Changing the look of this site

This page tells you how to:

• change the text font
• change the text colour
• change the background colour
• remove images

On this page:

• Instructions for Microsoft Internet Explorer users
• Instructions for Firefox users
• Instructions for Opera users

The instructions are different, depending on which browser you are using.

• Changing the size of the text on this website if you just want to increase or decrease the text size.
• Apple website's accessibility section if you use an Apple Mac.
• BBC accessibility guide for more advice.

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Instructions for Microsoft Internet Explorer users

These instructions apply to Microsoft Internet Explorer version 8. Older versions may be slightly different.

Changing the text font

• From the Tools menu, select Internet options (on older versions Internet Options may be in the View menu).
• Select the Accessibility button.
• Tick the box next to Ignore font styles specified on webpages.
• Select OK.
• Select the Fonts button
• Choose your font from the drop-down menu under Webpage font.
• Select OK.

Changing the text colour or the background colour

• From the Tools menu, select Internet options (on older versions Internet Options may be in the View menu).
• Select the Accessibility button.
• Tick the box for Ignore colors specified on webpages.
• Select OK.
• Select the Colors button.
• Untick the box for Use Windows colors.
  • To change the colour of the text, select the button to the right of Text, choose your colour from the palette and select OK.
  • To change the colour of the background, select the button to the right of Background, choose your colour from the palette and select OK.
• Select OK.

Removing the images

• From the Tools menu, select Internet options (on older versions Internet Options may be in the View menu).
• Select the Advanced tab at the top right corner of the box.
• Scroll down to the Multimedia heading.
• Untick the box next to Show Pictures.
• Select OK.

More information

• Accessibility in Internet Explorer (Microsoft website)

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Instructions for Firefox version 3 users

These instructions apply to Firefox version 3. Older versions may be slightly different.

Changing the text font

• From the Tools menu, select Options (on older versions you may have to select Edit then Preferences).
• Select the Content panel from the list at the top of the Options window (on older versions you may have to select Fonts & colours in General options or Fonts from the Appearance category).
• Under Fonts & colours select Advanced.
• Untick Allow pages to choose their own fonts, instead of my selection above (on older versions you may have to tick the box Always use my fonts or untick the box Allow documents to use other fonts).
• From the Proportional box select whether you want to use a Serif or Sans Serif font. (Sans serif is normally clearer.)
• Select the font from the Serif or Sans Serif box you want to use.
• Select OK twice.

Changing the text colour or the background colour

• From the Tools menu, select Options (on older versions you may have to select Edit then Preferences).
• Select the Content panel from the list at the top of the Options window (on older versions you may have to select Fonts & colours in General options or Colours from the Appearance category).
• Under Fonts & colours select Colours.
• Untick Allow pages to choose their own colours, instead of my selection above (on older versions you may have to tick the box for Always use my Colors or Use my chosen colors...).
  • To change the colour of the text, select the button to the right of Text, choose your colour from the palette.
  • To change the colour of the background, select the button to the right of Background, choose your colour from the palette.
• Select OK.

Removing the images

• From the Tools menu, select Options (on older versions you may have to select Edit then Preferences).
• Select the Content panel from the list at the top of the Options window (on older versions you may have to select Web features or Advanced).
• Untick Load images automatically on older versions this may be called Load images or Automatically Load Images.).
• Select OK.

More information

• Firefox Options (Mozilla website).

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Instructions for Opera version 10 users

These instructions apply to Opera version 10. Older versions may be slightly different.

Changing the text font and colour

• From the Tools menu select Preferences.
• Select the Web pages tab.
• Select the font you want to change Normal font or Monospace font.  
• Select the Font, Size and Color you want to use and then select OK.
• From the Preferences window, select the Advanced tab and then select Content from the left hand list.
• Select Style options and then Presentation mode.
• Under both Author mode and User mode untick Page fonts and colors and tick My fonts and colors.
• Select OK and then OK again.

Changing the background colour

• From the Tools menu select Preferences.
• Select the Web pages tab.
• Select Background color.
• Select the Color you want to use and then select OK.
• From the Preferences window, select the Advanced tab and then select Content from the left hand list.
• Select Style options and then Presentation mode.
• Under both Author mode and User mode untick Page fonts and colors and tick My fonts and colors.
• Select OK twice.

More information

• Opera's special settings for disabled users (Opera website).