Changing how your screen looks

Here is some practical help with adjusting the settings to make your screen easier to read. Our 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?

Share this page


What do you want to do?
What is your question about?
Do you want a reply?
Your email address
To reply to you, we need your email address
Your feedback

We will not reply to your feedback.  Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers.

This feedback form is for issues with the nidirect website only.

You can use it to report a problem or suggest an improvement to a webpage.

If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly as we don’t have access to information about you held by government departments.

You must be aged 13 years or older - if you’re younger, ask someone with parental responsibility to send the feedback for you.

The nidirect privacy notice applies to any information you send on this feedback form.

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

Plain text only, 750 characters maximum.
Plain text only, 750 characters maximum.

What to do next

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

What to do next

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.

What to do next

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.

What to do next

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

What to do next

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

What to do next

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

What to do next

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

What to do next

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

What to do next

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

What to do next

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

What to do next

For queries about:

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

What to do next

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

What to do next

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

What to do next

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

What to do next

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.

What to do next

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.

What to do next

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

For queries or advice about property valuation, email:
valuation@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about land registry, email:
CustomerInformation.LandRegistration@finance-ni.gov.uk

For mapping queries, email:
Mapping.Helpdesk@finance-ni.gov.uk

What to do next

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