FontSize Tweak

FontSize Tweak vs. Advanced System Font Changer

Advanced System Font Changer promises free customization but requires payment after thirty days and keeps a background process running. I wrote FontSize Tweak to avoid those limits. It updates the same registry keys without any resident services and the code is open for everyone to inspect. What began as a simple fix for my own setup evolved into a polished, community-friendly alternative.

What the App Does

FontSize Tweak provides a straightforward way to adjust Windows’ system fonts without needing administrator rights. Here’s a quick rundown:

• Simple slider applies one size to every system font at once
• Dropdown menu lets you tweak Title Bar, Menu, MessageBox, Icon and Status Bar fonts individually
• Live preview text updates as you drag the slider
• Current size is detected automatically with handy Small, Medium and Large preset buttons
• Reset option restores all fonts to the Windows default
• Writes updates directly under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics using the correct LOGFONT layout
• Dark mode interface with larger base font for accessibility
• No background process once changes are applied
• Packaged with PyInstaller into a portable .exe that runs without installation

How to Download

Grab the latest copy from the FontSize Tweak page. The site links to the GitHub release where you can download FontSizeTweak.exe and the source code. Just run the executable—no install needed.

Tools Used

The utility is written for Python 3.10 and uses the standard tkinter toolkit for its window. To give it a more modern feel I layered ttkbootstrap on top, which provides ready‑made dark themes and better spacing. Behind the scenes winreg and struct modify the LOGFONT entries in the Windows registry. Finally, PyInstaller packages everything into a single .exe so users don't need Python installed, and GitHub Pages + Releases host both the docs and downloads.

What I Built

The app launches with a master slider that lets you adjust all font sizes in one sweep. A dropdown menu exposes individual settings—MenuFont, IconFont and others—if you need to fine‑tune just one area. The current value is detected at startup and displayed next to the slider. As you move it, a preview label updates in real time so you know exactly what you'll get. A reset button restores Windows defaults with a single click.

Accessibility was front and center. The interface uses dark mode, a bigger base font and a clear feedback label whenever changes apply. The executable launches without the console window and has a custom icon to look polished.

Troubleshooting I Faced

Working at the system level brought a few surprises. Some dialogs—like old Property windows—don’t read the standard registry keys, so the fonts there remain unchanged. Figuring out the exact LOGFONT byte layout also took a bit of trial and error; any mismatch corrupts the registry value. I hit a bug where the preview text stayed stuck on the previous font when I changed dropdown options. Trace debugging and cleaning up the UI logic eventually solved it.

GitHub Integration

The repository is intentionally tidy. It contains main.py, icon.ico, requirements.txt (which lists only ttkbootstrap) and a docs/ folder. GitHub Actions isn’t needed, so releases are built locally then uploaded. Each release page offers a zipped source archive and a ready‑made executable. The documentation on the Pages site uses the Minimal theme and mirrors the main README.

Final Touches

Before publishing I generated a small favicon and set up .gitignore, .nojekyll and _config.yml for GitHub Pages. The README also includes the exact PyInstaller command for anyone who wants to build their own copy. Overall the project stays lightweight and easy to fork.

Support + Motivation

You can download the latest version here or check out the source on GitHub. Unlike Advanced System Font Changer, there are no trials or locked features. If FontSize Tweak helps you out, consider buying me a coffee to keep the project thriving.

Final Thoughts

Building FontSize Tweak reinforced how small utilities can still respect users’ freedom. By keeping the code public and avoiding background tasks, the tool stays lightweight and trustworthy. Hopefully it helps you reclaim a bit of readability without extra clutter.