Accessibility Help Home | Internet Explorer 5 or 6


Change text size in Internet Explorer 5 or 6

  • Open the 'View' menu with the mouse or by pressing 'Alt' + 'V'.
  • Select the 'Text Size' option with the mouse or by pressing 'X'.
  • Choose your preferred text size with the mouse or by using the up and down arrow keys and pressing 'Enter' or by clicking on it.
  • The text on our website should now have changed to reflect your choice.
Some websites have fixed the size of their text ('hard-coded') and as a result these websites will not show the change you have just made. If you would like to use your larger text on these sites follow the following steps:
  • Click on the 'Tools' menu with the mouse or press 'Alt' + 'T'.
  • Click on 'Internet Options' option with the mouse or press 'O'. You should now see the 'Internet Options' box.
  • Click on the 'Accessibility' button with the mouse or press 'Alt'+ 'E'.
  • Click the 'Ignore font sizes specified on web page' checkbox to add a tick or press 'Alt' + 'Z'.
  • Click the 'OK' button twice with the mouse or press 'Enter' twice, to return to Internet Explorer.

Change Text and Background Colors in Internet Explorer 5 or 6

  • Open the 'Tools' menu with the mouse or by pressing 'Alt' + 'T'.
  • Select the 'Internet Options' option with the mouse or by pressing 'O'.
  • Select the 'Accessibility' button with the mouse or by pressing 'Alt' + 'E'.
  • Check the 'Ignore colors specified on web page' checkbox with the mouse or by pressing 'Alt' + 'C'.
  • Click the 'OK' button with the mouse once or by pressing 'Enter' once which will return you to the 'Internet Options' box.
At this point it might appear than little has happened, but what has changed is the website is now using the color scheme you have on your computer. If you are happy with the colors you do not need to take any further steps, just click 'OK' or press 'Enter' to return to the browser. If however you still need to change the text or background colors on the web page take the following steps:
  • With the 'Internet Options' box still open click on the 'Colors' button or press 'Alt' + 'O'.
  • The default setting is to have the 'Use Windows colors' option selected, to use your own colors click the box to remove the tick with the mouse or press 'Alt' + 'W'.
  • Select either the 'Text' button with the mouse (the 'Use Windows colors' option must not be selected for this to work), or by pressing 'Alt' + 'T', or the 'Background' button with the mouse, or by pressing 'Alt' + 'B'.
  • Select the color of your choice with the mouse or by using the arrow keys.
  • Select the 'OK' button twice with the mouse or by pressing 'Enter' twice.
  • Now press 'OK' or press 'Enter' to return to Internet Explorer.

Requesting Assistance

General Assistance

By calling 1-800-772-1213, you can use our automated telephone services to get recorded information and conduct some business 24 hours a day. If you cannot handle your business through our automated services, you can speak to a Social Security representative between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Generally, you'll have a shorter wait time if you call during the week after Tuesday. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, call our toll-free TTY number, 1-800-325-0778, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. See Automated Services for more details.

Web Accessibility Problems

Please report website accessibility problems to the Social Security webmaster, webmaster@ssa.gov. In your message, include the website address or URL and the specific problems you have encountered.