Website Accessibility | Changing Your Browser Settings

Web browsers usually provide some options that enable you to alter the way you view any website. For example, you can change the size of text, and the colors used for hyperlinks.

The following paragraphs contains some guidelines to help you change basic settings on Internet Explorer and Netscape browsers. You can also use your browser Help menu on your browser toolbar to seek additional help or further information.

Microsoft Internet Explorer version 5

To change your font and color settings:

1. On the browser Tools menu, choose the "Internet Options" command.
2. On the General tab, choose the "Accessibility" command.
3. Click or select the three check boxes, so that they show tick marks.
4. Choose the "OK command to enlarge text.
5. On the browser Tools menu, choose the "Internet Options" command.
6. On the General tab, choose the "Accessibility" command.
7. Click or select the "Ignore font sizes specified on web pages", so that the check box contains a tick mark.
8. Click or choose the "OK" command.
9. On the browser menu, choose the "View" command.
10. Choose the "Text size" command.
11. Choose the size of text you want.

To change your text and background color:

1. On the browser Tools menu, choose the "Internet Options" command.
2. On the General tab, choose the "Color".
3. Deselect the "Use Windows colors" tick box, so that no tick mark is present.
4. Click or select the box next to "Text", then choose the color you want.
5. Click choose the "OK" button.
6. Click or select the box next to "Background", then choose the color you want.
7. Click or choose the "OK" button.

To prevent graphics and images appearing:

1. On the browser Tools menu, choose the "Internet Options" command.
2. On the Advanced tab, scroll down to the "Multimedia" heading.
3. Deselect the following graphics options, click the relevant check boxes to remove the tick marks on: "Animations", "Videos", "Pictures" and "Images".
4. Click or choose the "Apply" button, followed by the "OK" button.

To change the size of the window on the browser

Open the View menu and choose the "'Full screen" command or press the F11 key.

To change the color of links that are displayed on a screen:

1. On the browser Tools menu, choose the "Internet Options" command.
2. On the General tab, choose the "Accessibility" command.
3. Choose or click on, "Select ignore colors specified on Web pages", to remove the tick mark.
4. Choose or click "OK'. Select the "General" tab and choose or click on "Colors".
5. Deselect or turn off the "Use hover colors" tick box, so that check box does not display a tick mark.
6. Choose or select "Visited", then choose the color that you want for links and click "OK".
7. Choose or select "Not Visited", then choose the the color you want and choose or click "OK".
8. Choose or select, "OK" for "Colors".
9. Choose or select "OK" for "Internet Options".

If you have any problems or require additional help, use the Help menu in your browser toolbar.

Netscape 7, Mozilla 1 and Firefox Web Browsers

To enlarge text:

1. Choose or click on "Edit", then choose the "'Preferences" command. On a Macintosh, click on the application menu and choose the "Preferences" command.
2. Choose or select "Appearance", then choose or click on "Font".
3. Choose the values you want for: "Variable Width Font" and the "Fixed Width Font".
4. Choose or click "OK" to set these font preferences for all future use. Choose or lick "Use my default fonts overriding document specified fonts".

To change text and background color:

1. Choose or click "Edit", then choose the "Preferences" command. On a Macintosh, click on the application menu and select the "Preferences" command.
2. Choose or select "Appearance", then choose or click "Colors".
3. Select the box next to "Text", then choose the color you want.
4. Click "OK". Choose or select the box next to "Background", then choose the color you want.
5. Choose or click "OK".
6. Choose or click "OK" to close the "Preferences" dialog box and to set these new colours as your browser default. Click on "Always use my colors, overriding document".

To prevent graphics and images appearing:

1. Choose or click "Edit", then choose or select "Preferences". On a Macintosh, click on the application menu, then select "Preferences".
2. Select "Advanced".
3. Deselect the graphics option "Automatically load images" - click on the check box to remove the tick mark.
4. Choose or click "OK". I

If you have any problems or require additional help, use the Help menu in your browser toolbar.