Owners of modern smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco often face a situation where standard text sizes seem too large for comfortable reading correspondence, this may be due to the default settings that are focused on maximum readability, or the peculiarities of the view of a particular user. However, when the screen is literally “clogged” with text, and in one message a couple of words are placed, there is an urgent need to change the display settings.
Not only is the message application itself addressed, but it's also addressed through the global settings of MIUI or HyperOS. Often users search for a slider inside a dialogue without knowing that the letter size control is on the system level, and understanding this logic allows for a quick user-friendly interface.
In this article, we'll take a look at all the ways you can reduce font, look at standard menus, hidden engineering, and the nuances of working with specific device models, and learn how to customize the screen to fit your eyes rather than dictate the terms of use.
Global screen and text size settings
The most effective way to resize letters in all applications, including standard Messages, is in the system menu, which adjusts the font scale for the entire operating system, changes take effect instantly and affect the settings menu, contacts, browser and, of course, the SMS application.
To access these settings, you have to open Settings and go to the Screen section. In some firmware versions, this item may be called the Display. This is where the main slider for scaling text content is located. By moving it to the left, you reduce the size of the characters, making them more compact.
Importantly, on some Android 11 and higher devices, the slider is divided into two parts: one is responsible for the size of the interface elements, and the second is solely for the text. If you move the general slider, and the font in the text text does not change, look for a separate text size item at the bottom of the screen or in the Additional menu.
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Use the preview at the bottom of the Settings screen to see how the text will change before applying the settings globally.
There's also the possibility of fine-tuning through the developer mode, but for most users, a standard slider is enough. If the text still seems huge after moving the regulator left to the end, the problem may lie in the established design theme. Some third-party themes force fonts to increase, ignoring the system settings.
Settings inside the Messages application
A standard Google Messages or MIUI application may have its own display settings that override the system, and although the functionality is limited, it is necessary to check it, especially if global changes have not produced the desired result in a particular message.
Open the messaging app and find the menu icon, usually three dots in the corner or a profile icon. In the drop-down list, select Settings. Next, look for the section related to the look or chats. Some versions of the software may have a browse mode switch or zoom option.
Consider that modern versions of Android tend to unify, so individual font settings within the application are less common. However, if you use a third-party client for SMS downloaded from the Play Market, there is a much higher probability of finding settings.
- 🔍 Check the theme settings inside the message app itself.
- 📱 Make sure that the “enlarged text” mode is not included in the special features of a particular application.
- 🔄 Try clearing the app cache if the settings are not saved.
Using Developer Mode to Scale
If standard sliders aren't enough and you need surgical accuracy, then developer mode comes to the rescue, which is a hidden part of the system that's designed to test applications, but it's also useful for ordinary users, and you can set the minimum screen width in dp (density-independent pixels), which directly affects the density of the pixels and, as a result, the size of all the elements, including text messages.
To activate this mode, go to Settings → About Phone. Find the MIUI Version or OS Version bar and quickly click on it 7-10 times in a row. The system will tell you that you have become a developer. Then a new option will appear in the settings menu Advanced Settings (or Additional), and inside it - For Developers.
In the list that opens, you have to scroll down to the Drawing section. We're interested in Minimum Width (or Smallest Width) and remember or write down the original value to be able to go back. Increasing that number makes the interface elements smaller. For example, if it's 360, try to put 400 or 420.
⚠️ Warning: Don't set the minimum width too high. This can make the interface unreadable, and the buttons will become too small to press with your finger.
The changes are instantaneous, and you'll see the whole interface rebuilt, the icons get smaller, and text on the SMS screen gets bigger, and it's the most powerful tool for anyone who wants to have full control over the density of information on their Xiaomi display.
The influence of design themes and fonts
Often, the reason for the huge letters in SMS is set themes. In the MIUI theme store, many designers create author's fonts that can be significantly larger than the default system fonts. Even if you have reduced the slider in the screen settings, the theme can dictate its display rules.
Check which theme is currently active. Go to the Topic app, click on the profile icon and select My Themes. If you have a third-party theme installed, try temporarily switching to the classic MIUI theme (Standard), if the text text has shrunk, then it was the design.
Also worth looking at the font settings. In some regions and firmware versions, there's a separate Font tab in the Topic menu. If it's custom font installed, it can have an increased kerning or base size. Replacing the font with a system Roboto or MI Sans often solves the problem.
How to remove problem font?
Remember that some "light" versions of apps or special modes for older people can also block changing the font.Make sure the system does not activate Simple Mode, which specifically increases all interface elements.
Special opportunities and scaling up
There's a feature on Android that can accidentally enlarge the font throughout the phone, which is called Special Features, and if a family member or you accidentally activate the zoom function, it will work regardless of the screen settings.
Go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Special Features. Check Visual or Vision. There you can activate Enlargement or Large Text. If the switchboard is on green, turn it off.
Also check for triple-push zoom, which allows you to zoom in with your fingers, which is sometimes perceived by the user.
If this feature is enabled, a random triple touch of the screen in an SMS application can visually enlarge the text, although the physical size will remain the same.
| Parameter | Where to find out. | Impact on SMS |
|---|---|---|
| Size of text | Settings → Screen | Direct change of letter size |
| Min. width (dp) | For developers | Scaling the entire interface |
| Theme of the design | Annex Topics | Can force you to change the font |
| Special opportunities | Settings → Special. opportunities | Global scaling up |
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Special features have the highest priority, and if it is active, the screen settings may not work properly.
Third-party applications for SMS
If the standard Messages app doesn’t give you the proper control over the font, it makes sense to consider alternatives. The Google Play store has a lot of SMS clients that allow you to flexibly customize the look of the dialogs.
Popular apps like Textra, Pulse SMS, or Chomp SMS have built-in themes and font settings. Textra, for example, allows you to select a specific font size for incoming and outgoing messages separately, which gives a level of customization that is not available in stock solutions.
When you install a third-party app, it will ask permission to become the default SMS app. You agree to this so that all messages will come to the new program. Then, in the new app settings, find the Appearance or Look and Feel section and adjust the text size sliders.
- 📲 Textra: Allows you to change the font size separately for each chat.
- 💬 Pulse SMS: It has a minimalist design with compact fonts.
- ⚙️ Chomp SMS: Offers deep customization of the interface.
⚠️ Note: When you change your SMS application, your correspondence history may not automatically be transferred. Use the backup function in the old application before switching.
Solving scaling problems
Sometimes users encounter bugs when settings go wrong on their own or the font "floats" when the screen is rotated.This may be due to an error in a particular MIUI update or application conflict.
The first thing to do is to restart the device. A banal restart often clears the temporary interface cache files and returns the settings to the correct state. If that doesn't work, try resetting the Messages app settings through the app menu without deleting the messages themselves.
In rare cases, changing the screen resolution helps. If you have previously changed the resolution in the developer settings, return it to the default value or 1080x2400 (for FullHD+ screens). Non-standard resolution can break the layout of system applications.
☑️ Diagnostics of the problem
If the problem only manifests itself in one particular app, try updating it through Google Play or GetApps. Developers regularly release patches that fix display errors on different smartphone models.