Changing the Font Size in Combo Boxes

One of the ways that Excel allows you to create interactive worksheets is by adding combo boxes to them. The combo box allows a user to select from a pre-determined number of options, and thereby make data entry more consistent.

When you insert a combo box, it uses a pre-defined typeface and font size. After seeing the size used, you may wonder if there is a way to change to a larger font size, particularly so the combo box is easier to read on worksheet printouts.

Excel provides two different combo boxes you can use in your forms. One is on the Forms toolbar, and the other in the Control Toolbox. The combo box available from the Forms toolbar is easier to use than the one in the Control Toolbox, but it is not as versatile. Setting the font size for the combo box is one example of why this is true. If you want to change the font size in the combo box, you should use the one available from the Control Toolbox.

To display the Control Toolbox in a version of Excel prior to Excel 2007, choose Toolbars from the View menu, then choose Control Toolbox. With your combo box placed on your worksheet, you can change the font size used in the control by clicking on the combo box, then clicking on the Properties tool in the Control Toolbox. In the resulting Properties dialog box, you can select the font and change it to suit your needs.

If you are using Excel 2007, the Control Toolbox has been done away with. Instead, display the Developer tab of the ribbon; you'll see the Controls group. Click the Insert tool and you can select different controls to add to your worksheet, such as the combo box. With the combo box in your worksheet, you can change the font size used in the control by clicking the combo box and then clicking on the Properties tool in the Controls group on the ribbon.