Instructions to customize the Windows interface to be more suitable for the elderly and poor eyes

As you get older and your eyesight gets worse, it becomes harder to see content on your computer screen than it used to be. This article will show you how to customize the Windows interface to be more suitable for the elderly and poor eyes.

Make the mouse pointer bigger

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For elderly people with poor eyesight, the default mouse pointer size on Windows may be too small, making them often lose track and make it difficult to manipulate. In this case, resize the mouse pointer to a larger size.

On Windows 10, open Settings and navigate to Ease of Access > Cursor & Pointer. Use the 'Change Pointer Size' slider to customize the mouse pointer size to be larger or smaller. It is also possible to change the color of the pointer, which will also make it easier to see and manipulate.

On Windows 11, open Settings and navigate to Accessibility > Mouse Pointer and Touch. Use the "Size" slider to make your mouse pointer bigger, and you can also choose a custom cursor style right on it to change the color.

Make your mouse pointer more recognizable

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Windows has a special option that when activated, the mouse pointer will appear in a circle if you press the Ctrl key. This allows you to quickly determine the exact position of the mouse pointer on the screen.

On Windows 10 or 11, you first open the Start menu and search for the keyword 'Mouse Settings'. When the respective settings page opens, click on 'Additional Mouse Options'. In the 'Mouse Properties' window, click on the 'Pointer Options' tab, then check the 'Show location of pointer when I press the CTRL key' option.

Alternatively, you can enable the mouse pointer path in this same 'Mouse Properties' window. Just put a tick next to the 'Display Pointer Trails' option, then use the slider to decide how long you want the paths to last. In general, this will also make it easier for you to determine the position and direction of the mouse pointer in real time.

Adjust font size

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If you find it difficult to read small fonts on the screen, it is easy to set them up system-wide.

First, open Settings and select 'Accessibility' in Windows 11 or 'Ease of Access' in Windows 10. Next, for Windows 10, use the 'Make it Bigger' slider to adjust the font size be suitable. With Windows 11, click 'Text Size' and use the 'Text Size' slider to make the font larger or smaller. .

Click 'Apply' when you're satisfied, and the changes will be applied immediately.

Make fonts bigger in web browser

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To make the browsing experience of the elderly better, you can also adjust the font size in the browser.

To quickly enlarge the text, you can use the 'Zoom' feature available in the browser. Click in the browser window and hold down the Ctrl key while scrolling the mouse wheel. This feature is available on most web browsers today.

Make Desktop or File Explorer Icons Bigger

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If you have trouble seeing and interacting with icons on the desktop or in File Explorer, you can easily enlarge them. In File Explorer on Windows 10 or 11, open a new window and click 'View' on the menu bar, then choose the size you want, such as 'Large Icons' or 'Extra Large Icons'.

On the desktop, you can quickly resize all the icons by holding down the Ctrl key and scrolling the mouse wheel. Or you can right click on the desktop, click 'View' and select the icon size from the list.

Wish you always have the best experience!

Marvin Fry

Update 10 July 2022