Changing the font size in Windows Explorer and the lefthand menu in Desktop Outlook

Question

Hi I want to change the font size of Windows Explorer without changing System font size. I have changed the system font size and the text in Outlook's lefthand menu and Windows explorer is still too small. Is there a way to change it?

To change the system font to the size I can read Windows Explorer easily; makes every other program horrible.

Tag system AI is horrible It kept tagging this as Microsoft for Home. NO. I am at work, struggling to read sz 8 font.

Mini rant:
Microsoft should think about the population of people that are aging, and with aging comes bad eyesight. The United States is an aging population. Think about being inclusive to the aging population and give us the ability to easily make things larger please.

Answer 1

Hello Susan,

Thank you for posting question on Microsoft Windows Forum!

Based on your issue description. Well! Windows does not let you change File Explorer’s (or Outlook’s navigation pane) font size independently of the system UI. Modern Windows ties those UI texts to the system/scale/text-size settings, so changing only Explorer’s font is not something Windows exposes.

Nevertheless, the following are some suggestions for workarounds.

• Try to use the Text size accessibility slider (Windows 11) This changes text only (not icons/UI scale) and is less disruptive than full scaling. You can open Settings → Accessibility → Text size. Move the slider up (e.g. to 1.2–1.5×), click Apply. This often increases Explorer/Outlook navigation text enough without blowing up layouts.
• 
• If Text size is not enough, try modest scaling (e.g. 125% instead of 150%). Navigate to this path: Settings → System → Display → Scale → choose 125% (or Custom scaling). Please note: this scales everything. But a small increase might help legibility while keeping other apps usable.
• For Outlook. You can consider to adjust the Navigation Pane. Outlook’s left-hand menu (the Navigation Pane) actually has its own independent setting that often ignores system-wide text scaling. You can bump this up without affecting your email body or the rest of the OS. In Outlook, go to the View tab. Click Folder Pane and select Options. Click the Font button. Increase the size and set it to Bold if needed. This specifically targets that left-hand folder list.

Actually, There is a third-party tool called WinTools.info which offers portable utilities like Advanced System Font Changer and System Font Size Changer. However, Microsoft does not endorse or distribute these tools.

Hope the above information is helpful! If it is. Free feel to hit "Accepted" for benefitting others in community having the same issue too.

Answer 2

Hello Susan,

Hope you are doing well!

May I know the latest status of the issue?

If the above suggestions are helpful! You can consider marking it as correct answer to help others in the Windows community to find solution more effectively and easily.

Have a nice day!

Answer 3

Windows does not provide a separate setting to change only the font size in File Explorer and the left navigation pane in Outlook. Those areas follow the general text/app scaling and accessibility settings.

To make text easier to read without changing only those two fonts, use the Windows accessibility options to increase text size and/or overall scaling:

1. Open Settings → Accessibility (or Ease of Access, depending on version).
2. Use Text size / Make text bigger to increase only text across Windows (title bars, menus, icon text, File Explorer lists, etc.), then select Apply.
3. If needed, adjust Display → Scale & layout → Scale to make apps and UI elements larger.

These are the supported ways to enlarge File Explorer and Outlook navigation text; there is no built‑in per‑app or per‑pane font-size control.

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References:

• Make text and apps bigger
• Make Windows easier to see