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

Printing a Font List

Getting a list of fonts available in a document is not something you can easily do in Word. That is, unless you put the ...

Discover More

Quickly Deleting Rows and Columns

Deleting rows or columns is easy when you use the shortcut described in this tip. Just select the rows or columns and ...

Discover More

Using Track Changes

Track Changes is a valuable Word tool that allows you to automatically mark changes in your document. This is a great ...

Discover More

Program Successfully in Excel! This guide will provide you with all the information you need to automate any task in Excel and save time and effort. Learn how to extend Excel's functionality with VBA to create solutions not possible with the standard features. Includes latest information for Excel 2024 and Microsoft 365. Check out Mastering Excel VBA Programming today!

More ExcelTips (menu)

Setting Text Attributes

Want to change the attributes of your text (or what Excel refers to as font styles)? Here's how to do it.

Discover More

Changing the Percent Symbol

Some symbols can be easily changed in Excel or in Windows, such as the symbols used for currency and to separate ...

Discover More

Hiding Rows Based on a Cell Value

This tip contains a macro to hide rows that contain data you don't want to see.

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.

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

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 1?

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.

Links and Sharing
OUR COMPANY
OUR PRODUCTS
OUR SITES
 

Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.