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How to Increase Text Size in CSS?

Published in CSS Font Size 5 mins read

You increase text size in CSS primarily using the font-size property.

The most common way to adjust the size of text on a webpage using Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is by applying the font-size property to the desired HTML element. This property accepts various values, allowing you to specify the text size in different units or using predefined keywords.

Using the font-size Property

The font-size property is the standard CSS method for controlling the size of text. You can apply this property using inline CSS, internal CSS (within <style> tags), or external CSS (in a .css file).

Setting Text Size with Inline CSS

As per the reference, to change the size of your text with inline CSS, you use the style attribute. Inside the style attribute, you type in the font-size property, and then assign it a value. For example, you can use built-in keywords or specific units.

Here's an example demonstrating inline CSS based on the reference:

<p style="font-size: x-large;">This text is set to x-large size using inline CSS.</p>

In this snippet, the font-size property is set to the keyword x-large, one of the built-in values of the font-size property mentioned in the reference. While useful for quick tests or single instances, inline styles are generally less maintainable for larger projects.

Setting Text Size with Internal or External CSS

For better organization and maintainability, it's recommended to use internal or external CSS stylesheets. You select the HTML element(s) you want to style and apply the font-size property within a CSS rule.

Here's an example using internal or external CSS:

/* Styles for all paragraph elements */
p {
  font-size: 20px; /* Example using pixels */
}

/* Styles for a specific element with an ID */
#main-heading {
  font-size: 2em; /* Example using em units */
}

/* Styles for elements with a specific class */
.article-text {
  font-size: 1rem; /* Example using rem units */
}

Choosing the Right Units for font-size

The value assigned to the font-size property can be one of several types. Choosing the right unit depends on factors like accessibility, responsiveness, and design requirements.

Common units and keywords for font-size include:

  • Absolute Units:
    • px (pixels): Sets a fixed size. It's precise but doesn't scale well with user font size settings in browsers, which can impact accessibility.
    • pt (points): Another absolute unit, typically used in print.
  • Relative Units:
    • em: Relative to the font-size of the parent element. This can sometimes lead to compounding size issues in nested elements.
    • rem: Relative to the font-size of the root (html) element. This is often preferred as it provides consistent scaling across the document.
    • %: Relative to the font-size of the parent element, similar to em.
    • vw: Relative to 1% of the viewport width.
    • vh: Relative to 1% of the viewport height.
    • vmin/vmax: Relative to the smaller/larger dimension of the viewport.
  • Keywords:
    • xx-small, x-small, small, medium, large, x-large, xx-large: Relative to the default font size of the user's browser.
    • smaller, larger: Relative to the parent element's font size.

Comparison of Common font-size Units

Understanding the difference between units like px, em, and rem is crucial for creating flexible and accessible designs.

Unit Description Relative To Use Case Considerations
px Absolute pixel value None (Fixed) Fixed designs, elements that shouldn't scale with text size. Can hinder accessibility.
em Relative to the font-size of the parent element Parent Element's font-size Components where scaling is relative to their container. Can be complex with nesting.
rem Relative to the font-size of the root element Root (html) Element's font-size Consistent scaling across the entire page, better accessibility than px. Often set html font-size in px or % and use rem elsewhere.
% Relative to the font-size of the parent element Parent Element's font-size Similar to em, often used for body text size relative to default.
Keywords Predefined relative sizes Browser Default font-size Simple cases, provides basic scaling.

Best Practices for Font Size

  • Prioritize Relative Units: For most text content, using relative units (em, rem, %) is recommended over absolute units (px). This allows users to scale text more effectively in their browsers, improving accessibility.
  • Set a Base Font Size: Define a base font-size on the html or body element, often using px or % (e.g., html { font-size: 100%; /* which is usually 16px */ }). Then, use rem for most other text elements to ensure they scale relative to this consistent base.
  • Use em for Component-Specific Scaling: If you have a component (like a button or a widget) where text size should scale relative to the component's container size rather than the root, em can be appropriate.
  • Test Accessibility: Always test your font sizes and scaling on different devices and with browser font size settings adjusted to ensure readability for all users.

By using the font-size property with appropriate units and following best practices, you can effectively control and increase text size in CSS, creating a well-designed and accessible user experience.

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