Changing the Font Size in Combo Boxes

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated November 14, 2020)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


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, 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.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2555) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Dates with Periods

You may want Excel to format your dates using a pattern it doesn't normally use—such as using periods instead of ...

Discover More

Getting Rid of Everything Except Numbers

Got some numbers and letters mixed up in the same cell? You may need to get rid of those letters so you are left with ...

Discover More

Automatically Updating Styles

When you add formatting to some text in your document, Word may apply your formatting to every other part of your ...

Discover More

Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 2013 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Access) with VBA programming, using it for writing macros, automating Office applications, and creating custom applications. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2013 today!

More ExcelTips (menu)

Using Strikethrough Formatting

Need a line through the middle of your text? Use strikethrough formatting, which is easy to apply using the Format Cells ...

Discover More

Understanding Number Formatting Codes

When creating custom formats, you can employ a wide range of codes to define your formatting pattern. This tip focuses on ...

Discover More

Adding Drop Shadows to Cells

Want to draw attention to what is in a cell? What better way than to add a drop shadow to that cell! Here's how you can ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is nine minus 5?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.