Skip to main content
N I Direct government services

Main navigation

  • Home
  • News
  • Contacts
  • Help
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Help
  3. Accessibility

Changing how your screen looks

Here is some practical help with adjusting the settings to make your screen easier to read. The suggestions to improve how you can view web pages on nidirect.gov.uk should also work for other websites that you visit.

Making text bigger on a PC or laptop

Windows

  • press Ctrl and + to make text bigger
  • press Ctrl and - to make text smaller
  • press Ctrl and 0 (zero) to return text to normal size

Apple Mac

On Apple computers, use the Cmd (or Apple) key instead of the Ctrl key:

  • press Cmd and + to make text bigger
  • press Cmd and - to make text smaller
  • press Cmd and 0 (zero) to return text to normal size

Making text bigger on phones and tablets

Many touch screen based devices allow you to pinch and zoom web pages by touching the screen with two fingers and pinching them closed to zoom out or spreading them apart to zoom in.

However, this method may not work for all web pages.  Alternatively, you can enable 'magnification gestures' on Android based devices or 'zoom gestures' on Apple iPhones or iPads.

For Android based phones and tablets

  • open your device's Settings app
  • select 'Accessibility', then 'Magnification', then 'Magnify with triple-tap' and switch it on
  • triple-tap with three fingers to magnify the entire screen
  • to move around, hold two fingers on the screen and drag to show different parts of the screen
  • if you need need to zoom in more, use pinch to zoom
  • triple-tap with three fingers again to return to normal magnification

For Apple iPhones or iPads

  • open the Settings app
  • select 'General', then 'Accessibility', then 'Zoom' and switch it on
  • double-tap with three fingers to zoom the entire screen
  • to move around, either hold three fingers on the screen and drag to show different parts of the screen, or hold one finger along the edge of the screen to pan
  • if you need to zoom in more, double-tap with three fingers and drag up or down
  • to zoom back out, double-tap again with three fingers

You can also configure the 'home button' to turn on zoom when you triple-press it.

More advanced changes

As well as making text larger, web browsers may offer additional ways  to change fonts, text colour and background colours to make reading on a screen easier.

Further information on accessibility features for popular web browsers are listed below.

Which browser are you using?

  • Google Chrome — see Accessibility in Chrome
  • Safari — see Accessibility Support for Apple devices
  • Internet Explorer — see Internet Explorer Ease of Access options
  • Microsoft Edge — see Ease of Access in Microsoft Edge
  • Firefox  — see Accessibility features in Firefox
Share this page Share on Facebook (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share on Twitter (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share by email (external link opens in a new window / tab)

Accessibility

  • Accessibility features
  • Accessibility statement for Access NI
  • Accessibility statement for angling license, permit and enforcement system (LPE)
  • Accessibility statement for Computer Assisted Mapping E-commerce Online 2 (CAMEO 2)
  • Accessibility statement for Criminal Injury and Damage Management Information System (CIDMIS)
  • Accessibility statement for Finance Support application form
  • Accessibility statement for Genealogy Northern Ireland (GENI)
  • Accessibility statement for Land and Property Services Rates Support System (LPS RSS)
  • Accessibility statement for landlord registration services
  • Accessibility statement for Legal Aid Management System (LAMS)
  • Accessibility statement for nidirect
  • Accessibility statement for Planning Appeals Commission and Water Appeals Commission (PACWAC)
  • Accessibility statement for Rates Payment Service
  • Changing how your screen looks
  • Supported browsers and platforms

Translation help

How to translate this page

Help improve this page - send your feedback

What do you want to do?
Report a problem
Which problem did you find on this page? (Tick all that apply)

Messages

You will not receive a reply. We will consider your feedback to help improve the site.

Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers.

What is your question about?

What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Carer's Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912
Email 
dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Call 0800 587 2750 
Email 
customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

Disability Living Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 
Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

  • Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
  • Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme,  email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

For queries about:

  • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
    contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
     
  • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
    contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

 

For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly.  We don't have access to information about you.

Related sites

  • gov.uk
  • nibusinessinfo.co.uk

Links to supporting information

  • Accessibility statement
  • Crown copyright
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS