Font display is pale, washed out, eg in menus

[Bel-P]

I have an HP Envy x360 laptop with Windows 10.  I notice that the menu fonts are very pale compared to my friend's laptop.   For example the menu font in Chrome, MS Word, Outlook, Excel, and any Windows program.    The font looks pale and washed out, almost as if it's greyed out.  It makes it hard for me to read, and tiring.

The font is absolutely fine within the programs - on the internet for example, or in a Word document, but it is pale in all the menus.  

Increasing the brightness on the computer makes no difference.

How can I make the fonts look bolder/darker please?

Thanks.

[Dragon-Fur]

@Bel-P

I can offer some places to look that might be helpful:

Add a color theme to Office Word  (applies to at least Word 2016)

Open Word > File > Options > Display > 

Under Personalize your copy of Microsoft Office >

Click "Office Theme" > Colorful

Add color to Windows File Explorer (and other programs)

Windows key > Settings > Ease of Access > Color & High Contrast

Try adjusting "Apply Color Filter" ON

and select a "filter"  (just click to try each - at least the gray / inverted will show a striking difference)

If you like, try using one of the High Contrast themes.

and / or

Settings > Personalization > Colors 

Try different colors, set the transparency level, and choose which tasks use the selected color.

Try the "Light" and "Dark" default app mode, too, if you like.

Thank you for participating in the HP Community Forum.

We are a community of HP enthusiasts dedicated to supporting HP devices and technology.

[Bel-P]

Thanks for your reply and suggestions Dragon-Fur, but I'm afraid this doesn't solve my problem.  My answers are below:

1.  Your first suggestion: 

Add a color theme to Office Word  (applies to at least Word 2016)

Open Word > File > Options > Display > 

Under Personalize your copy of Microsoft Office >

Click "Office Theme" > Colorful

Will not help as

a) this will only apply to Office programs and the problem is across all programs, eg Notepad, Chrome, File Explorer etc

b) your instructions don't work anyway for Office 365.  

c) even if they did work I don't think they would affect the darkness/boldness/clarity of the font in the menus.

2. I tried your second suggestion:

Windows key > Settings > Ease of Access > Color & High Contrast

Try adjusting "Apply Color Filter" ON

and select a "filter"  (just click to try each - at least the gray / inverted will show a striking difference)

If you like, try using one of the High Contrast themes.

But this changes the whole of Windows quite radically, eg inverting all the colours.  I don't want to do this, I just want to make the menu fonts bolder, like they are on my old computer and all the other computers I know.

3.  I also tried your third suggestion: 

Windows key > Settings > Ease of Access > Color & High Contrast

Try adjusting "Apply Color Filter" ON

and select a "filter"  (just click to try each - at least the gray / inverted will show a striking difference)

If you like, try using one of the High Contrast themes.

But these don't help either I'm afraid.   I don't want to to change the colours of any of the title bars or backgrounds etc, I just want to make the menu fonts darker/bolder/easier to read, just like they are on other laptops and desktops.   

NB I believe this is a problem with this particular laptop - the HP Envy x360, so someone from HP should be answering me on this.  (I'm sure it is NOT a Windows or MS Office issue).   Is there a setting somewhere in the HP software, or BIOS or anywhere where I can make the fonts bolder, in other words make them look like they do on other computers?

This laptop, the HP Envy is quite good in other ways, but I would give it 1 out of 5 because of this issue.

NB I tried to get HP support online, but was given the message that the warranty has expired, which is hard to believe as I only bought it very recently, when I click See details the page says "HP Customer Support Site is temporarily unavailable....."  I've tried several times over the last few weeks and it always says this.  

This is SUCH bad service.  Do NOT buy HP!

I would very much appreciate a reply from someone at HP.

Thank you.

[Dragon-Fur]

@Bel-P

If you believe the device is still covered by the standard warranty, you should dispute the finding -- sometimes the data on the website is in error.  See link below for "how to" instructions.

Our community forum is not a direct conduit (connection) to HP Technical Support -- ours is a volunteer group of users and owners of HP technology and devices.

Moreover, I am sorry none of the suggestions meet your expectations.

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[Bel-P]

I did contact HP and they told me the laptop is out of warranty as I bought it through Currys.  This is very bad service indeed.   I didn't want to return the product, I only wanted online tech support from HP.

[Dragon-Fur]

@Bel-P

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@Bel-P wrote:

I did contact HP and they told me the laptop is out of warranty as I bought it through Currys.  This is very bad service indeed.   I didn't want to return the product, I only wanted online tech support from HP.

---

Interesting.  I have read a number of things about Curry's; I was not aware that buying new-sealed-in-box devices from them negated a standard hardware warranty from the manufacturer.  In the interest of thoroughness, I suggest you read the fine print on the Curry's purchase receipt / agreement.

I do not comment on HP warranty coverage -- I do not work for the company.  All my observations, advice, and opinions offered on the forum are my own.

If I have anything substantive to add as a solution, I will post back.

Thank you for participating in the HP Community Forum.

We are a community of HP enthusiasts dedicated to supporting HP devices and technology.