# Changing Display Font Size



## daBee (Aug 11, 2015)

Hi folks.

Just wondering how I change the display font size on the command line.  It's way too huge.  I've tried some of the solutions I have found online and it hasn't been clear enough for me to get anywhere.  My limited experience in FreeBSD tells me it's simple, but I just can't find it.  I'd like to see a lot more in the startup console.

Any advice appreciated.  Thank you.

Cheers


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## Beastie7 (Aug 11, 2015)

You can increase the resolution of the console by using vidcontrol(1).

Load the vesa module using;
`kldload vesa`

Then list the available video modes (resolutions) and set it with;

`vidcontrol -i MODE
vidcontrol MODE_X`


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## daBee (Aug 11, 2015)

Hi there.  Tried that once.  This is what I just got now:


```
[Tue Aug 11 01:09 PM rich@shuttle ~] kldload vesa
kldload: can't load vesa: Operation not permitted
[Tue Aug 11 01:09 PM rich@shuttle ~] sudo kldload vesa
kldload: can't load vesa: module already loaded or in kernel
[Tue Aug 11 01:09 PM rich@shuttle ~] vidcontrol -i MODE
vidcontrol: getting active vty: Inappropriate ioctl for device
```


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## drhowarddrfine (Aug 11, 2015)

The errors are telling you vesa is already loaded but you need to be root to do that anyway.

What he means by MODE is you set the "mode" for the vid control. See `man vidcontrol`


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## daBee (Aug 11, 2015)

Yes, and from the man page, this is what comes back for `vidcontrol -i mode`:


```
-i mode
             Shows the possible video modes with the current video hardware.
```

I want to see the options with the installed hardware so I can choose the option to be set.  But as above, it returns with "Inappropriate ioctl for device".  I've actually been down this route before, and I think I keep running out of ideas around here.


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## daBee (Aug 11, 2015)

OK, I got it to work.  It didn't stick upon a reboot.  Should I script it or is there a setting I can shove into a loadup config file?

Cheers


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## Beastie7 (Aug 11, 2015)

Put `allscreens_flags="X"` ("X" being the mode) into your rc.conf file so it'll boot with the mode intact.


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## daBee (Aug 11, 2015)

Was just on that when you posted.  Works now.  Thanks for the input.


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