maps street names are too small

[jb1848]

Can I change the font/size of street names, which would make Maps usable for me, or do I just have to get a set of younger eyes?

 

[pigoo3]

You didn't tell us what Apple device you are using. If it's an iPhone or iPad…have you tried "pinch to zoom". If it's an Apple computer…have you tried "zooming" the map you are looking at (most map websites like Google maps) have a "zoom in" feature.

- Nick

 

[jb1848]

Thanks for the quick reply. I've got a (new to me)15" MacBookPro, early 2011, and I'm running OS X 10.9.5, which I downloaded yesterday (so Mavericks is also new to me). Unfortunately, I'm having no luck with your suggestions: At full screen and the most extreme possible zoom level, (with Zoom menu items or with mouse wheel) the street name caps are about 1/16", and the small letters are about half of that. Of course, at less extreme zoom, the letters are smaller. Adding further injury to this insult and injury, the letters are grey rather than black, and the font is whatever you call the opposite of bold.

I find no other relevant setting anywhere in the menus, and the Maps drrop-down has no Preferences item.

On this gorgeous 15" screen, under ideal lighting conditions, I can just barely read this map. On a tablet or phone, driving, on a bright sunny day, ... no chance in ****. Is it possible that Apple botched the design this severely? Isn't there a secret command hiding somewhere?

But I really do appreciate your taking the time and trouble of sending me suggestions which were exactly on topic, and might have worked.

 

[pigoo3]

Can you be more specific which application/browser (or website) you are using to view these maps. This will help in suggesting what commands are available.

- Nick

 

[jb1848]

The application is just called 'Maps". That is, "/Applications/Maps.app", and it comes in the Mavericks 10.9.5 I downloaded from the Apple Store yesterday. It's self-contained. You click it and it opens a map. No browser or website.

I went through all the menu options, and found "Use Large Labels" tucked away. That brings the largest highway names up to almost 1/8 " high. Better, but still not good. Unless you discover something I missed, I've spent enough time on this problem. I'm going to check out Google and Yahoo maps; Maybe they will treat me better. Thanks for spending your time on my problem.

 

[pigoo3]

Ok...thanks for the info. Have you tried double-clicking to "zoom-in"?

Here's a MacWorld article on "Maps" in Mavericks in case soemthing here helps:

Get to know OS X Mavericks: Maps | Macworld

- Nick

 

[chscag]

I agree. The street names and other labels are too small to be viewable on a 15" or 13" MacBook Pro. Probably even worse on a retina model. I got maps zoomed on my 27" iMac and the street names and labels are readable - just barely. I don't know what Apple was thinking with this one? Google Maps are much better. Maybe Apple will improve the Maps program with Yosemite.

 

[jb1848]

Thanks Nick and everyone else, I think MacWorld's series on Mavericks is about to become my favorite bedtime reading. (Here's hoping it's less scary than the Grimm's Fairy Tales I used to read.)