonts & Colors (button)

Opera

Windows Menu items: Tools > Preferences
Macintosh Menu items: Opera > Preferences

In dialog box: Fonts and Page Style (in the left pane)

Internet Explorer

Version 7 of Internet Explorer allows you to turn off colours and font styles used on websites. Access this function using the

Tools > Internet Options

menu item and then (at the bottom of the dialog box) select the options in the 'Appearance' section. Use the 'Colours' option to set the colours you wish to use, and the 'Accessibility' option to tell the browser software to ignore the colours, fonts and other display elements used on the page.