How to Choose the Right Font Size for Your Website

Users may enjoy your website better by choosing the appropriate font size. Google’s Material Design style guide establishes the default font size. What font size works best? To ensure your website is mobile-friendly, you must use a font size of at least 16 pixels.

Typography is a crucial design component that enhances the material you provide. The designer must decide which fonts to use (or avoid using) while selecting the finest fonts for websites out of the countless options that are readily available online. It may make or break your website design. 

Choosing the appropriate font sizes and the ideal fonts for your website is crucial. The size of your font can assist people in focusing on your main message by creating contrast.

One size does not, however, fit all. Your websites are accessed on various devices, including computers, tablets, TVs, smartphones, and perhaps even smartwatches, using a variety of various browsers and viewport widths. The following should be kept in mind when carefully assessing your font size.

Is SEO affected by font size?

You might not realize it, but the size of the letters on your website (the font size) can make a big difference in how well your website does in search engines like Google.

If the font is too small, it’s hard for people to read on their phones or computers. They might have to pinch and zoom in, which gets annoying fast. If that happens, they’ll probably leave your site quickly. Google notices when people leave websites quickly, and it thinks, “Maybe this website isn’t helpful,” and it might show your site lower down in the search results.

On the other hand, when your font is a good size and easy to read, people are more likely to stick around, read your articles, and check out other pages on your site. Google notices that too, and it thinks, “This website seems helpful, so I’ll show it higher up in the search results.”

So, picking the right font size helps your readers and makes Google happy, which means more people will find your website. It’s a win-win!

Start with 16 Pixels – The Goldilocks Size for Your Website’s Text

When it comes to choosing a font size for the main part of your website’s text (the body text), there’s a sweet spot that works well for most people. Google, the company behind the popular search engine, recommends a font size of 16 pixels.

Why 16 pixels? Well, it’s a size that’s big enough to read easily on most screens, whether you’re using a computer, a tablet, or a phone. It also leaves enough space for other things on your website, like pictures or buttons.

Think of it like Goldilocks and the three bears—16 pixels isn’t too big, it isn’t too small, it’s just right. So, if you’re not sure where to start, 16 pixels is a safe bet.

Device Type	Content Type	Recommended Font Size (pixels)
Desktop	Body Text	16 – 21
Desktop	Headings (H1)	31 (assuming body text is 16px)
Mobile	Body Text	16 – 18
Mobile	Headings (H1)	21 (assuming body text is 16px)

Yes, Bigger Can Be Better – The Benefits of Larger Fonts

While the recommended 16-pixel font size is a great foundation for readability, don’t be afraid to think bigger. Increasing your font size can bring several advantages to your website:

• Enhanced Readability: Larger fonts are naturally easier to read, particularly for users with visual impairments or those viewing your site on larger screens.
• Improved User Experience: A larger font creates a more inviting and comfortable reading experience, encouraging visitors to stay longer on your site and engage with your content.
• Visual Appeal: Larger fonts can add a touch of boldness and modernity to your website’s design, making it stand out from the crowd.
• Increased Engagement: Studies have shown that larger fonts can lead to increased user engagement, including longer visit durations and higher click-through rates on calls to action.
• Reduced Bounce Rates: When users can comfortably read your content, they’re less likely to bounce away from your site due to frustration or difficulty reading.
• Enhanced Accessibility: Larger fonts contribute to a more accessible website for users with visual impairments. This not only benefits those users directly but also aligns with best practices for web accessibility.
• Mobile Optimization: While it’s important to be mindful of screen space on mobile devices, slightly larger fonts (around 18 pixels) can still be effective on smaller screens, especially for headings and subheadings.

Consider experimenting with font sizes of 18 or even 21 pixels for your body text, especially if your target audience primarily accesses your site on desktop computers. However, always keep in mind the balance between font size and overall layout. Ensure that larger fonts don’t disrupt the visual flow of your content or create awkward line breaks. Additionally, it’s always a good practice to test different font sizes with your target audience to gather feedback and make data-driven decisions.

Font Size (px)	Sample Text	Readability Assessment
12	This is a 12-pixel font size.	Difficult to read, especially on smaller screens.
14	This is a 14-pixel font size.	Okay for short snippets of text, but can strain the eyes for longer reading.
16	This is a 16-pixel font size.	Recommended minimum for body text. Comfortable for most readers.
18	This is an 18-pixel font size.	Excellent readability, especially for longer articles or users with visual impairments.
21	This is a 21-pixel font size.	Very easy to read, suitable for headings or short blocks of text.

The Holy Trinity of Web Typography – Font Size, Line Height, and Line Length

Font size is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to crafting a readable website. It’s part of a “holy trinity” of typographic elements that work together to create a seamless reading experience:

1. Font Size: As we’ve discussed, this is the size of the letters themselves.
2. Line Height (Leading): This refers to the vertical space between lines of text. Imagine it as the amount of “breathing room” each line gets. Too little space makes the text feel cramped, while too much space can make it feel disconnected.
3. Line Length (Measure): This is how wide a line of text is before it wraps to the next line. If lines are too long, readers can lose their place when moving from one line to the next.

Think of these three elements like ingredients in a recipe. You need the right proportions of each to create a delicious dish (or in this case, a readable website).

Finding the perfect balance between these three elements is key to creating a website that’s easy on the eyes and enjoyable to read. In the following sections, we’ll dive deeper into each element and provide guidelines for finding the ideal combination for your website.

Line Height

While font size often gets the spotlight, line height (also known as leading) plays a crucial role in how easy your text is to read. It’s the vertical spacing between lines of text, and it can significantly impact the overall reading experience.

Why Line Height Matters

• Readability: Proper line height makes it easier for the eye to track from one line of text to the next. Think of it as giving each line of text enough room to breathe.
• Visual Clarity: Sufficient line height prevents letters from different lines from appearing to overlap or blend together, making the text look cleaner and more organized.
• Reduced Eye Strain: When lines are too close together, it forces your eyes to work harder, leading to fatigue and potentially causing readers to abandon your content.
• Text Density: Line height affects how dense your text appears. Tight line height creates a denser block of text, which can be overwhelming, while generous line height makes the text feel more airy and inviting.
• Emphasis and Hierarchy: Varying line heights can be used to create visual hierarchy and draw attention to specific elements, such as headings or quotes.

Finding the Sweet Spot for Line Height

The ideal line height depends on several factors, including:

• Font Size: Generally, larger fonts require more line height to maintain optimal readability. A good rule of thumb is to aim for a line height that’s 1.4 to 1.6 times the font size. For example, if your font size is 16 pixels, a line height of 22-26 pixels would be a good starting point.
• Font Type: Different fonts have varying characteristics, such as x-height (the height of lowercase letters) and ascender/descender length. These characteristics can influence the ideal line height. Experimentation is key to finding what works best for your chosen font.
• Content Type: Long blocks of text might benefit from slightly more line height than shorter snippets of text to prevent reader fatigue.
• Screen Size: Consider how your content will be viewed on different devices. Mobile screens might require slightly tighter line height due to limited space.
• Personal Preference: Ultimately, the ideal line height is somewhat subjective. What feels comfortable for one reader might not be ideal for another. Gather feedback from your target audience to gauge their preferences.

How to Adjust Line Height

Line height can typically be adjusted in your website’s CSS file. The line-height property is used to control this spacing. For example:

body {
    line-height: 1.6; 
}

This would set the line height for the body text to 1.6 times the font size.

Experiment with different line height values to find what feels most comfortable and visually appealing for your specific content and font choices.

Line Length

Line length, also known as measure, refers to the width of a line of text on your webpage. It’s another crucial factor that influences reading comfort and comprehension.

The Impact of Line Length

• Reading Rhythm: Optimal line length helps establish a comfortable reading rhythm. When lines are too short, the eye has to jump back and forth too frequently, disrupting the flow. Conversely, lines that are too long make it difficult to track back to the start of the next line, hindering reading comprehension.
• Visual Fatigue: Excessively long lines can cause visual fatigue as the eyes have to travel a greater distance across the screen. This can lead to readers losing their place or feeling overwhelmed by the text.

Ideal Line Length for Web Content

While there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, research suggests that the ideal line length for web content typically falls within the range of 45-75 characters per line. This includes spaces and punctuation. However, the optimal range can vary depending on the font size and typeface you’re using.

Here’s a general guideline:

• Smaller Font Sizes (14-16 pixels): Aim for a line length of 45-60 characters.
• Larger Font Sizes (18-21 pixels): Aim for a line length of 55-75 characters.

It’s important to note that these are just guidelines. The best way to determine the ideal line length for your website is to experiment and see what feels most comfortable for your specific content and design.

Adjusting Line Length

Line length is typically controlled by the width of the content container on your webpage. This can be adjusted using CSS properties like width or max-width. For example:

.content-container {
    max-width: 700px; /* Sets a maximum width for the content container */
}

By carefully considering and adjusting line length, you can enhance the readability of your website and provide a more enjoyable experience for your readers.

Device Type	Font Size (px)	Line Height (Relative)	Line Length (Characters)
Desktop Body Text	16-18	1.4 – 1.6	45-75
Desktop Headings	31-35	1.2 – 1.4	45-60
Mobile Body Text	16 (min)	1.4 – 1.5	35-50
Mobile Headings	21 (min)	1.2 – 1.3	35-45

Online Font Dimensions – Pixels, Points, and Relative Units

While we’ve been discussing font size primarily in terms of pixels (px), it’s worth noting that there are other ways to measure font size in the digital world. Understanding these different units can be helpful when working with website design and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), the language used to style web pages.

• Pixels (px): This is the most common unit for measuring font size on the web. A pixel is a single dot on your screen, and font size in pixels refers to the height of the characters.
• Points (pt): Points are traditionally used in print design. While you might encounter points in some web design tools, pixels are generally preferred for web development due to their direct relationship with screen resolution.
• Ems (em): Ems are relative units that are based on the font size of the parent element. For example, if the body text of your website is set to 16 pixels, then 1em would also equal 16 pixels. Ems can be useful for creating scalable designs that adapt to different screen sizes.
• Rems (rem): Similar to ems, rems are relative units. However, they are based on the root font size of the HTML document (usually the font size set for the <html> element). This makes rems more predictable and easier to manage across your website.
• Percentages (%): Percentages are also relative units, but they are based on the font size of the parent element, just like ems. They can be useful for creating designs that maintain proportional relationships between different elements.

Conversion Between Units

While pixels and points are commonly used, they’re not directly equivalent. A general rule of thumb is that 12 points (pt) roughly equals 16 pixels (px) on most devices. However, this can vary depending on screen resolution and other factors.

Best Practices for Responsive Web Design

In responsive web design, where your website adapts to different screen sizes, using relative units like ems and rems is generally recommended. This allows your font sizes to scale proportionally as the screen size changes, ensuring optimal readability across devices.

Example:

body {
    font-size: 16px; /* Base font size */
}

h1 {
    font-size: 2.5rem; /* Heading font size is 2.5 times the root font size */
}

p {
    font-size: 1.2em; /* Paragraph font size is 1.2 times the body font size */
}

In this example, the heading (<h1>) font size will always be 2.5 times the root font size, while the paragraph (<p>) font size will be 1.2 times the body font size, ensuring a consistent hierarchy and scalability as the screen size changes.

Optimal desktop font sizes

When it comes to desktop screens, where users typically sit further away and have more screen real estate, you have a bit more flexibility in choosing font sizes. However, readability should still be your top priority. Here are some recommendations for font sizes on desktop:

Body Text:

• Start with a minimum of 16 pixels. This ensures that your text is legible even for users with less-than-perfect vision.
• Consider increasing to 18 pixels or even 21 pixels if it complements your website’s design and enhances readability without sacrificing the overall layout.
• Remember, some typefaces naturally appear larger or smaller than others, so adjust accordingly.

Headings:

• Your headings should be noticeably larger than your body text to create a clear visual hierarchy.
• A common approach is to make headings roughly 1.96 times larger than your body text. So, if your body text is 16 pixels, your main heading (H1) could be around 31 pixels.
• Subheadings (H2, H3, etc.) should be progressively smaller but still maintain enough contrast with both the body text and the main heading.

Input Fields and Other Elements:

• The font size for input fields, buttons, and other interactive elements should generally be similar to your body text size to maintain consistency and usability.

Key Point: Experiment with different font sizes within these recommended ranges to find what works best for your specific content, typeface, and overall design aesthetic. Remember, the goal is to create a visually pleasing experience that also prioritizes easy reading.

Optimal mobile font sizes

While the principles of readability remain the same on mobile devices, there are some key differences to consider due to the smaller screen size and viewing distance. Here’s what you need to know about optimizing font sizes for mobile:

Body Text:

• 16 Pixels Minimum: Just like on desktops, 16 pixels should be your minimum font size for body text on mobile devices. This ensures legibility even on smaller screens.
• Consider Going Smaller: In some cases, you might be able to go down to 14 pixels, especially if you’re using a typeface with naturally large characters or if your content is mostly in uppercase. However, always test thoroughly to ensure readability isn’t compromised.

Headings:

• Maintain Hierarchy: Headings should still be larger than body text to create a clear visual hierarchy, but the size difference might not need to be as dramatic as on desktop.
• 1.3x Rule of Thumb: A good starting point is to make headings roughly 1.3 times larger than your body text. So, if your body text is 16 pixels, a heading (H1) could be around 21 pixels.
• Subheadings: Adjust subheading sizes accordingly, maintaining a clear distinction between headings, subheadings, and body text.

Additional Considerations for Mobile:

• Line Height: Line height is even more crucial on mobile due to the smaller screen size. Ensure that your line height is sufficient to prevent text from feeling cramped or difficult to read.
• Whitespace: Utilize whitespace effectively to break up blocks of text and give the reader’s eyes a place to rest.
• Responsive Design: Make sure your website is designed to adapt to different screen sizes so that your font sizes and overall layout adjust seamlessly on mobile devices.

Testing is Key: Always test your website on various mobile devices and screen sizes to ensure that your chosen font sizes are comfortable and easy to read for everyone.

Where do you apply these modifications?

You’ve learned the theory behind font sizes, but how do you actually implement these changes on your website? Here are three common methods:

1. Theme Customization: If your website uses a theme (a pre-designed template), it likely has built-in settings that allow you to adjust font sizes without any coding. Look for a section in your theme’s options labeled “Typography,” “Fonts,” or something similar.
2. Contacting Your Theme Developer: If you can’t find the settings within your theme, reach out to the theme developer for assistance. They should be able to provide you with specific instructions on how to change font sizes within their theme.
3. Customizing Your CSS: If you’re comfortable with basic code editing, you can directly modify your website’s CSS file. CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is the language that controls the appearance of your website. Here’s an example of how you might change font sizes using CSS:

body {
    font-size: 18px;
}

h1 {
    font-size: 32px;
}

In this example, we’re setting the font size for the entire body of your website to 18 pixels and the font size for the main heading (H1) to 32 pixels. You can target specific elements on your page (like paragraphs, links, or different types of headings) and set their font sizes individually.

Need a Helping Hand? If you’re not familiar with CSS or encounter difficulties with any of these methods, don’t hesitate to seek help from a web developer or designer. They can easily implement the changes for you and ensure your website’s typography is optimized for readability and user experience.

Final thoughts

Remember, a small change like adjusting your font size can have a big impact on how visitors perceive and interact with your content. So, take the time to experiment, test different options, and find the font sizes that best suit your website’s unique personality and your target audience’s needs.