How to change font size in a textbox in HTML

html

responsive-design

css

best-practices

byAnton Shumikhin·Feb 15, 2025

You can change the textbox font size directly in the <input> tag using the style attribute and the CSS font-size property as follows:

<input type="text" style="font-size: 20px;">

This sets the text font size to 20px. You can modify this value to get the desired font size.

For a flexible design, consider relative units such as em or rem:

<input type="text" style="font-size: 1.25em;">

In this case, 1.25em scales the font size relative to the parent element's font size.

Journey from inline to external styles

Operating outside quick fixes, let's discuss the road to durable typographic control in forms.

Empowering textboxes with CSS

Favor defining styles in an external stylesheet or within <style> tags:

/* Packed in an external .css file or within <style> */
input[type="text"], textarea {
    font-size: 18px; /* Play with this value until it fits your aesthetic */
}

This method offers visual consistency throughout your website and presents a more manageable way of handling styles than inline forms.

Going relative with fontsize

For a design that adapts gracefully to various devices and user settings, use relative units like so:

input[type="text"], textarea {
    font-size: 1rem; /* Relative and accessible; 1rem scales to the root element's font size */
}

This approach respects user-defined browser and system settings, creating a user-centric experience.

Target practice with CSS selectors

Target elements directly using CSS selectors. For example:

/* Apply this class to a set of textboxes */
.textbox-large {
    font-size: 24px; /* Pumps up the font size, just like your muscles after the gym */
}

Using the .textbox-large class to the right input elements can underscore a key input field.

Strive for consistency and accessibility

With growth comes responsibility - maintainability and user experience are key as your project scales up.

Maintenance leads to success

Organize your styles so that the future you—or someone else—can understand and maintain them:

/* A shiny comment to clarify the purpose */
input[type="text"].textbox-important {
    font-size: 20px; /* Making vital input bigger. It's a matter of size after all! */
}

Limited inline styles and a clear HTML structure contribute to maintainability. Extract styling to internal or external CSS where feasible.

Accessible design for everyone

Designing for everyone includes those with visual impairments:

/* Example of friendly design */
@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
    input[type="text"], textarea {
        font-size: larger; /* Enhanced readability for the win! */
    }
}

Ultimately, the goal is to offer legible and easy-to-use textboxes. More substantial font sizes can provide many users a better experience.

Best practices for perfect textboxes

Make your textboxes adapt to your design vision.

Expect uniformity

Ensure your textbox font size aligns with the rest of your visual theme. This ensures a cohesive UI and a seamless user experience.

/* Defining base styles for a consistent look */
:root {
    --base-font-size: 16px;
}

input[type="text"], textarea {
    font-size: var(--base-font-size); /* Nothing beats consistency */
}

Maintaining uniformity across your project is simpler by leveraging CSS custom properties.

Avoiding overflow nightmares

Keep an eye on how font size affects content overflow. With larger fonts, ensure that text doesn't overflow:

textarea {
    font-size: 16px;
    overflow-y: auto; /* Adds a scrollbar if needed, just as a superhero swoops in to save the day. */
}

Adapting to screen sizes with media queries

Make the font size responsive using media queries:

@media (max-width: 600px) {
    input[type="text"], textarea {
        font-size: 14px; /* Smaller for mobile devices - because size matters! */
    }
}