Accessibility: Customising the UI font size

[AllanP]

The Online Help section for Accessibility includesL

Quote

 

Customising the UI font size

The UI font size can be increased via the app's preferences to improve readability of text throughout the app.

===

To change the UI font size:

1. Choose Affinity Publisher>Preferences.
2. Choose Edit>Preferences.
3. Click the User Interface label.
4. For Font UI Size, choose either Default or Large.

 

However, I cannot see the "Font UI Size" option when going to the indicated section of Preferences

Please could that be fixed? 
(This is also not acailable in v2 Designer and Photo)

[Giovanni Pietri]

Hello colleagues.
I bought the new version today after having been using the previous versions of AP, I still haven't immersed myself enough to get it all clear, and I'm sure this is happening to all of you. I work on a 27 inch monitor at 2550 x 1440 so I would also like to slightly increase the sizes of the icons and texts in general in the user interface... like AllanP, I can't find an option for that, but it wasn't in the previous version either, right?

I do appreciate that the color palettes can be set to a more visible size... and there are a couple of other things I've noticed, but before I throw a stone at the dev guys, I'll see if I'm the one-armed one and I'm screwing up. 

thanks guys!

[MikeTO]

2 hours ago, Giovanni Pietri said:

Hello colleagues.
I bought the new version today after having been using the previous versions of AP, I still haven't immersed myself enough to get it all clear, and I'm sure this is happening to all of you. I work on a 27 inch monitor at 2550 x 1440 so I would also like to slightly increase the sizes of the icons and texts in general in the user interface... like AllanP, I can't find an option for that, but it wasn't in the previous version either, right?

I do appreciate that the color palettes can be set to a more visible size... and there are a couple of other things I've noticed, but before I throw a stone at the dev guys, I'll see if I'm the one-armed one and I'm screwing up. 

thanks guys!

That's correct, you can't customize it. The Mac version allows you to increase the UI font size from Default to Large so you'll see discussion of that option in the forum. But the icons can't be changed on either platform.

[Giovanni Pietri]

I have tried resizing everything from windows. in the system and display options, the scale option makes it possible but in 25% increments, then I have checked that APub has taken those changes in the interface, although this time I see them too big at 125%. The system does not allow me to use other percentages.

greetings

[jw1882]

I also just purchased V2, and this was the first feature I looked for. I'm working on a 4K monitor and the UI font is incredibly tiny. A UI font size slider for the Windows version would be most welcome.

[EmT]

Hi @AllanP 
Thank you for raising this to our attention, unfortunately that feature is only available on MacOS. I've passed your feedback on the help file back to the relevant teams.

[koen_vde]

On 11/18/2022 at 5:04 PM, EmT said:

Hi @AllanP 
Thank you for raising this to our attention, unfortunately that feature is only available on MacOS. I've passed your feedback on the help file back to the relevant teams.

Hi @EmT,

I just want to add to this that it is super critical for us as well that this is fixed. I just purchased licenses for my entire team, but some team members are complaining the font size is not readable for them. The fact that this can't be changed on Windows - even though the help site claims it can - is extremely frustrating and will force me as a team manager to cancel our licenses.

With kind regards,

Koen

[EmT]

Hi @koen_vde

This has been logged as a feature request previously, it may be implemented in a future version but I cannot give any timeframe on when that might be. 

[Plasmazone]

Surprised and disappointed Affinity did not Beta this issue. I do not usually need glasses but had to buy a cheap pair to see the font on my 4k screen. I last about 30 mins before I get eye strain.

This is compounded by V2 not allowing desktop icons so the Preferences route through the icon cannot be used.

One workaround is to do Preferences (in the toolbar) then UI Style 'Light' then reduce the UI brightness slider all the way to zero. Still no bigger but increases clarity.

I'll not be recommending Affinity to anyone until they get this issue sorted.

[SrPx]

On 11/11/2022 at 4:21 PM, Giovanni Pietri said:

I have tried resizing everything from windows. in the system and display options, the scale option makes it possible but in 25% increments, then I have checked that APub has taken those changes in the interface, although this time I see them too big at 125%. The system does not allow me to use other percentages.

greetings

You can set "custom" windows scaling, in Windows Settings, which allows you to have an intermediate size, not as big as 125% scaling, neither as small as you see them at 100%. I found a problem though, at VERY specific custom scaling factors, Affinity apps (the three of them) do crash but only when double clicking the small circles of the foreground or background colors. Till date, I have only detected 110% (very commonly used) and 102% (extremely rare to used by anyone). 109% makes (my current scaling, all works great) all look identical to 110%, though. And  you can set 111%, I tested it, it should not crash either.  If I recall well, 115% works without provoking the crash in Affinity apps, and a user happily told me that 120% does perfectly the deal, too.

You just need to know  that the standard deploying menu-list is not the only way to set windows scaling on your system. I explain it better with screenshots, below.

You need to click on Start icon (or hit windows key) , then on Settings ⚙️, then on System, then on Screen, and I hope the option (on the area at the right) in English is called "Advanced Scaling Settings". Click that link, and in a new screen you will type a number, instead of clicking from a dropping list. If I remember well, for all to take the changes, and really know if double clicking on the color selector (background or foreground) is going to crash, you really need to restart the system after changing the scaling. And so to check if the new fonts and other UI elements now do look more comfortable to you. Sorry, screens are in Spanish, but you will guess it due to the elements position.

Edit: PLEASE, don't type 110!  I was just making a screenshot in its day, that is one of the two numbers that make the Affinity apps crash, as I mentioned. I suspect there are more numbers causing the issue, but it's a minority, most scaling factors can be used safely.

[RitchieDalto]

I'm using the trial license of Affinity Photo. Is there no plan to allow increasing UI font size? It is extraordinarily tiny and very heard to use, this may be a deal breaker with regard to purchase. For reference I'm running a huge 43 inch monitor at 4k. And I have windows scaling to 125%. As you may imagine everything in all my other apps are very large, which I need for my eyesight. Affinity Photo does not seem to scale up the way everything else does in windows. Will there be accessibility support in this product?

[Granddaddy]

Welcome to the forums @RitchieDalto.

After eight years of fruitless complaints and requests concerning the tiny icons and minuscule text there can be no hope that Affinity Photo will ever have a proper user interface. The deluge of comments following the release of APhoto 2.0 in November called to everyone's attention that APhoto had doubled down on its commitment to an interface that is difficult and unpleasant to use.

There are numerous reasons to continue to use APhoto. I have listed my own reasons elsewhere in these forums. Just do not expect any improvement in the user interface when the trend is now firmly in the opposite direction.

How long my own aging eyes will be able to use APhoto is open to question, though I have no problem at all with dozens of other applications I use on my 24" monitors running at their native 1920x1200 resolution. Several years experience with APhoto means I don't have to read the interface so much as memorize where things are. I doubt I would buy the program as a new user today. 

As for scaling Windows, this is generally undesirable. Instead, using Windows accessibility settings will let you increase the size of some APhoto text that uses the system fonts. Other APhoto UI elements appear to be hard coded and unlikely to change based on several years of experience with APhoto.

My recent posts summarize some of the problems and can direct you to other posts about the UI issues.

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/180602-ui-generally-too-small-windows-no-scale-option/#comment-1043890

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/182820-ui-preference-for-font-size-in-interface/#comment-1060878

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/174642-the-subtle-contrasting-of-the-ui-has-gone-too-far/#comment-1059139

Why I upgraded to APhoto2
https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/177444-upgrade-i-still-can-not-decide/#comment-1021782

Best wishes in your search for a suitable photo editor for your purposes.

[Fritz_H]

On 11/23/2022 at 11:10 AM, EmT said:

Hi @koen_vde

This has been logged as a feature request previously, it may be implemented in a future version but I cannot give any timeframe on when that might be. 

Sorry, wrong answer / wrong approach.

the right answer = the one we expect:      "..it WILL be implemented in the NEAR future...."

Serif: please forget about fancy filter we don´t need - add the basics finally.
(..variable fonts?)

[rayman54]

Just downloaded a 30 day trial of Affinity Photo 2.  The UI font and Icon sizes are way too small for me.  It is not usable for me at all.  Looks like a very nice application, especially for astrophotography.  However I'll most likely pass on this due to the size issue....

[rayman54]

1 hour ago, rayman54 said:

Just downloaded a 30 day trial of Affinity Photo 2.  The UI font and Icon sizes are way too small for me.  It is not usable for me at all.  Looks like a very nice application, especially for astrophotography.  However I'll most likely pass on this due to the size issue....

I was wrong about this.  I WAS able to resize the fonts and icons to my satisfaction.  I apologize that I was too fast in being critical...

[Granddaddy]

On 4/25/2023 at 5:54 PM, rayman54 said:

I WAS able to resize the fonts and icons to my satisfaction.

Could you please share your solution for resizing fonts and icons and let us know whether you are on Windows or a Mac?

Thanks.

[Fun Art Sam]

Hi!

I'm working on a Windows computer and can't find the option to increase the UI font size. Is this feature located somewhere else other than Preferences > User Interface?

I'm using Affinity version 1 products. 

Thanks for your help!

[Alfred]

11 minutes ago, Fun Art Sam said:

I'm working on a Windows computer and can't find the option to increase the UI font size.

As noted above, this feature isn’t available on Windows.

 

[Felipe_RB]

Devs, please take some time to look at how Blender allows users to customize their UI and then ask yourselves:

"have we really done our absolute best in order to give our customers more options?"

[Ezbaze]

2 hours ago, Felipe_RB said:

Devs, please take some time to look at how Blender allows users to customize their UI and then ask yourselves:

"have we really done our absolute best in order to give our customers more options?"

Exactly this, Blender is a very nice example of how customizable the UI can be, as well as the integration with Addons which can have buttons (any input), that can be placed almost anywhere in the UI

 

A node editor would be a much better-suited solution for Procedural Textures rather than the text input that only allows for 1 line ( You also have to convert multiline text to one line each time if you are working on the equation outside of affinity ), and could even be used for complex boolean-based vector operations

[dcx]

I also just bought version 2. I'm now traveling with my Surface Pro, and the app is unusable. I already have my display set to 175% at the OS level, and that doesn't seem to have affected Affinity. The fonts in Affinity modals look like they are 7 point font.

This shouldn't be a nice to have. Nobody should have to vote up accessibility. Check your company values, and if you care about people on smaller screens or with eye issues, you just make it work. You don't wait for someone to vote for it. Your values make it a high priority. Someone has to care how many people are likely to be affected by this.

Thanks.

[fredlim]

On 8/20/2023 at 3:35 AM, dcx said:

I also just bought version 2. I'm now traveling with my Surface Pro, and the app is unusable. I already have my display set to 175% at the OS level, and that doesn't seem to have affected Affinity. The fonts in Affinity modals look like they are 7 point font.

This shouldn't be a nice to have. Nobody should have to vote up accessibility. Check your company values, and if you care about people on smaller screens or with eye issues, you just make it work. You don't wait for someone to vote for it. Your values make it a high priority. Someone has to care how many people are likely to be affected by this.

Thanks.

As of version 2.4.1, the UI font size is not suitable for monitors with high resolution. How can I request an increase in UI font size?

[ronnyb]

6 hours ago, fredlim said:

As of version 2.4.1, the UI font size is not suitable for monitors with high resolution. How can I request an increase in UI font size?

Same here. We’ve been begging for an improved (larger) UI font for almost TEN years… hopefully this decade we can get the feature or at least a NeuraLink implant might be available faster, idk…..