diff --git a/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/dialogs/settings/settings-component.tsx b/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/dialogs/settings/settings-component.tsx
index ff70947ff..6bbc3c4c1 100644
--- a/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/dialogs/settings/settings-component.tsx
+++ b/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/dialogs/settings/settings-component.tsx
@@ -21,7 +21,15 @@ import {
   AsyncLocalizationProvider,
   LanguageInfo,
 } from '@theia/core/lib/common/i18n/localization';
+import SettingsStepInput from './settings-step-input';
 
+const maxScale = 200;
+const minScale = -100;
+const scaleStep = 20;
+
+const maxFontSize = 72;
+const minFontSize = 0;
+const fontSizeStep = 2;
 export class SettingsComponent extends React.Component<
   SettingsComponent.Props,
   SettingsComponent.State
@@ -88,6 +96,8 @@ export class SettingsComponent extends React.Component<
   }
 
   protected renderSettings(): React.ReactNode {
+    const scalePercentage = 100 + this.state.interfaceScale * 20;
+
     return (
       <div className="content noselect">
         {nls.localize(
@@ -160,14 +170,13 @@ export class SettingsComponent extends React.Component<
           </div>
           <div className="column">
             <div className="flex-line">
-              <input
-                className="theia-input small"
-                type="number"
-                step={1}
-                pattern="[0-9]+"
-                onKeyDown={this.numbersOnlyKeyDown}
+              <SettingsStepInput
                 value={this.state.editorFontSize}
-                onChange={this.editorFontSizeDidChange}
+                setSettingsStateValue={this.setFontSize}
+                step={fontSizeStep}
+                maxValue={maxFontSize}
+                minValue={minFontSize}
+                classNames={{ input: 'theia-input small' }}
               />
             </div>
             <div className="flex-line">
@@ -179,14 +188,13 @@ export class SettingsComponent extends React.Component<
                 />
                 {nls.localize('arduino/preferences/automatic', 'Automatic')}
               </label>
-              <input
-                className="theia-input small with-margin"
-                type="number"
-                step={20}
-                pattern="[0-9]+"
-                onKeyDown={this.noopKeyDown}
-                value={100 + this.state.interfaceScale * 20}
-                onChange={this.interfaceScaleDidChange}
+              <SettingsStepInput
+                value={scalePercentage}
+                setSettingsStateValue={this.setInterfaceScale}
+                step={scaleStep}
+                maxValue={maxScale}
+                minValue={minScale}
+                classNames={{ input: 'theia-input small with-margin' }}
               />
               %
             </div>
@@ -516,13 +524,8 @@ export class SettingsComponent extends React.Component<
     }
   };
 
-  protected editorFontSizeDidChange = (
-    event: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>
-  ): void => {
-    const { value } = event.target;
-    if (value) {
-      this.setState({ editorFontSize: parseInt(value, 10) });
-    }
+  private setFontSize = (editorFontSize: number) => {
+    this.setState({ editorFontSize });
   };
 
   protected rawAdditionalUrlsValueDidChange = (
@@ -539,18 +542,10 @@ export class SettingsComponent extends React.Component<
     this.setState({ autoScaleInterface: event.target.checked });
   };
 
-  protected interfaceScaleDidChange = (
-    event: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>
-  ): void => {
-    const { value } = event.target;
-    const percentage = parseInt(value, 10);
-    if (isNaN(percentage)) {
-      return;
-    }
+  private setInterfaceScale = (percentage: number) => {
     const interfaceScale = (percentage - 100) / 20;
-    if (!isNaN(interfaceScale)) {
-      this.setState({ interfaceScale });
-    }
+
+    this.setState({ interfaceScale });
   };
 
   protected verifyAfterUploadDidChange = (
diff --git a/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/dialogs/settings/settings-step-input.tsx b/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/dialogs/settings/settings-step-input.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..458266fa9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/dialogs/settings/settings-step-input.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,147 @@
+import * as React from '@theia/core/shared/react';
+import classnames from 'classnames';
+
+interface SettingsStepInputProps {
+  value: number;
+  setSettingsStateValue: (value: number) => void;
+  step: number;
+  maxValue: number;
+  minValue: number;
+  classNames?: { [key: string]: string };
+}
+
+const SettingsStepInput: React.FC<SettingsStepInputProps> = (
+  props: SettingsStepInputProps
+) => {
+  const { value, setSettingsStateValue, step, maxValue, minValue, classNames } =
+    props;
+
+  const [stepUpDisabled, setStepUpDisabled] = React.useState(false);
+  const [stepDownDisabled, setStepDownDisabled] = React.useState(false);
+
+  const onStepUp = (): void => {
+    const valueRoundedToScale = Math.ceil(value / step) * step;
+    const calculatedValue =
+      valueRoundedToScale === value ? value + step : valueRoundedToScale;
+    const newValue = limitValueByCondition(
+      calculatedValue,
+      maxValue,
+      calculatedValue >= maxValue,
+      disableStepUp
+    );
+
+    setSettingsStateValue(newValue);
+  };
+
+  const onStepDown = (): void => {
+    const valueRoundedToScale = Math.floor(value / step) * step;
+    const calculatedValue =
+      valueRoundedToScale === value ? value - step : valueRoundedToScale;
+    const newValue = limitValueByCondition(
+      calculatedValue,
+      minValue,
+      calculatedValue <= minValue,
+      disableStepDown
+    );
+
+    setSettingsStateValue(newValue);
+  };
+
+  const limitValueByCondition = (
+    calculatedValue: number,
+    limitedValue: number,
+    condition: boolean,
+    onConditionTrue: () => void,
+    onConditionFalse = enableButtons
+  ): number => {
+    if (condition) {
+      onConditionTrue();
+      return limitedValue;
+    } else {
+      onConditionFalse();
+      return calculatedValue;
+    }
+  };
+
+  const enableButtons = (): void => {
+    setStepUpDisabled(false);
+    setStepDownDisabled(false);
+  };
+
+  const disableStepUp = (): void => {
+    setStepUpDisabled(true);
+  };
+
+  const disableStepDown = (): void => {
+    setStepDownDisabled(true);
+  };
+
+  const onUserInput = (event: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>): void => {
+    const { value: eventValue } = event.target;
+
+    if (eventValue === '') {
+      setSettingsStateValue(0);
+    }
+
+    const number = Number(eventValue);
+
+    if (!isNaN(number) && number !== value) {
+      let newValue;
+      if (number > value) {
+        newValue = limitValueByCondition(
+          number,
+          maxValue,
+          number >= maxValue,
+          disableStepUp
+        );
+      } else {
+        newValue = limitValueByCondition(
+          number,
+          minValue,
+          number <= minValue,
+          disableStepDown
+        );
+      }
+
+      setSettingsStateValue(newValue);
+    }
+  };
+
+  // the component does not unmount when we close the settings dialog
+  // in theia which necessitates the below useEffect
+  React.useEffect(() => {
+    if (value > minValue && value < maxValue) {
+      enableButtons();
+    }
+  }, [value, minValue, maxValue]);
+
+  return (
+    <div className="settings-step-input-container">
+      <input
+        className={classnames('settings-step-input-element', classNames?.input)}
+        value={value.toString()}
+        onChange={onUserInput}
+        type="number"
+        pattern="[0-9]+"
+      />
+      <div className="settings-step-input-buttons-container">
+        <button
+          className="settings-step-input-button settings-step-input-up-button"
+          disabled={stepUpDisabled}
+          onClick={onStepUp}
+        >
+          &#9662;
+        </button>
+        <button
+          className="settings-step-input-button"
+          disabled={stepDownDisabled}
+          onClick={onStepDown}
+        >
+          &#9662;
+        </button>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+};
+
+export default SettingsStepInput;
diff --git a/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/style/index.css b/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/style/index.css
index fe5d9753f..1a7c98533 100644
--- a/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/style/index.css
+++ b/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/style/index.css
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 @import './fonts.css';
 @import './custom-codicon.css';
 @import './progress-bar.css';
+@import './settings-step-input.css';
 
 .theia-input.warning:focus {
   outline-width: 1px;
diff --git a/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/style/settings-step-input.css b/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/style/settings-step-input.css
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fd6d6046f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/style/settings-step-input.css
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+.settings-step-input-container {
+    position: relative
+}
+
+.settings-step-input-element::-webkit-inner-spin-button, 
+.settings-step-input-element::-webkit-outer-spin-button {
+  -webkit-appearance: none;
+  margin: 0;
+}
+
+.settings-step-input-buttons-container {
+    display: none;
+    flex-direction: column;
+    position: absolute;
+    right: 0px;
+    top: 50%;
+    transform: translate(0px, -50%);
+    height: calc(100% - 4px);
+    width: 14px;
+    padding: 2px;
+    background: white;
+}
+
+.settings-step-input-container:hover > .settings-step-input-buttons-container {
+    display: flex;
+}
+
+.settings-step-input-up-button {
+    transform: rotate(-180deg);
+}
+
+.settings-step-input-button {
+    border: none;
+    border-radius: 0;
+    height: 50%;
+    width: 1;
+    display: flex;
+    align-items: center;
+    justify-content: center;
+    user-select: none;
+    cursor: pointer;
+    line-height: 12px;
+}
+
+.settings-step-input-button:hover {
+    background: rgba(128, 128, 128, 0.8);
+}