Increase GIMP UI Font and Icons Size | Quit Straining Your Eyes!

In this GIMP customization tutorial, I show you how to increase the font size for all the menus, dialogue boxes, settings, etc. for your GIMP user interface (UI) making it easier to use GIMP without straining your eyes. I also show you how to enlarge the size of your tool icons. It's time to quit squinting at the screen!
This tutorial covers changing all the default themes found in GIMP (some of them use a slightly different method for making your customizations). You'll finally be able to see what you're doing when working in GIMP (photo editing, graphic design, etc.)!
0:00 - Intro & Resources
1:18 - Locate & Open User Theme Folder
3:19 - Create New Theme Folder
3:57 - Locate & Open GIMP Theme Folder
4:39 - Copy GIMP Theme Files to User Theme
5:26 - Edit UI Font Size & Style
8:44 - Making Additional Changes
10:40 - Customize the System Theme
13:55 - Change Tool Icon Size
14:44 - Final Thoughts
Visit our website for more text and video tutorials:
www.daviesmediadesign.com/tut...
Enroll in Our GIMP Photo Editing Masterclass:
www.udemy.com/course/gimp-pho...
Want to make your GIMP theme look like mine? Check out this GIMP tutorial article:
www.daviesmediadesign.com/cus...
See how you can help out the GIMP Team:
www.gimp.org/develop/
Download the latest version of GIMP:
www.gimp.org/downloads/
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#CustomizeGIMP #IncreaseFontSize #GIMPIcons

Пікірлер: 142

  • @rcasparb
    @rcasparb2 жыл бұрын

    I don't know why they made the UI fonts so small. I can now use Gimp without hurting my eyes. Great tip :)

  • @August_Fields
    @August_Fields11 ай бұрын

    Just used this without any problem even though it's two years old. It's a real life saver for me. I kept having to put on my readers and get 4 inches away from the screen. I suppose it wouldn't matter that much if you're familiar with it, but you need to be able to see the icons if you're just learning. Thanks!

  • @BaroudeurAventure
    @BaroudeurAventure2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you. That's a very old problem with Gimp, they should give the possibility to customize this directly in the settings.

  • @libremercadoencrisiseconom2118

    @libremercadoencrisiseconom2118

    Жыл бұрын

    you know, GNU is the worst approach to an average user

  • @Twobarpsi

    @Twobarpsi

    Жыл бұрын

    Yes!

  • @BaroudeurAventure

    @BaroudeurAventure

    Жыл бұрын

    @@libremercadoencrisiseconom2118 I'm too pragmatic to put that on GNU. I can't do more than to imagine the UX developper using 3mm thick glasses and saying whao that looks great before to compile the program

  • @AmberLove
    @AmberLove26 күн бұрын

    You saved me! Even eye surgery was not helping me read those menus. Thank you so much! You have no idea! *crying*

  • @Thomas-np3gi
    @Thomas-np3gi9 ай бұрын

    I just started using gimp from my chair to my TV, so this video helped a lot, thank you! Also, it's just a great video in general: Clear, to the point, well narrated, no useless fluff etc. 10/10

  • @DaviesMediaDesign

    @DaviesMediaDesign

    9 ай бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @ELWest1000
    @ELWest1000 Жыл бұрын

    Oh my gawd this is great. I got a new machine and the font was so small I thought I would need binoculars to get anything done. Your videos have been such a help. THANK YOUUUUUU

  • @esce69
    @esce692 жыл бұрын

    Thanks, the small UI font was the only thing about GIMP I didn't appreciate, and you fixed it in a very clear and simple manner. Now I set mine to Calibri 13, which is a much more readable font than Sans 12.

  • @DaviesMediaDesign

    @DaviesMediaDesign

    Жыл бұрын

    Happy to help!

  • @luxverux2322
    @luxverux23223 жыл бұрын

    Lol, i was disappointed because i couldn't change the small letters of gimp on a 4k monitor. 2 days later you post a new video 😁👍👍 Thanks man!

  • @DaviesMediaDesign

    @DaviesMediaDesign

    3 жыл бұрын

    Love when that happens! Thanks for watching

  • @randomactsofcomputers2978
    @randomactsofcomputers2978 Жыл бұрын

    SO helpful. Thanks. Can believe how small the UI font was when I started up GIMP

  • @davesaid1
    @davesaid13 жыл бұрын

    Ah! Thanx. You saved me on my 4k display. I had very tiny icons and headers and now mind blowing colorful extra large icons (that look pretty normal size in 4k). Thx again!

  • @paulgriffin8566
    @paulgriffin85662 жыл бұрын

    Mike, that is one the best tutorials I have ever come across. Many thanks for putting it together and sharing.

  • @peterleo16
    @peterleo163 жыл бұрын

    Fantastic tip and tutorial as now it is so much easier in navigating the various options in the menu bar and other overall fonts. And the best is I can customize to my liking. This is one of the best.

  • @ashbynavis
    @ashbynavis Жыл бұрын

    Absolutely great video, thank you, I've been straining my old eyes for months now. Thanks again.

  • @MHoWsc
    @MHoWsc6 ай бұрын

    Thanks so much for this video! Now that I'm retired, I finally have the time and am really am enjoying learning how to use Gimp. Using this program on a laptop has been a real challenge due to the size of the menu font and icons but you have renewed my interest!

  • @MyCrystalPlaid
    @MyCrystalPlaid Жыл бұрын

    Thank you, thank you, thank you. You have no idea how long I spent looking for this information. Or maybe you do, and that's why you made this video. :) Even the instructor in the Basic GIMP class I was taking didn't know how to do this or if it was even possible. Again, thank you. I can now learn to use GIMP in relative comfort.

  • @Speculiar
    @Speculiar Жыл бұрын

    Such an awesome tutorial! Precise, proficient, and professional.

  • @fxsrider
    @fxsrider10 ай бұрын

    I really needed to increase the sizes of both. It is so much easier on the eyes now!! Thank you !!

  • @rixlangenberg4644
    @rixlangenberg46448 ай бұрын

    Many thanks! All absolutely brilliant!

  • @varalobaone4339
    @varalobaone43397 ай бұрын

    Excellent video, just follow the detailed description carefully and it works perfectly!

  • @camgray72
    @camgray72 Жыл бұрын

    This was perfect! Thank you!

  • @jonjadersten3708
    @jonjadersten370810 ай бұрын

    Thanks a bunch. This was perfect. I can now sit in my desk chair and read the menus on my 32" monitor, not having to crawl all the way up to the screen to read.... :-)

  • @JaneDoe-po4gu
    @JaneDoe-po4gu2 жыл бұрын

    wonderful as always thanks so much

  • @tiffelaneous
    @tiffelaneous Жыл бұрын

    Thank you! Great tutorial, and very easy to follow.

  • @rafaechizen
    @rafaechizen3 жыл бұрын

    Awesome! Definitely gonna use this 👍

  • @fionaevans3088
    @fionaevans30882 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for this turorial- very helpful!

  • @shingalani
    @shingalani Жыл бұрын

    You have saved my sight!! Thank you! A well explained tutorial. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

  • @stefanx1150
    @stefanx1150 Жыл бұрын

    Very good explanation. Thank you!

  • @KK-km4bi
    @KK-km4bi2 жыл бұрын

    Super helpful. Very clear. Thank you!

  • @anitadavis5430
    @anitadavis54302 жыл бұрын

    thanks so much. Sometimes I think I'm actually going to be able to learn enough to use Gimp successfully. Thanks to you.

  • @a2roland
    @a2roland2 жыл бұрын

    Awesome!... Worked like a charm!... Thank You!!

  • @alejandrodinardo4804
    @alejandrodinardo4804 Жыл бұрын

    Very useful, thank you very much!

  • @TheHanside
    @TheHanside Жыл бұрын

    Thanks man! You saved me, great job!

  • @heavenlyvilla8681
    @heavenlyvilla8681 Жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much. I just got new glasses, but was finding the text in gimp very small and straining to see. This is just what I needed to lessen the eye strain. :)

  • @zorro7572
    @zorro7572 Жыл бұрын

    Big thank you mate!

  • @RobertWeaver-wl1qo
    @RobertWeaver-wl1qo Жыл бұрын

    Great tutorial... Perfect, easy to follow presentation. Thanks!

  • @iconoclastsc2
    @iconoclastsc25 ай бұрын

    Thanks man, this is very useful.

  • @tomtimmons2228
    @tomtimmons22283 жыл бұрын

    Great tutorial. Thanks.

  • @yassm
    @yassm Жыл бұрын

    Thank you. Really a beautiful tutorial. Subscribed too

  • @mavmav0YT
    @mavmav0YT Жыл бұрын

    Sweet, thanks!

  • @Net_Lenka
    @Net_Lenka2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks a lot, everything worked out.

  • @wjpn1952
    @wjpn19523 жыл бұрын

    Your tutorial was spot on. Thanks for sharing.

  • @DaviesMediaDesign

    @DaviesMediaDesign

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @khquah5637
    @khquah56373 жыл бұрын

    Great tutorial. Thanks for sharing. 👍

  • @philgo2024
    @philgo20242 жыл бұрын

    Thank you SO much !

  • @alistairthomson8710
    @alistairthomson87103 жыл бұрын

    Thanks. This will sure save some eye strain on my UHD monitor.

  • @Lentreeo
    @Lentreeo Жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much for the tutorial. It was easy to follow. I'm visually impaired and this makes working with gimp much easier on the eyes.

  • @williehunt5122
    @williehunt5122 Жыл бұрын

    This didn't specifically work for me however, going directly to the file located at C:\Users\your Windows user name here\AppData\Local\Programs\GIMP 2\share\gimp\2.0\themes\Dark and editing the gtkrc file directly after deleting the hashtags and increasing the font size worked wonderfully. No need to make the copy files. Thank you for a point in the right direction, it is greatly appreciated!!! I would attribute it to the changes made to GIMP since you created the video. On my gaming monitors I had to increase to Sans 30 to see comfortably. Thanks again!!!

  • @theblackcatthathatesyou
    @theblackcatthathatesyou2 жыл бұрын

    Omg!! Finally I can use Gimp again!! Thank you so much!!!!! 😸😸😸😸😸

  • @chrisheld8463
    @chrisheld84633 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for this video.

  • @stickibug
    @stickibug Жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much!!!

  • @antonrumata
    @antonrumata Жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the great video, it helped me a lot!😀

  • @DaviesMediaDesign

    @DaviesMediaDesign

    Жыл бұрын

    Glad to hear it - thank you!

  • @gagikgyulumyan2442
    @gagikgyulumyan24427 ай бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @maciejgrzyb4514
    @maciejgrzyb45143 жыл бұрын

    Very helpful! I'm working on a big monitor now but my fonts are too small. I will put this into practice :)

  • @christinamichelle8790
    @christinamichelle8790 Жыл бұрын

    Thanks so much!!!

  • @sullenhigh
    @sullenhigh2 жыл бұрын

    thank you soo much for this. the small ui was driving me crazy.

  • @MannyNegron
    @MannyNegron Жыл бұрын

    Thank You! I recently decided to "cut the cord" for lack of a better phrase with Adobe. This is one of those little nuances that kept me from exploring GIMP. So much experience to port to GIMP... is going to take a while but I hope it is all worth it.

  • @marcusdoxey5350
    @marcusdoxey535011 ай бұрын

    THANK YOU!!!

  • @katblacklucky13
    @katblacklucky133 жыл бұрын

    Great, solved the problem, thank you

  • @jhmstagg9104
    @jhmstagg9104 Жыл бұрын

    Haha- oh wow WPW. thank you!!!!! Could not use it without this change. Many thanks.

  • @Baleiric
    @Baleiric Жыл бұрын

    Nice! TY

  • @oscar-n-mori
    @oscar-n-mori3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you very much.

  • @MeMyselfAndKgore
    @MeMyselfAndKgore2 жыл бұрын

    THANKS SO MUCH MY RETINAS HAVE BEEN DYING SLOWLY

  • @onlyeyeno
    @onlyeyeno Жыл бұрын

    Thanks for taking the time and making these videos and sharing Your knowledge. I followed this, but using Linux with a "flatpak installation" of "GIMP", I had some issues finding where the "theme files" were installed. But I got there in the end. Best regards.

  • @Kathelexidonia
    @Kathelexidonia3 ай бұрын

    10/10 thank goodness I can see now!

  • @markp2085
    @markp20855 ай бұрын

    thanks, just got a 4k monitor and am severely visually impaired. This helped tremendously.

  • @luisandraschko9060
    @luisandraschko90602 жыл бұрын

    life saver!

  • @JinxWilson
    @JinxWilson2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks!

  • @DaviesMediaDesign

    @DaviesMediaDesign

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for supporting the channel Erica!

  • @michaelbeckett7656
    @michaelbeckett76563 жыл бұрын

    mega helpful! those little fonts were really annoying!

  • @aram00001
    @aram000013 ай бұрын

    thx man

  • @niknik1682
    @niknik168210 ай бұрын

    Thanks)))

  • @terrancefowler3820
    @terrancefowler38202 жыл бұрын

    I am taking your Gimp course on Udemy and have completed the first 50 lectures. I wish how to change the font size in this tutorial would be linked in your lecture 4 of the course.

  • @xyliajames
    @xyliajames2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much! My bifocal eyes were not keeping up with the shipped font size.

  • @husky154
    @husky1542 жыл бұрын

    Thank you a ton, the font in my gimp was so tiny that I had to squint to read.

  • @soldadopreciso
    @soldadopreciso3 жыл бұрын

    Thabks pal, you had read my mind. LONG LIVE FOSS.

  • @sad_hedgehog
    @sad_hedgehog Жыл бұрын

    thank you

  • @philliplbeard1481
    @philliplbeard14812 жыл бұрын

    a model of ease and clarity in demonstrating something with a lot of steps . . . thanks!

  • @madetoremain
    @madetoremain Жыл бұрын

    thanks a lot that what we talking about creativity :)

  • @snees
    @snees3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for this video. I was looking for a solution for a long time. Unfortunately the icons stay at the same size as before (using a 4k 3840x2160 screen)

  • @Twobarpsi

    @Twobarpsi

    Жыл бұрын

    I have the same issue on my 4k monitor as well.

  • @wespassick8369
    @wespassick8369 Жыл бұрын

    Thank you, I can use gimp again! My new monitor made everything sooo tiny.

  • @realityobservationalist7290
    @realityobservationalist7290 Жыл бұрын

    Thanks! hours saved..

  • @vycfin3
    @vycfin33 жыл бұрын

    Me and my old eyes thank you for this.

  • @trking649
    @trking6493 ай бұрын

    Really useful - had a problem with lack of permissions (I am Admin) which appeared to be a default. However, ended up with a readable size!

  • @LadyLithias
    @LadyLithias11 ай бұрын

    Thank you so much for this tutorial. I got to where I couldn't use GIMP any longer because the fonts were so small. Using your tutorial made it so much better. Question about the System Theme versus the other. What is the purpose of the system theme? I tried to follow what you did, but when I selected it, the font in the dialog boxes (like preferences) was lovely and large, but the font in the menus was miniscule.... so Edit Select View etc., were all super tiny, like 6 point tiny. I don't recall having a problem with it the first time I used your tutorial, but I just got a new computer (Win 11) and re-downloaded GIMP and looked your tutorial up again, but it caused the issue mentioned above. I reverted to the other theme, but wondered if I'll be blind-sided with Midget Words in weird places if I don't figure out what I did wrong. I liked the first time I watched your tutorial or I'd do it again, but I'm also subscribed.

  • @frankmoralesiii6908
    @frankmoralesiii69086 ай бұрын

    Thanks for this video. My issue now is with the icons on the upper right for brushes. They are too small for my eyes

  • @michelleritts6926
    @michelleritts6926 Жыл бұрын

    Thanks, very helpful. It looked like you icons on the right were also larger, like the paintbrush and patterns. Can you say how to adjust those also? Thanks

  • @emmettthek
    @emmettthek2 жыл бұрын

    Aside from the accolades posted, in my opinion this is a somewhat confusing tutorial. Following the instructions (albeit working around an already completed fixes file to befuddle novices like me) step-by-step, the fonts issue was solved. The icons not so. I was left hanging after the change the size of the icons step. With two example files to follow, it was not clear where exactly the fixed "gtkrc" file goes to result in a icon size improvement. I was tempted to take the course, but I'll just move on. My Gimp opens just as it did when downloaded. Thanks for your time.

  • @evelyndrak4436
    @evelyndrak44362 жыл бұрын

    THANK YOU!!!! I have keratoconus and my eyesight is terrible.

  • @bs2162
    @bs21622 жыл бұрын

    Hi. Do you have the link to the procedure for making the fonts larger on a mac. Thank you.

  • @eternity6615
    @eternity66153 жыл бұрын

    Very helpful, thank you! I'm curious if Gimp has a smart object function like photoshop, or something similar?

  • @DaviesMediaDesign

    @DaviesMediaDesign

    3 жыл бұрын

    GIMP is working on something similar to smart objects right now but it's not available yet.

  • @DMarcoTheBeast
    @DMarcoTheBeastАй бұрын

    How do you change the size of the icons on the right side (the brushes and stuff like that)?

  • @adamrounisto1875
    @adamrounisto1875 Жыл бұрын

    My dark theme got messed up and I found a lot of value in this, but I still have an issue. Fr whatever reason, the text at the top (file, edit...etc.) is in the color black. I'm not sure how it got changed, but it's really hard to see. I think the dark theme is supposed to have white text. how do I change that by chance... or reset what dark theme is. I hit the reset button on the theme area of preferences, but there is no change. thanks!

  • @okopnik
    @okopnik2 ай бұрын

    Great video! Is there a way to increase the size of the icons in the font dialog? I've been searching all the gtkrc files, and can't find anything. :(

  • @Twobarpsi
    @Twobarpsi Жыл бұрын

    I need to do this! Things are way to small on my 4k monitor! How do you increase the brush size icons? They are so small even set to "huge".

  • @okkrom
    @okkrom Жыл бұрын

    Thank you! i was tired of straining my eyes. Why you can't change it in the menu is beyond me...

  • @rodneywood3399
    @rodneywood33992 ай бұрын

    Hi and thanks for your education. It certainly is a steep learning curve. I was trying to follow your video on changing themes in the theme folder etc but as I use linux it wouldn't open when double clicking. Can you help with how to do this in linux please. Sure I could figure it out eventually but some help is good. i dont use this often but I have pasted an image of our late daughter into another b&w image taken on a cruise with the rest of the family. Didn't work too badly but the image from the ship has been doctored a lot with airbrushing etc so trying to make the new one look similar. Amazing what can be done so look forward to hearing from you.

  • @roblindauer6521
    @roblindauer652110 ай бұрын

    I'd also like to increase the sizes of the "color selector" icon and the brush selection images. So far as I can see, the tweaks you explain in the video do not affect either of those. Do you (or anyone) know what I can do to increase the sizes of those elements as well? THanks!

  • @saltysubmariner
    @saltysubmariner Жыл бұрын

    Mike, I'm a little flummoxed by the interface on my GIMP on my Dell laptop with hi-rez screen (3840x2160). I was doing OK with the tutorial until I got to the "Folder" part. When I click "Folder", I don't get a drop down menu of choices like in the video. Instead I get an expanded screen to the right, showing "Folders" and below the choices "Temporary Folder 2.10" and "Swap Folder 2.10". When I hover to the left of the "2.10" a text box pops up explaining the purpose of these storage locations. Big digression from the video. This is Gimp 2.10.32 (Rev 1). Still trying for larger UI icons and text.

  • @p.k.ladiesspecialonlinesho4427
    @p.k.ladiesspecialonlinesho44273 жыл бұрын

    Please upload a video on muscle transformation by warp transformation

  • @richie1027
    @richie10273 ай бұрын

    Is there ANY means to enlarge the GIMP mouse and +/_ mouse icons? My windows mouse is quite large since I have impaired vision. Once the cursor enters the image in GIMP, the size goes microscopic. I'd hate to sacrifice DPI to enlarge if possible. Many thanks.

  • @richie1027
    @richie10277 ай бұрын

    HELP Appreciate all your tutorials. I watched a tutorial by someone else and in the Layers tool box (they had on right side of screen), the small layer icons depicting images on each layer were MUCH larger than default. I had edited preferences for many changes before, including the tools on the left (and making them color) but did not see an option specific to the toolbox. any suggestions appreciated. Thank you

  • @T0NYD1CK
    @T0NYD1CK11 ай бұрын

    And there was I looking for an Edit-->Preferences-->Font Size window with a number in it that I could change! Silly me. Thanks for the tutorial, I can now see what I am trying to do in GIMP.