Tip of the Week: 3 Ways to Zoom (Plus 1 You Haven’t Heard Of)

What do you do if you can’t see the content of a web page or application clearly? It’s easy; you just zoom in on the page or document as needed. While this is admittedly a pretty basic tip, we find that some individuals don’t know this functionality exists. Today, we’re covering four different tricks to consider for your zooming pleasure, one of which is a super secret tip for a function we bet you haven’t heard of.

Zooming In (With Keyboard and Mouse)

With the right combination of inputs, you can zoom in and out using the keyboard and mouse. To do so, hold down the Ctrl button and scroll using the mouse wheel. Scrolling up zooms in, while scrolling down zooms out.

Zooming In (With Just Your Keyboard)

If you don’t want to use the mouse (or your mouse doesn’t work), you can use Ctrl in combination with the - (minus) key or the + (plus) key to zoom out or zoom in as needed. You can find these keys on your numeric pad on the right side of your keyboard.

Resetting Your Zoom Level

If you’re done zooming in and want to go back to normal, you can return it to the default view by holding down the Ctrl key and then pressing the 0 (zero) key.

Using the Windows Magnifier

N, for the secret tip that we bet you haven’t heard of… the Windows Magnifier.

This is an accessibility tool that gives you the power to zoom in on specific parts of your screen. You can do this if you find yourself having a hard time reading certain parts or observing certain images.

To activate Windows Magnifier, you can find it in the Control Panel in the Ease of Access Center. Alternatively, you can simply use the keyboard shortcut, which is the Windows Key with the + (plus) key or the - (minus) key. This not only enables the Magnifier box, but it will also zoom you in or out on the screen, depending on your input.

We hope you found this tip helpful. Be sure to keep an eye on our blog for more great technology tips and tricks.