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Teaching SPSS? How to resize fonts

As anyone who teaches research methods will know, the default font size in SPSS is tiny. Things get even more difficult once you add in large classrooms or slightly out of focus projectors..

While it’s not well advertised, there are actually are two simple fixes that I’ve found make a big difference. The first helps you to resize your data file and is extremely straightforward to do. Resizing the output takes a little more work initially, but once you’ve created the font file it’s simple to apply for future sessions:

Resize data file

  • In SPSS go to “View” then “Fonts“
SPSS Data Editor open with test data. View dropdown in menu bar open, with 'Fonts...' Selected

  • Select new font size
SPSS data editor with font menu open. Options to change font, font style, and size displayed

Updated Data View:

SPSS Data File with test column. Numbers presented in larger font

Updated Variable View:

SPSS Data File with test row. Text presented in larger font

Create new output style

A word of warning: this does take a few steps to set up for the first time, but if you save the font file somewhere memorable (or email me for the file I use!), then you can skip to the next section.

  • Generate some output to produce a table, then double click on said table. A pop-up called “Pivot Tables” should open
SPSS output editor with Pivot table menu open.

  • Once “Pivot Tables” is open, go to “Format” then “TableLooks“
SPSS pivot table menu open. Format, table look selected

  • Click on “Edit Look…“
SPSS table look menu open. A drop down menu of different styles is shown. Edit look button highlighted

  • Go to the “Cell Format” tab. From here you can update the table formatting (including font and background colour)
Table properties menu open on cell format tab. Font size drop down selected and sample table displayed

  • However, you do have to do this for every part of the table (see drop down “Area“. This is currently set to “Data”, so only this font size will be updated)
Table properties menu open on cell format tab. Data font size text increased compared to other parts of the table as example

  • Under “Borders” you can also add borders, but again this needs to be done for each required section. Press OK when all edits are complete
Table properties menu open on borders tab. A list of options is displayed with drop down of line style (currently none selected).

  • From here “Save Look” under a memorable name, then press OK
Table looks menu open with 'save look' button highlighted

Apply new output style

Once you have your new .stt file (either by creating a new one above, or using a previously created one) you can follow these steps to update any future output or switch back to another style.

  • Go to “Edit” then “Options“
SPSS output page displays with newly formatted table. Edit drop down menu selected, with 'options' button highlighted

  • Go to the “Pivot Tables” tab and click “Browse” to add your “TableLook” style you just created. Then press OK
SPSS options menu on 'Pivots table' page. Browse button is highlighted

  • Now if you generate a new table, it should appear in the new style going forward (to change it back, simply go back to Edit then Options)
Updated SPSS output with new tables in new format