I right click on the desktop, click on personalize, windows color, then advanced settings. You click on the area you want to change and the options will come up. If you are using Firefox, install the ad on called "no squint" and you will have an option in it. I find the whites so hard on my eyes, I like to change backgrounds to a pastel. The only thing I have been able to change is the first page in WLmail.

DA... thanks. That works at least for one test. So dose Control +/- on the active text. Strange that "Compose" doesn't affect font size while Display does. Seem either or both could be the needed function - but when composing it is Display that determines the font size. I'll Google for the pain size. Sorry to put you to that extra work/test but when I can't figure out some computer question my first thought is gardenweb/computer... not Google/Web.

Go back to the tool bar and choose View on the upper toolbar. When it opens up Choose Text size . A little menu with increase or decease will pop out. By choosing increase and do that a second time you can increase the font size for the session you are reading emails. You would have to do this every time you read email I do that two times to increase the size for eyes too. I think it is about a 120 increase. At least it is on the Sea Monkey browser I use.

Just another comment on computer use and glasses. If you wear bifocals or progressives, it's important to buy computer glasses. If you don't, and use your regular progressives to work at the computer, you will be holding your neck at an unnatural angle, and there is research that shows that can cause permanent damage to the neck over time. For the progressive wearer, computer glasses would be designed so that the bottom of the glasses are for close work, and the upper part is formulated for computer screen distance. The brand Compuvue makes lenses that are just amazing--NO side distortion (like you get with regular progressives). Luckily, my dd is an optician and keeps me both informed and supplied with the best eyecare solutions. It's really important, though, that if you do a lot of computer work, that you discuss your corrections with your opthalmologist or qualified optician (not all opticians are licensed, in all states) and get the proper correction for your needs. One pair of glasses may not be enough to handle all your activities properly. And considering the cost of medical treatment, to me it IS a money-saving tip to have the best eye correction possible.