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For many disabled people, including those with visual impairments and learning disabilities, larger print is essential. No single size is suitable for everyone. If you are producing information in large print for an individual, it is always best to ask which size best suits their needs.
Simple large print documents can be produced in-house from a Word document. More complex jobs may need to be sent to a commercial printer so that pictures and other elements are produced at a suitable size.
Large print should always follow the clear print standards for setting text and layout.
While the clear print standard is 12 point, standard large print begins at 16 point. However, if you produce one publication at 16 point, you do not also need to produce a standard large print version. You should still be prepared to provide other point sizes on request.
Requests for type sizes above 28 point should be carefully considered for cost-effectiveness. Very large type sizes can be counter-productive because they cause publications to become bulky and difficult to navigate.
Alternative formats can be offered to avoid running into these problems. For example an audiotape might be available or emailing someone a text document might enable them to access the information via a screen reader on their computer. Ask your customer or colleague whether another format would work for them.
Word processing software often allows you to use heading styles when creating a document. This ensures that titles, sub-titles, headings and sub-headings have an embedded size and style, which means that the distinctions between ordinary text and headings and titles is retained when text is enlarged.
Large print documents should always be designed and proofread to ensure the headings and paragraph text match the page breaks.
Large print should never be created by enlarging a standard print document using a photocopier.
Pictures and images should be checked to ensure they work at a larger scale.
For practical tips, visit the top tips section of this guidance.
For other information resources, go to the resources section of this guidance.
Page last reviewed: 11 August 2008