How to Change UI Font Size in 3ds Max?

I’m sure this question has been asked before, but I cannot find any useful threads on the topic of adjusting the font size in Max Design 2011. At high resolution the font size is so small (on command panel for instance) that it is difficult to read. So far, the only solutions I have found is to change the Windows Font size, but I don’t want to change font size for everything, just Max. Another solution posted was to open the 3dsmax.ini file and change the font size there. I found the ini file, but there is no place to change font size in that file (that I could see).

Any other solutions available or links to other threads if this has been beaten to death already?

Thanks,

same here

Posting here, since this is one of the first google results, so hopefully others will find this thread as well.

I finally managed to find a partial solution to the problem. It's not perfect, but better than nothing.
3dsmax's default font is Tahoma (and fortunately for us it's not embedded\hardcoded into exe\dll or whatever it could be). Simply replacing default font won't be enough, since UI is locked at 96dpi (that's the reason why everything is so small). First, you need to manually increase font size using any ttf font editor (google it or just follow this tutorial: [Tutorial]: How to change the size of a .ttâ€¦ | HTC Droid Incredible | XDA Forums )

Once you're done with the font, place it to C:\Windows\Fonts. Next, in windows registry, navigate to
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Fonts]
and replace

Code:

"Tahoma (TrueType)"="tahoma.ttf"

with

Code:

"Tahoma (TrueType)"="YOUR_NEW_FONT.ttf"

http://i.imgur.com/6j8MnD7.png

(in my case, it's "testfont.ttf")

Log off to apply the changes.

Before:
http://i.imgur.com/4PErYqj.png

After:
http://i.imgur.com/1eooNdZ.png

In this case the default font is scalled at 140%. It's a bit too large for 96dpi and leads to such consequences:
http://i.imgur.com/m9UFkaq.png

so I guess 120-130% would be optimal size, depending on the font you'll use.

That's all, hope that helps.

Turns out, tahoma is not the only font 3dsmax uses. You need to replace

Arial as well (I missed that thanks to "log off" requirements every time

you change something). My apologies.

...and if everything fails, try this .reg file (obviously, custom font name is "test.tff")

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Fonts] "Arial (TrueType)"="test.ttf" "Arial Italic (TrueType)"="test.ttf" "Arial Bold (TrueType)"="test.ttf" "Arial Bold Italic (TrueType)"="test.ttf" "Batang & BatangChe & Gungsuh & GungsuhChe (TrueType)"="batang.ttc" "Courier New (TrueType)"="test.ttf" "Courier New Italic (TrueType)"="test.ttf" "Courier New Bold (TrueType)"="test.ttf" "Courier New Bold Italic (TrueType)"="test.ttf" "DaunPenh (TrueType)"="daunpenh.ttf" "DokChampa (TrueType)"="dokchamp.ttf" "Estrangelo Edessa (TrueType)"="estre.ttf" "Euphemia (TrueType)"="euphemia.ttf" "Gautami (TrueType)"="gautami.ttf" "Gautami Bold (TrueType)"="gautamib.ttf" "Vani (TrueType)"="Vani.ttf" "Vani Bold (TrueType)"="Vanib.ttf" "Gulim & GulimChe & Dotum & DotumChe (TrueType)"="gulim.ttc" "Impact (TrueType)"="impact.ttf" "Iskoola Pota (TrueType)"="iskpota.ttf" "Iskoola Pota Bold (TrueType)"="iskpotab.ttf" "Kalinga (TrueType)"="kalinga.ttf" "Kalinga Bold (TrueType)"="kalingab.ttf" "Kartika (TrueType)"="kartika.ttf" "Kartika Bold (TrueType)"="kartikab.ttf" "Khmer UI (TrueType)"="khmerui.ttf" "Khmer UI Bold (TrueType)"="khmeruib.ttf" "Lao UI (TrueType)"="Laoui.ttf" "Lao UI Bold (TrueType)"="Laouib.ttf" "Latha (TrueType)"="latha.ttf" "Latha Bold (TrueType)"="lathab.ttf" "Lucida Console (TrueType)"="test.ttf" "Malgun Gothic (TrueType)"="malgun.ttf" "Malgun Gothic Bold (TrueType)"="malgunbd.ttf" "Mangal (TrueType)"="mangal.ttf" "Mangal Bold (TrueType)"="mangalb.ttf" "Meiryo & Meiryo Italic & Meiryo UI & Meiryo UI Italic (TrueType)"="meiryo.ttc" "Meiryo Bold & Meiryo Bold Italic & Meiryo UI Bold & Meiryo UI Bold Italic (TrueType)"="meiryob.ttc" "Microsoft Himalaya (TrueType)"="himalaya.ttf" "Microsoft JhengHei (TrueType)"="msjh.ttf" "Microsoft JhengHei Bold (TrueType)"="msjhbd.ttf" "Microsoft YaHei (TrueType)"="msyh.ttf" "Microsoft YaHei Bold (TrueType)"="msyhbd.ttf" "MingLiU & PMingLiU & MingLiU_HKSCS (TrueType)"="mingliu.ttc" "MingLiU-ExtB & PMingLiU-ExtB & MingLiU_HKSCS-ExtB (TrueType)"="mingliub.ttc" "Mongolian Baiti (TrueType)"="monbaiti.ttf" "MS Gothic & MS PGothic & MS UI Gothic (TrueType)"="msgothic.ttc" "MS Mincho & MS PMincho (TrueType)"="msmincho.ttc" "MV Boli (TrueType)"="mvboli.ttf" "Microsoft New Tai Lue (TrueType)"="ntailu.ttf" "Microsoft New Tai Lue Bold (TrueType)"="ntailub.ttf" "Nyala (TrueType)"="nyala.TTF" "Microsoft PhagsPa (TrueType)"="phagspa.ttf" "Microsoft PhagsPa Bold (TrueType)"="phagspab.ttf" "Plantagenet Cherokee (TrueType)"="plantc.ttf" "Raavi (TrueType)"="raavi.ttf" "Raavi Bold (TrueType)"="raavib.ttf" "Segoe Script (TrueType)"="segoesc.ttf" "Segoe Script Bold (TrueType)"="segoescb.ttf" "Segoe UI (TrueType)"="segoeui.ttf" "Segoe UI Bold (TrueType)"="segoeuib.ttf" "Segoe UI Italic (TrueType)"="segoeuii.ttf" "Segoe UI Bold Italic (TrueType)"="segoeuiz.ttf" "Segoe UI Semibold (TrueType)"="seguisb.ttf" "Segoe UI Light (TrueType)"="segoeuil.ttf" "Segoe UI Symbol (TrueType)"="seguisym.ttf" "Shruti (TrueType)"="shruti.ttf" "Shruti Bold (TrueType)"="shrutib.ttf" "SimSun & NSimSun (TrueType)"="simsun.ttc" "SimSun-ExtB (TrueType)"="simsunb.ttf" "Sylfaen (TrueType)"="sylfaen.ttf" "Microsoft Tai Le (TrueType)"="taile.ttf" "Microsoft Tai Le Bold (TrueType)"="taileb.ttf" "Times New Roman (TrueType)"="times.ttf" "Times New Roman Italic (TrueType)"="timesi.ttf" "Times New Roman Bold (TrueType)"="timesbd.ttf" "Times New Roman Bold Italic (TrueType)"="timesbi.ttf" "Tunga (TrueType)"="tunga.ttf" "Tunga Bold (TrueType)"="tungab.ttf" "Vrinda (TrueType)"="vrinda.ttf" "Vrinda Bold (TrueType)"="vrindab.ttf" "Shonar Bangla (TrueType)"="Shonar.ttf" "Shonar Bangla Bold (TrueType)"="Shonarb.ttf" "Microsoft Yi Baiti (TrueType)"="msyi.ttf" "Tahoma (TrueType)"="verdana.ttf" "Tahoma Bold (TrueType)"="verdana.ttf" "Microsoft Sans Serif (TrueType)"="micross.ttf" "Angsana New (TrueType)"="angsa.ttf" "Angsana New Italic (TrueType)"="angsai.ttf" "Angsana New Bold (TrueType)"="angsab.ttf" "Angsana New Bold Italic (TrueType)"="angsaz.ttf" "Aparajita (TrueType)"="aparaj.ttf" "Aparajita Bold (TrueType)"="aparajb.ttf" "Aparajita Bold Italic(TrueType)"="aparajbi.ttf" "Aparajita Italic (TrueType)"="aparaji.ttf" "Cordia New (TrueType)"="cordia.ttf" "Cordia New Italic (TrueType)"="cordiai.ttf" "Cordia New Bold (TrueType)"="cordiab.ttf" "Cordia New Bold Italic (TrueType)"="cordiaz.ttf" "Ebrima (TrueType)"="ebrima.ttf" "Ebrima Bold (TrueType)"="ebrimabd.ttf" "Gisha (TrueType)"="gisha.ttf" "Gisha Bold (TrueType)"="gishabd.ttf" "Kokila (TrueType)"="kokila.ttf" "Kokila Bold (TrueType)"="kokilab.ttf" "Kokila Bold Italic(TrueType)"="kokilabi.ttf" "Kokila Italic (TrueType)"="kokilai.ttf" "Leelawadee (TrueType)"="leelawad.ttf" "Leelawadee Bold (TrueType)"="leelawdb.ttf" "Microsoft Uighur (TrueType)"="msuighur.ttf" "MoolBoran (TrueType)"="moolbor.ttf" "Symbol (TrueType)"="symbol.ttf" "Utsaah (TrueType)"="utsaah.ttf" "Utsaah Bold (TrueType)"="utsaahb.ttf" "Utsaah Bold Italic(TrueType)"="utsaahbi.ttf" "Utsaah Italic (TrueType)"="utsaahi.ttf" "Vijaya (TrueType)"="vijaya.ttf" "Vijaya Bold (TrueType)"="vijayab.ttf" "Wingdings (TrueType)"="wingding.ttf" "Modern (All res)"="modern.fon" "Roman (All res)"="roman.fon" "Script (All res)"="script.fon" "Andalus (TrueType)"="andlso.ttf" "Arabic Typesetting (TrueType)"="arabtype.ttf" "Simplified Arabic (TrueType)"="simpo.ttf" "Simplified Arabic Bold (TrueType)"="simpbdo.ttf" "Simplified Arabic Fixed (TrueType)"="simpfxo.ttf" "Sakkal Majalla (TrueType)"="majalla.ttf" "Sakkal Majalla Bold (TrueType)"="majallab.ttf" "Traditional Arabic (TrueType)"="trado.ttf" "Traditional Arabic Bold (TrueType)"="tradbdo.ttf" "Aharoni Bold (TrueType)"="ahronbd.ttf" "David (TrueType)"="david.ttf" "David Bold (TrueType)"="davidbd.ttf" "FrankRuehl (TrueType)"="frank.ttf" "Levenim MT (TrueType)"="lvnm.ttf" "Levenim MT Bold (TrueType)"="lvnmbd.ttf" "Miriam (TrueType)"="mriam.ttf" "Miriam Fixed (TrueType)"="mriamc.ttf" "Narkisim (TrueType)"="nrkis.ttf" "Rod (TrueType)"="rod.ttf" "FangSong (TrueType)"="simfang.ttf" "SimHei (TrueType)"="simhei.ttf" "KaiTi (TrueType)"="simkai.ttf" "AngsanaUPC (TrueType)"="angsau.ttf" "AngsanaUPC Italic (TrueType)"="angsaui.ttf" "AngsanaUPC Bold (TrueType)"="angsaub.ttf" "AngsanaUPC Bold Italic (TrueType)"="angsauz.ttf" "Browallia New (TrueType)"="browa.ttf" "Browallia New Italic (TrueType)"="browai.ttf" "Browallia New Bold (TrueType)"="browab.ttf" "Browallia New Bold Italic (TrueType)"="browaz.ttf" "BrowalliaUPC (TrueType)"="browau.ttf" "BrowalliaUPC Italic (TrueType)"="browaui.ttf" "BrowalliaUPC Bold (TrueType)"="browaub.ttf" "BrowalliaUPC Bold Italic (TrueType)"="browauz.ttf" "CordiaUPC (TrueType)"="CORDIAU.TTF" "CordiaUPC Bold (TrueType)"="CORDIAUB.TTF" "CordiaUPC Bold Italic (TrueType)"="CORDIAUZ.TTF" "CordiaUPC Italic (TrueType)"="CORDIAUI.TTF" "DilleniaUPC (TrueType)"="upcdl.ttf" "DilleniaUPC Italic (TrueType)"="upcdi.ttf" "DilleniaUPC Bold (TrueType)"="upcdb.ttf" "DilleniaUPC Bold Italic (TrueType)"="upcdbi.ttf" "EucrosiaUPC (TrueType)"="upcel.ttf" "EucrosiaUPC Italic (TrueType)"="upcei.ttf" "EucrosiaUPC Bold (TrueType)"="upceb.ttf" "EucrosiaUPC Bold Italic (TrueType)"="upcebi.ttf" "FreesiaUPC (TrueType)"="upcfl.ttf" "FreesiaUPC Italic (TrueType)"="upcfi.ttf" "FreesiaUPC Bold (TrueType)"="upcfb.ttf" "FreesiaUPC Bold Italic (TrueType)"="upcfbi.ttf" "IrisUPC (TrueType)"="upcil.ttf" "IrisUPC Italic (TrueType)"="upcii.ttf" "IrisUPC Bold (TrueType)"="upcib.ttf" "IrisUPC Bold Italic (TrueType)"="upcibi.ttf" "JasmineUPC (TrueType)"="upcjl.ttf" "JasmineUPC Italic (TrueType)"="upcji.ttf" "JasmineUPC Bold (TrueType)"="upcjb.ttf" "JasmineUPC Bold Italic (TrueType)"="upcjbi.ttf" "KodchiangUPC (TrueType)"="upckl.ttf" "KodchiangUPC Italic (TrueType)"="upcki.ttf" "KodchiangUPC Bold (TrueType)"="upckb.ttf" "KodchiangUPC Bold Italic (TrueType)"="upckbi.ttf" "LilyUPC (TrueType)"="upcll.ttf" "LilyUPC Italic (TrueType)"="upcli.ttf" "LilyUPC Bold (TrueType)"="upclb.ttf" "LilyUPC Bold Italic (TrueType)"="upclbi.ttf" "DFKai-SB (TrueType)"="kaiu.ttf" "Lucida Sans Unicode (TrueType)"="test.ttf" "Arial Black (TrueType)"="ariblk.ttf" "Calibri (TrueType)"="calibri.ttf" "Calibri Italic (TrueType)"="calibrii.ttf" "Calibri Bold (TrueType)"="calibrib.ttf" "Calibri Bold Italic (TrueType)"="calibriz.ttf" "Cambria & Cambria Math (TrueType)"="cambria.ttc" "Cambria Italic (TrueType)"="cambriai.ttf" "Cambria Bold (TrueType)"="cambriab.ttf" "Cambria Bold Italic (TrueType)"="cambriaz.ttf" "Candara (TrueType)"="candara.ttf" "Candara Italic (TrueType)"="candarai.ttf" "Candara Bold (TrueType)"="candarab.ttf" "Candara Bold Italic (TrueType)"="candaraz.ttf" "Comic Sans MS (TrueType)"="test.ttf" "Comic Sans MS Bold (TrueType)"="test.ttf" "Consolas (TrueType)"="consola.ttf" "Consolas Italic (TrueType)"="consolai.ttf" "Consolas Bold (TrueType)"="consolab.ttf" "Consolas Bold Italic (TrueType)"="consolaz.ttf" "Constantia (TrueType)"="constan.ttf" "Constantia Italic (TrueType)"="constani.ttf" "Constantia Bold (TrueType)"="constanb.ttf" "Constantia Bold Italic (TrueType)"="constanz.ttf" "Corbel (TrueType)"="corbel.ttf" "Corbel Italic (TrueType)"="corbeli.ttf" "Corbel Bold (TrueType)"="corbelb.ttf" "Corbel Bold Italic (TrueType)"="corbelz.ttf" "Franklin Gothic Medium (TrueType)"="framd.ttf" "Franklin Gothic Medium Italic (TrueType)"="framdit.ttf" "Gabriola (TrueType)"="Gabriola.ttf" "Georgia (TrueType)"="georgia.ttf" "Georgia Italic (TrueType)"="georgiai.ttf" "Georgia Bold (TrueType)"="georgiab.ttf" "Georgia Bold Italic (TrueType)"="georgiaz.ttf" "Palatino Linotype (TrueType)"="pala.ttf" "Palatino Linotype Italic (TrueType)"="palai.ttf" "Palatino Linotype Bold (TrueType)"="palab.ttf" "Palatino Linotype Bold Italic (TrueType)"="palabi.ttf" "Segoe Print (TrueType)"="segoepr.ttf" "Segoe Print Bold (TrueType)"="segoeprb.ttf" "Trebuchet MS (TrueType)"="trebuc.ttf" "Trebuchet MS Italic (TrueType)"="trebucit.ttf" "Trebuchet MS Bold (TrueType)"="trebucbd.ttf" "Trebuchet MS Bold Italic (TrueType)"="trebucbi.ttf" "Verdana (TrueType)"="verdana.ttf" "Verdana Italic (TrueType)"="verdanai.ttf" "Verdana Bold (TrueType)"="verdanab.ttf" "Verdana Bold Italic (TrueType)"="verdanaz.ttf" "Webdings (TrueType)"="webdings.ttf" "Courier 10,12,15"="COURER.FON" "MS Serif 8,10,12,14,18,24"="SERIFER.FON" "MS Sans Serif 8,10,12,14,18,24"="SSERIFER.FON" "Small Fonts"="SMALLER.FON" "Small Fonts (120)"="SMALLF.FON" "Calibri Light Italic (TrueType)"="calibrili.ttf" "Calibri Light (TrueType)"="calibril.ttf"

I honestly have no idea what's wrong this. Some times it's enough to replace one font, other times it's not.
Anyway, backup and use at your own risk.

kthxbye