Start by making the book text large enough to follow comfortably, then adjust brightness and page layout to suit your reading conditions. On Kindle, open the Aa / Page Display controls; on Kobo, tap the middle of the page to open the reading menu. Change one setting at a time and read a few pages before deciding whether to change another. There is no single best font size or brightness level for every reader.
Make the text bigger or smaller first
Increase the in-book font until the letters are comfortable to follow. Then consider how much text remains visible and how often you turn pages: larger letters usually mean fewer words fit on a page. If the page feels crowded, adjust spacing or margins rather than immediately reducing the font.
On a Kindle E-Reader
- While reading, tap the top of the screen to reveal the toolbars.
- Tap the Aa or Page Display icon and open the Font tab.
- Choose a font if you want, then change size using the slider or plus/minus controls. On supported models, pinching on the page also changes the text size.
- If the letters still look too light, try the boldness control. Amazon documents five boldness levels, though available display settings vary by model.
These in-book controls are separate from the size of the Kindle menus and other device interface text. Amazon lists the device-level text control for Kindle E-Readers (11th Generation and higher), Kindle Scribe, and Kindle Colorsoft: go to Settings → Screen and brightness → Display & text size. If that path is not available on your model, you can still adjust text within a supported book from the Aa reading toolbar.
On a Kobo eReader
- While reading, tap the middle of the screen to open the Reading menu.
- Tap the Font icon.
- Drag the Font Size slider or use the plus/minus controls to make the text bigger or smaller.
Kobo also lists adjustable fonts, including OpenDyslexic, as an accessibility option. The available fonts and controls depend on the eReader and the book.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
#1 Best Overall
- Light and compact - With adjustable brightness, high contrast ratio, and fast page turns.
- Effortless reading in any light - Read comfortably with a 6“ glare-free display, adjustable front light—now 25% brighter at max setting—and dark mode.
- Escape into your books - Tune out messages, emails, and social media with a distraction-free reading experience.
- Read for a while - Get up to 6 weeks of battery life on a single charge.
- Take your library with you – 16 GB storage holds thousands of books.
Fine-tune spacing, margins, and page shape
If larger text is comfortable but the page feels cramped, open the layout controls and make small adjustments. On Kindle, the Layout tab can offer line, paragraph, word, and character spacing; margins; portrait or landscape orientation; and justified or left alignment. Themes can save combinations of Font, Layout, and More preferences. The controls shown can differ by device.
- Line and paragraph spacing: More space can make lines easier to distinguish, but leaves less text on each page and can mean more page turns.
- Margins: Narrower margins can fit more words across the page; wider margins leave more open space around the text.
- Alignment: Justified text creates straighter edges on both sides, while left alignment leaves an uneven right edge. Try the option that is easier for you to track.
- Orientation: Landscape changes the page shape and line length. It may suit a larger font, but the result depends on the device and book layout.
Kobo’s accessibility information also lists adjustable margins and line spacing, Dark Mode, ComfortLight Pro, and Large Print Mode. These features are not available on every Kobo model, so use the controls present on your device rather than expecting the same menu everywhere.
Rank #2
- Our fastest Kindle Paperwhite ever – The next-generation 7“ Paperwhite display has a higher contrast ratio and 25% faster page turns.
- Ready for travel – The ultra-thin design has a larger glare-free screen so pages stay sharp no matter where you are.
- Escape into your books – Your Kindle doesn’t have social media, notifications, or other distracting apps.
- Battery life for your longest novel – A single charge via USB-C lasts up to 12 weeks.
- Read in any light – Adjust the display from white to amber to read in bright sunlight or in the dark.
Set brightness for the room
Adjust the screen light to the conditions where you are reading; the manufacturer guidance does not establish a universally correct brightness number. On Kobo models with built-in lighting, Kobo says to swipe up or down along the left edge of the screen while reading to adjust brightness. Some reading-menu controls, including brightness and orientation lock, are limited to select models. Kobo also describes Natural Light options and ComfortLight Pro, but support varies across its eReaders.
If you cannot find a lighting control, first check whether your model has a built-in light and whether the feature is supported on that device. Do not assume a missing control means the reader is faulty.
Rank #3
- Light and compact - With adjustable brightness, high contrast ratio, and fast page turns.
- Effortless reading in any light - Read comfortably with a 6“ glare-free display, adjustable front light—now 25% brighter at max setting—and dark mode.
- Escape into your books - Tune out messages, emails, and social media with a distraction-free reading experience.
- Read for a while - Get up to 6 weeks of battery life on a single charge.
- Take your library with you - 16 GB storage holds thousands of books.
Why a setting or layout may be missing
Menus and book files both affect what you can change. Amazon cautions that Kindle display settings vary by model. Its Enhanced Typesetting features apply to reflowable Kindle books; Amazon says those books can adapt layouts for larger fonts or short line lengths, including switching to left alignment or reducing a landscape two-column layout to one column. Enhanced Typesetting also describes hyphenation, word-spacing improvements, kerning, and dynamic color contrast. Those behaviors should not be expected in every ebook or format.
- Check your eReader model and software when an expected setting is absent.
- Try another reflowable book if a layout control behaves differently in one title.
- Distinguish the size of the book text from the size of device menus; supported models may offer separate controls.
For the exact menu steps, see Amazon’s Kindle text display help, Kobo’s eReader reading guide, and Kobo’s accessibility features overview. Amazon’s separate guide covers enlarging Kindle device interface text; its Enhanced Typesetting documentation explains the reflowable-book scope.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Our fastest Kindle Paperwhite ever – The next-generation 7“ Paperwhite display has a higher contrast ratio and 25% faster page turns.
- Ready for travel – The ultra-thin design has a larger glare-free screen so pages stay sharp no matter where you are.
- Escape into your books – Your Kindle doesn’t have social media, notifications, or other distracting apps.
- Battery life for your longest novel – A single charge via USB-C lasts up to 12 weeks.
- Read in any light – Adjust the display from white to amber to read in bright sunlight or in the dark.
Rank #4
- 𝗕𝗥𝗢𝗪𝗦𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗘𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞𝗦 𝗜𝗡 𝗙𝗨𝗟𝗟 𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗢𝗨𝗥 - Read in colour with a 6” E Ink Kaleido 3 display to enjoy eBook covers, comics, graphic novels, illustrations, and more.
- 𝗡𝗢 𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗘 𝗛𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗛𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦 - With multiple colours available at the touch of a finger, you can highlight your eBooks. Add, erase, or change colours as you go, and easily see all your highlights by chapter at a glance
- 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗘𝗬𝗘𝗦 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗞 𝗬𝗢𝗨 – ComfortLight PRO automatically reduces blue light throughout the day, and you can personalize your reading settings via font size, line spacing, or even Dark Mode
- 𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗢𝗙 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔𝗡𝗬𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘 – Full waterproof protection and meets requirements of IPX8 rating – waterproof for up to 60 minutes in up to 2 metres of water
- 𝗕𝗘𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗕𝗬 𝗗𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗚𝗡 - Made with recycled and ocean-bound plastic and repairability to waterproof protection
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
