Font size on Kindle e-ink

emmabee · 07-18-2015, 02:39 PM

My nan just got a Kindle (the basic one 2014 7th Generation).I've been setting it up for her, I don't own a Kindle so it's a learning curve. Anyway I was shocked at how large I needed to go with the font to make it comfortable.

So my question is, what size font do you generally stick to on the kindle? Assuming 1 is the smallest font size & 8 is the biggest

dordale · 07-18-2015, 03:35 PM

The text size can depend on the individual book and the book's formatting. So size won't necessarily be consistent across all books. That being said, I personally use between size 3 to 5 on my paperwhite--depending on external lighting and how tired I am.

patrickt · 07-18-2015, 03:48 PM

I am 74 and use size 5 unless it's evening or I'm in a dim restaurant. Then, even with the lighted screens I need to bump it up to 6. I also move line spacing to the middle setting if the light is dim.

What Dordale was referring to is that some books come with a specific font size that can't be changed. It's the formatting system the publisher uses. I got a book two weeks ago that had print so tiny I just tossed it. Warn Nan about that so she doesn't think she did something wrong.

Sirtel · 07-18-2015, 05:34 PM

I am extremely short-sighted and have weak eyes, I cannot read very small fonts without my eyes tiring immediately. So I use size 4 on my non-touch kindle, but fonts are different on the new 2014 basic and I use size 5 on it.
I modify all my books in Calibre so they have the same font and I don't have to change it constantly when reading different books.

Atunah · 07-18-2015, 07:04 PM

Most books are within a similar formatting size, but they can vary a bit. On my basic I got before they got rid of the buttons, I was a 4. On my PW1 also. With my Voyage I am most of the time on 3 and sometimes on 4. I think because of the difference in resolution, the sizes between the Voyage and lets say the basic and keyboard are a bit different. I actually now prefer the sizes of the Voyage. My old paperwhite was just a bit in between. Meaning 3 was sometimes a tad to small and 4 too big.

These sizes are for the caecilia fonts, narrow and normal.

Its really the great thing though that one can make it any size needed. Or for comfort. When my eyes tire, I might go up a size. I am farsighted have needed bifocals for reading for some time. My eyes can get tired and start to blur, so I size up. Its why I can read again with a kindle. Before 2008, I had to almost completely stop reading.

SteveEisenberg · 07-18-2015, 07:43 PM

I use 5, but my wife Barbara lately uses 6.

Neither of us commonly reads large print paper books. But given a choice, we go with big fonts.

AnemicOak · 07-18-2015, 09:27 PM

On the Kindle Touch I use size 3 or 4 depending on the book and how font sizes have been coded.

barryem · 07-18-2015, 09:44 PM

Most of my reading is on my Voyage at font level 3 but I sometimes move that down to size level 2. If my eyes are tired I'll go up to size 4 but if they're that tired I can't read very long in any case.

I'm also 74 and I'm a bit surprised at the poll results so far. I assumed that with font level 3 I was using a bigger font than most. It seems not.

I have a bunch of neighbors with Kindles and Kobos and I'm always helping them with them and I notice a lot of them using much larger fonts. I don't really pay attention to the number of the font so I don't know what they're using. I live in a retirement home and so do they and, believe it or not, I'm one of the younger ones here.

Barry

BenG · 07-19-2015, 10:39 AM

It also depends on what font I'm using.

eschwartz · 07-20-2015, 12:07 AM

I use the smallest font size.

Hey, I'm young and I've got good eyes!

The smallest size is still big enough for me to comfortably read, and I like having more on each page. Less page turning, more context can be seen just looking up.

Barty · 07-20-2015, 02:23 PM

Show her how to change the font size.

If none of the available font sizes suit her, Google kindle FONT_RAMP

mr ploppy · 07-20-2015, 04:26 PM

Don't know what size it was, but on the standard Kindle it went from too small to too big in one increment, so I added a hack that fixed it.

shalym · 07-20-2015, 04:59 PM

As someone else said, it depends on the time of day and how tired I am. If my eyes aren't tired and the lighting is good, I can use size 5 with no glasses. With my glasses, I can read on size 3, but I'm more comfortable on size 4. When reading in bed at night without my glasses, the smallest I can go is 6, and sometimes 7.

One of my favorite things about my Kindle is that I can always read on it, with or without my glasses, and no matter what the time of day or light level is.

Shari

odamizu · 07-20-2015, 08:06 PM

FONT_RAMP hack allows you to customize font sizes, no jailbreak required. Only works on some Kindles, though. First worked out by ecostin on Kindle Voyage running 5.6.1.0.5 or higher.

Instructions here: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...12#post3088512

Geralt · 07-21-2015, 03:49 AM

PW2 here. It's always on Helvetica and I can read comfortably on 4, 5 and 6, but I prefer 6 because I like bigger font.

View Poll Results: What size font do you generally use on your kindle e-ink
Size 1 (the smallest)	2	3.08%
Size 2	5	7.69%
Size 3	18	27.69%
Size 4	21	32.31%
Size 5	12	18.46%
Size 6	5	7.69%
Size 7	0	0%
Size 8 (the largest)	0	0%
I like cheese & am trolling your poll	2	3.08%
Voters: 65. You may not vote on this poll

07-18-2015, 02:39 PM	#1
emmabee Connoisseur Posts: 81 Karma: 110 Join Date: Oct 2012 Device: Kindle, Paperwhite, Oasis, Kobo Elipsa 2E	Font size on Kindle e-ink My nan just got a Kindle (the basic one 2014 7th Generation).I've been setting it up for her, I don't own a Kindle so it's a learning curve. Anyway I was shocked at how large I needed to go with the font to make it comfortable. So my question is, what size font do you generally stick to on the kindle? Assuming 1 is the smallest font size & 8 is the biggest Last edited by emmabee; 07-18-2015 at 02:43 PM.

07-18-2015, 07:43 PM	#6
SteveEisenberg Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,421 Karma: 43514536 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: near Philadelphia USA Device: Kindle Kids Edition, Fire HD 10 (11th generation)	I use 5, but my wife Barbara lately uses 6. Neither of us commonly reads large print paper books. But given a choice, we go with big fonts. Last edited by SteveEisenberg; 07-18-2015 at 07:51 PM.

07-20-2015, 12:07 AM	#10
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	I use the smallest font size. Hey, I'm young and I've got good eyes! The smallest size is still big enough for me to comfortably read, and I like having more on each page. Less page turning, more context can be seen just looking up. Last edited by eschwartz; 07-20-2015 at 12:11 AM.

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07-18-2015, 03:35 PM	#2
dordale Wizard Posts: 1,731 Karma: 3472866 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: Sony PRS-650 & 350; Kindle Voyage; Kobo Aura HD, Aura One, and Forma	The text size can depend on the individual book and the book's formatting. So size won't necessarily be consistent across all books. That being said, I personally use between size 3 to 5 on my paperwhite--depending on external lighting and how tired I am.

07-18-2015, 03:48 PM	#3
patrickt Wizard Posts: 1,221 Karma: 8381518 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Oaxaca, Mexico Device: Paperwhite 4 X 2	I am 74 and use size 5 unless it's evening or I'm in a dim restaurant. Then, even with the lighted screens I need to bump it up to 6. I also move line spacing to the middle setting if the light is dim. What Dordale was referring to is that some books come with a specific font size that can't be changed. It's the formatting system the publisher uses. I got a book two weeks ago that had print so tiny I just tossed it. Warn Nan about that so she doesn't think she did something wrong.

07-18-2015, 05:34 PM	#4
Sirtel Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,465 Karma: 239219453 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Estonia Device: Kobo Sage & Libra 2	I am extremely short-sighted and have weak eyes, I cannot read very small fonts without my eyes tiring immediately. So I use size 4 on my non-touch kindle, but fonts are different on the new 2014 basic and I use size 5 on it. I modify all my books in Calibre so they have the same font and I don't have to change it constantly when reading different books.

07-18-2015, 07:04 PM	#5
Atunah Wizard Posts: 1,817 Karma: 23400001 Join Date: May 2012 Location: USA Device: K1/K3/BasicK Voyage/Oasis1/Oasis3	Most books are within a similar formatting size, but they can vary a bit. On my basic I got before they got rid of the buttons, I was a 4. On my PW1 also. With my Voyage I am most of the time on 3 and sometimes on 4. I think because of the difference in resolution, the sizes between the Voyage and lets say the basic and keyboard are a bit different. I actually now prefer the sizes of the Voyage. My old paperwhite was just a bit in between. Meaning 3 was sometimes a tad to small and 4 too big. These sizes are for the caecilia fonts, narrow and normal. Its really the great thing though that one can make it any size needed. Or for comfort. When my eyes tire, I might go up a size. I am farsighted have needed bifocals for reading for some time. My eyes can get tired and start to blur, so I size up. Its why I can read again with a kindle. Before 2008, I had to almost completely stop reading.

07-18-2015, 09:27 PM	#7
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	On the Kindle Touch I use size 3 or 4 depending on the book and how font sizes have been coded.

07-18-2015, 09:44 PM	#8
barryem Wizard Posts: 2,459 Karma: 68781975 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Arkansas Device: Paperwhite 4	Most of my reading is on my Voyage at font level 3 but I sometimes move that down to size level 2. If my eyes are tired I'll go up to size 4 but if they're that tired I can't read very long in any case. I'm also 74 and I'm a bit surprised at the poll results so far. I assumed that with font level 3 I was using a bigger font than most. It seems not. I have a bunch of neighbors with Kindles and Kobos and I'm always helping them with them and I notice a lot of them using much larger fonts. I don't really pay attention to the number of the font so I don't know what they're using. I live in a retirement home and so do they and, believe it or not, I'm one of the younger ones here. Barry

07-19-2015, 10:39 AM	#9
BenG Home Guard Posts: 4,730 Karma: 86721650 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Alpha Ralpha Boulevard Device: Kindle Oasis 3G, iPhone 6	It also depends on what font I'm using.

07-20-2015, 02:23 PM	#11
Barty doofus Posts: 2,549 Karma: 13089041 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kindle Voyage	Show her how to change the font size. If none of the available font sizes suit her, Google kindle FONT_RAMP

07-20-2015, 04:26 PM	#12
mr ploppy Feral Underclass Posts: 3,622 Karma: 26821535 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Yorkshire, tha noz Device: 2nd hand paperback	Don't know what size it was, but on the standard Kindle it went from too small to too big in one increment, so I added a hack that fixed it.

07-20-2015, 04:59 PM	#13
shalym Wizard Posts: 3,058 Karma: 54671821 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: New England Device: PW 1, 2, 3, Voyage, Oasis 2 & 3, Fires, Aura HD, iPad	As someone else said, it depends on the time of day and how tired I am. If my eyes aren't tired and the lighting is good, I can use size 5 with no glasses. With my glasses, I can read on size 3, but I'm more comfortable on size 4. When reading in bed at night without my glasses, the smallest I can go is 6, and sometimes 7. One of my favorite things about my Kindle is that I can always read on it, with or without my glasses, and no matter what the time of day or light level is. Shari

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07-20-2015, 08:06 PM	#14
odamizu just an egg Posts: 1,827 Karma: 7943430 Join Date: Mar 2015 Device: Kindle, iOS	FONT_RAMP hack allows you to customize font sizes, no jailbreak required. Only works on some Kindles, though. First worked out by ecostin on Kindle Voyage running 5.6.1.0.5 or higher. Instructions here: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...12#post3088512

07-21-2015, 03:49 AM	#15
Geralt Witcher Posts: 933 Karma: 7321117 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Swamp. Slaying Drowners. Device: Kindle PW2	PW2 here. It's always on Helvetica and I can read comfortably on 4, 5 and 6, but I prefer 6 because I like bigger font.