Protect Age Text For Free

A font size range of 8?12 points was recommended for older adults using smartphones for reading accuracy with a typeface Microsoft san serif font.

A few typefaces that meet these requirements are: (san-serif) Helvetica, Arial, Futura, Gill Sans, Avant Garde, Trebuchet, Verdana, Franklin Gothic, VAG Rounded, Frutiger, and (serif) Garamond, Century Schoolbook, Glypha. Some of these fonts are also standard typefaces on the web, for good reason.

Blue and green tones are particularly difficult for aging eyes to distinguish. Consider using warm reds and golds, which are much easier to see.

Black type on a white or very light background is the most accessible for senior eyes. Avoid reverse or drop-out text, which is more difficult to read. Maintain high contrast and keep medium-value colors to a minimum.

Navy blue, sky blue, and aquamarine are particular favorites of seniors. Blue is a restful color with a calming effect. Blues can also instill trust and confidence. Soft blues connect to the spiritual or reflective mood.

In general, do not use anything less than 12 point type for body text. But note that the same point size in different fonts will often produce letters of different sizes (the sans-serif type in this paragraph is 13 point for example). The important thing is the readability.

A few typefaces that meet these requirements are: (san-serif) Helvetica, Arial, Futura, Gill Sans, Avant Garde, Trebuchet, Verdana, Franklin Gothic, VAG Rounded, Frutiger, and (serif) Garamond, Century Schoolbook, Glypha.

Blue and green become more difficult to tell apart than red, yellow and orange, which Schneck attributes largely to the yellowing of the lens.