How to change or increase font size in formula bar?
When working with complex formulas or large datasets in Excel, it’s not uncommon to find the text in the formula bar too small to read comfortably—especially on high-resolution monitors or when sharing screens during meetings. Many users wonder if there is a way to make the formula bar text larger so that the contents of the selected cell are easier to view and edit. Adjusting the font size in the formula bar can help reduce eye strain and minimize errors caused by misreading formulas. In this guide, we’ll explore a simple method to change or increase the font size in the Excel formula bar and discuss practical tips and considerations for ensuring an optimal editing experience.
Change or increase font size in formula bar with the Option feature
Change or increase font size in formula bar with the Option feature
Excel does not offer a dedicated setting to adjust only the formula bar's font size. However, you can indirectly make formula text more readable by changing the default font size for your workbook, which also affects the formula bar. This option is especially useful for users who frequently work with lengthy formulas or present data to others. Please follow these steps to increase the font size in the formula bar:
1. Click the File tab at the top left corner of Excel, then select Options to open the Excel Options dialog box. In this window, click General from the categories on the left. On the right side, look for the When creating new workbooks section, where you’ll find the Font size dropdown menu. Select the font size that suits your preference from the list. Refer to the screenshot below for guidance:
2. After choosing your preferred font size, click the OK button to confirm your changes and close the dialog box. Excel will display a prompt reminding you that the changes will only take effect after you restart the application. Please see the screenshot below for reference:
3. Save your current work and close all open Excel windows. Reopen Excel to see your changes in effect. Now, when you select a cell, the text displayed in the formula bar will appear in the larger font size you set. The example below shows the updated display after applying the new settings:
Additional tips:
1. If you open an existing Excel workbook that was created and saved with the default (smaller) font size, only the font in the formula bar will appear larger. The rest of the worksheet will remain unchanged until you create a new workbook or manually update fonts within cells.
2. When you create a new workbook after increasing the default font size, not only will the formula bar text be larger, but the font size in worksheet cells, as well as the column and row headings, will also increase. This means your entire interface—cells, headers, and formula bar—will have a consistent, larger appearance. See the screenshot below for illustration:
3. The increase in font size may impact how much data fits onscreen, as larger fonts reduce the number of visible cells in the worksheet window. Consider your workflow needs before making significant adjustments, especially if you work with large spreadsheets or need to reference multiple columns and rows at once.
4. Occasionally, changes to the default font size may not take effect as expected if Excel is not closed properly, or if multiple workbooks are left open during the process. Ensure that you save all your work and close every Excel window before restarting.
5. This method does not allow you to specifically adjust only the formula bar’s font size—it applies to cells and interface elements as well. There is currently no built-in Excel functionality to independently set the font size of the formula bar alone.
Troubleshooting and suggestions:
- If you find that increasing the font size makes it difficult to view multiple areas of your worksheet at once, consider using the Zoom slider found in the bottom right corner of Excel instead. This allows you to temporarily magnify your worksheet’s content, including the formula bar, without altering the default font settings for future workbooks.
- If, after adjusting the font size, your formula bar still appears small or blurry, check your computer’s display scaling settings, as these can also affect how fonts display in Office applications. On Windows, right-click the desktop, choose Display settings, and confirm that scaling is set to a recommended value.
- For users who require frequent, quick access to larger formula bar text only occasionally, using Excel’s built-in Zoom to Selection feature (under the View tab) can be a practical alternative. It adjusts the worksheet zoom so selected cells are enlarged, indirectly making the formula bar contents more readable for a short period without affecting the font size in future Excel sessions.
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