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How to Change Font Size in LaTeX

Set the base size for the whole document in the class options: \documentclass[12pt]{article}. For part of the text use a size command inside braces: {\large bigger text}. The commands run from \tiny to \Huge; for an exact size use \fontsize{14}{17}\selectfont.

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Size commands (pt in a 10pt / 11pt / 12pt document)

  • \tiny
    Text mode, no math preview

    5 / 6 / 6 pt.

  • \scriptsize
    Text mode, no math preview

    7 / 8 / 8 pt.

  • \footnotesize
    Text mode, no math preview

    8 / 9 / 10 pt.

  • \small
    Text mode, no math preview

    9 / 10 / 10.95 pt.

  • \normalsize
    Text mode, no math preview

    10 / 10.95 / 12 pt (the base size).

  • \large
    Text mode, no math preview

    12 / 12 / 14.4 pt.

  • \Large
    Text mode, no math preview

    14.4 / 14.4 / 17.28 pt.

  • \LARGE
    Text mode, no math preview

    17.28 / 17.28 / 20.74 pt.

  • \huge
    Text mode, no math preview

    20.74 / 20.74 / 24.88 pt.

  • \Huge
    Text mode, no math preview

    24.88 / 24.88 / 24.88 pt.

Try it live

Change the formula and the preview redraws as you type. Copy the LaTeX, download a PNG or SVG, copy it for Word, or use Edit here on any example below to load it.

Templates

Font size examples

Each result below is drawn from the LaTeX under it. Copy the code, edit it on this page, or open it in the full editor.

  • Sizes side by side

    x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2
    LaTeX
    {\small x^2} \quad x^2 \quad {\large x^2} \quad {\Large x^2} \quad {\huge x^2}

    MathJax accepts the size commands in math; in LaTeX documents they belong in text, see below.

    Edit hereOpen in editor

  • Display style in a fraction

    ∑ k = 1 n k 2 vs ∑ k = 1 n k 2
    LaTeX
    \frac{\displaystyle \sum_{k=1}^{n} k}{2} \quad \text{vs} \quad \frac{\sum_{k=1}^{n} k}{2}
    Edit hereOpen in editor

  • Smaller limits with textstyle

    ∑ i = 1 n x i
    LaTeX
    \textstyle \sum_{i=1}^{n} x_i
    Edit hereOpen in editor

In a LaTeX document

These commands work in the text of a .tex document (Overleaf, TeX Live, MiKTeX), not inside math. The box on the right shows what the compiled PDF looks like.

  • Whole document at 12pt

    LaTeX
    \documentclass[12pt]{article}

  • Size for part of the text

    LaTeX
    Normal text, {\large larger text}, and {\small smaller text}.

\begin{small}
A whole small paragraph.
\end{small}
    Compiled result

    Normal text, larger text, and smaller text.

    A whole small paragraph.

  • Exact size with \fontsize

    LaTeX
    {\fontsize{14}{17}\selectfont Fourteen-point text on 17pt line spacing.\par}

Scope

Size commands are switches: they change everything that follows until the group ends. Put them inside braces {\large …} or an environment \begin{large} … \end{large}. End the paragraph (\par or a blank line) inside the group so the line spacing changes too.

The standard classes only accept 10pt, 11pt and 12pt. For other base sizes use the extsizes classes (extarticle with 14pt, 17pt, 20pt) or scrartcl with fontsize=13pt.

Size in math

In LaTeX, text size commands cannot be used inside math mode; set the size around the equation instead, or switch between \displaystyle, \textstyle, \scriptstyle and \scriptscriptstyle, which change how big sums, fractions and limits are drawn.

Common mistakes

  • \large takes no argument; without the outer braces everything after it becomes large.

    Instead of
    \large{Some text}
    Write
    {\large Some text}

  • article only supports 10pt, 11pt and 12pt; 14pt is silently ignored.

    Instead of
    \documentclass[14pt]{article}
    Write
    \documentclass[14pt]{extarticle}

  • \fontsize takes effect only after \selectfont.

    Instead of
    \fontsize{14}{17} Text
    Write
    \fontsize{14}{17}\selectfont Text

In Overleaf, MathJax and Word

  • Overleaf and pdfLaTeX

    All size commands work without packages; extsizes is available for 14pt and larger documents.

  • MathJax and KaTeX

    MathJax and KaTeX accept \tiny to \Huge inside formulas (unlike LaTeX), plus \displaystyle and \textstyle.

  • Microsoft Word

    In Word set the size in Home › Font Size; for equations, select the equation and change the size the same way.

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Font size in LaTeX: questions

How do I change the font size in LaTeX?
Set 12pt in the document class for the whole document, or use {\large …} and similar commands for parts.
What is the largest font size command?
\Huge. For anything bigger use \fontsize{40}{48}\selectfont.
How do I make an equation smaller?
Put the size command around it, for example {\small $…$}, or use \textstyle inside display math.

Related LaTeX reference

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