5 Easy Ways to Zoom In on a PC to Change Text or Image Size

PDF download Download Article
Magnify objects on your Windows 11, 10, or 8 computer
PDF download Download Article

If you just want to zoom in on a webpage or photo, you can use an easy keyboard shortcut, your scroll-wheel mouse, or a touch-screen gesture. If you need to zoom in on the entire screen, you can use an accessibility tool called Magnifier. Here's how to zoom in on a Windows PC.

Quick Steps

  1. Press Ctrl and + to zoom in.
  2. Press Ctrl and - to zoom out.
  3. Press Ctrl and 0 to reset magnification.
Method 1
Method 1 of 5:

Using a Keyboard

PDF download Download Article
  1. You can use keyboard shortcuts and gestures to zoom in and out on most apps. This is helpful when you want to zoom in on something like a website or a photo, or make text bigger .
  2. You can press this keyboard combination as many times as you need to zoom in for a closer look.
    • The zoom feature may not be available in all apps.
    Advertisement
  3. Press Ctrl + - to zoom out . As with zooming in, you can keep pressing the button to zoom out as far as you'd like to go.
    5. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 5:

Using Keyboard + Mouse

PDF download Download Article
  1. You can use keyboard and mouse to zoom in and out on most apps.
  2. Use the mouse wheel to do so. If you have a touchpad, you can place two fingers on the touchpad and spread them apart to zoom in.
  3. Use the mouse wheel to do so. If you have a touchpad, you can pinch two fingers to zoom out.
  4. The screen will be reset.
    5. Advertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 5:

Using the Magnifier

PDF download Download Article
  1. This will activate the Magnifier feature on Windows. [1] The tool will immediately magnify the entire screen until you change the settings.
    • If you're using Windows 7, click the Start button, type magnifier into the search bar, and then click Magnifier in the search results.
    • Users who'd prefer to use a mouse can also open Magnifier by navigating to Settings > Ease of Access > Magnifier > Turn on Magnifier (or use the slider).
  2. This magnifies the entire screen. You can keep clicking this button until you reach the desired zoom level.
    • The percentage (e.g., 200%) will update as you zoom in and out.
    • If you'd rather zoom in with the keyboard, press Windows key and the + key (the same shortcut you used to open the tool).
  3. As with zooming in, you can keep clicking this button until you're zoomed out to the desired level.
    • You can also zoom out by pressing the Windows key and the - (minus) key.
  4. This opens the Magnifier panel in settings, where you can customize Magnifier to your liking.
    • If you'd like Magnifier to launch automatically when you start your computer, select either Start Magnifier after sign-in or Start Magnifier before sign-in for everyone .
    • To change the default view, select an option from the "Choose a view" menu.
      • Lens acts like a magnifying glass that you move around the screen.
      • Full-screen magnifies the entire screen (the default).
      • Docked magnifies a fixed portion of the screen in a bar or box. The zoomed content will appear in the box as you move the cursor around. [2]
    6. Advertisement
Method 4
Method 4 of 5:

Using a Web Browser

PDF download Download Article
  1. All web browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, have their own built-in zoom options that can be accessed from different menus.
  2. The location of nearly all browser menus is at the upper-right corner of the application.
    • Microsoft Edge : •••
    • Google Chrome : â‹®
    • Mozilla Firefox : ☰
  3. You'll see a "Zoom" option on the menu of nearly all web browsers. Clicking the + to the left of the word "Zoom" in the menu makes the items on each page bigger.
    • The magnification level (e.g., 125%) will update as you continue to click the button.
    • Clicking on the icon at the extreme right will activate the full screen mode (hit F11 to exit full screen mode).
  4. It's to the right of "Zoom." This makes the items on each page smaller.
    6. Advertisement
Method 5
Method 5 of 5:

Using a Touchscreen

PDF download Download Article
  1. Make sure to pick a spot next to the area you want to zoom in on.
  2. The screen will zoom in.
    • The zoom feature may not be available in all apps.
  3. The screen will zoom out.
    4. Advertisement

Community Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    How do I do a screenshot on a laptop?
    Reyhan Palakka
    Community Answer
    Press windows + PrtSc at the same time.Your screenshot will be on the "pictures" tab on Windows Explorer.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 8 Helpful 5
  • Question
    How to fix the zoom level to 100 on Windows 10?
    RapidGum
    Community Answer
    If you are on Microsoft Edge, you can click the three dots in the top corner and then click the Xoom button five down. If you have a mouse, you can hold CTRL and scroll forwards or backwards to zoom in as well. Or, press CTRL + and CTRL - to zoom in and out.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 3 Helpful 3
  • Question
    How to zoom in screen on PC?
    MACARTHUR GAISIN
    Community Answer
    If you click the three dots on the top right corner of the screen, you should see the word zoom. And on the right of the zoom word, you can adjust how you want to zoom. Note that this only works in Microsoft Edge.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 1 Helpful 3
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Video

      Tips

      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Zoom With a Web Browser
      Simple Steps to Zoom Out in Adobe Illustrator
      How to
      Take a Screenshot on a Windows PC: 8 Simple Tricks
      How to
      Check Your Windows Version
      How to
      Find Your Windows Product Key
      Easily Download and Install FFmpeg on a Windows PC
      How to
      Check Your Mouse DPI on Windows & Mac
      How to
      Start Windows in Safe Mode: 6 Easy Options
      5 Quick Ways to Change Your Desktop Wallpaper on Windows
      4 Easy Ways to Access the Boot Options Menu in Windows
      How to
      Access the BIOS on Any PC: Guide + Troubleshooting
      How to
      Disable BitLocker Encryption in Windows 10 and 11
      3 Easy Ways to Move a Full Screen Game to Another Monitor
      How to
      Automatically Shut Down Your Computer at a Specified Time
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/11542/windows-use-magnifier-to-make-things-easier-to-see
      2. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/11542/windows-use-magnifier

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. To zoom in on a single window, press Ctrl and + . 2. Too zoom out, press Ctrl and - .

      Did this summary help you?
      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 891,343 times.

      Is this article up to date?

      Advertisement