In acidified dairy products, the size of the whey protein particles could play a key role in the final structure of the gel. In the present study, small (SM; 2.5 ± 1.2 μm), medium (MM; 4.2 ± 2.2 μm), and large (LM; 18.4 ± 7.2 μm) whey protein microbeads were produced by mixing a 150 g.kg⁻¹ whey protein isolate (WPI) solution and n -dodecane in the presence of polyglycerolpolyricinoleate (PGPR) surfactant at different shear rates and were then stabilized through heat gelation. The microbeads were then washed by centrifugation, dispersed at 70 or 90 g.kg⁻¹ in milk ultrafiltrate, and acidification was performed at 35 °C by adding glucono- δ -lactone to achieve the final pH of ~4.5 in 6 h. Acid gelation was monitored using small deformation rheology, while the gel microstructure was investigated microscopically. The results showed that smaller size of microbeads promoted gels with a higher stiffness and a smaller pore size distribution. The effects were particularly significant at SM microbeads as the number of particles in this system was higher than in LM or MM, hence more connectivity between particles.