To increase or decrease the font size of text in Microsoft Word, follow these steps.

  • Highlight the text that you want to make bigger or smaller.
  • To increase the font size, press Ctrl+]. (Press and hold the Ctrl, then press the right bracket key.)
  • To decrease the font size, press Ctrl+[. (Press and hold the Ctrl, then press the left bracket key.)

The keyboard shortcuts above are verified to work in Microsoft Word 2010 through Word 2019. If you cannot get the shortcuts to work, make sure you are pressing and holding the Ctrl key down when you press the left or right bracket key. Each time you press a bracket key, the text increases or decreases one point in size.

  • See our font size definition for further information and related links on this term.
  • How to change the font color, size, style, or type in Word.
  • How to change the font and font size in Microsoft Word.