How to zoom in and out on Windows on Windows 10 and 11

Controlling the zoom on Windows is quite easy, and there are a few ways you can do it

Higher resolution screens are becoming more and more common, which means less stress for our eyes. But that may not always be enough. Sometimes you need to zoom in. While that’s an easy and intuitive thing on touchscreen phones, especially with the accessibility options in Android 13, it’s not as much when it comes to Windows PCs.

Zooming in and out is a pretty basic feature available on all computers, including the all of our top-rated Chromebooks, and Windows can do that plenty well too. There are a few ways to zoom in and out on Windows, depending upon your requirements. Here’s how to zoom in and out on Windows.

How to zoom in and out on Windows using Magnifier

If you want an always-available floating zoom tool you can use any time to zoom in and out on Windows, the Magnifier tool is the best option for you. It’s a part of the accessibility tool set in Windows. You can access and customize it using the steps below.

1. Open Windows settings and click Accessibility.
2. Click Magnifier in the right-hand side pane.

3. To configure the magnifier, use the Zoom level setting to set the current level of zoom and the Zoom increment setting to specify how much the zoom changes with every increment.

4. Click the toggle next to Magnifier to turn it on. Alternatively, you can press Windows and the + key simultaneously to enable the Magnifier.
5. Unless you configured the magnifier using the Zoom level option, you will immediately get a 200% magnified screen. To navigate to the parts of the screen you can’t see, move your cursor in the respective direction.
6. Press Windows and the +/- keys to zoom in/out while Magnifier is on.
7. To close the Magnifier, click the X (close) button on the floating toolbar, or press Windows + Esc.

How to use Windows Display Scaling to zoom in and out

The Magnifier tool is good for a zooming option on the go, but what if you want a more permanent solution? To increase the size of the text and other elements on your Windows desktop, you can use the in-built display scaling option by following the steps below.

1. Open Windows Settings, and click Display under System.
2. Scroll down and click the drop-down selector with the percentage under Scale.
3. Pick the percentage you wish to apply by clicking it.
4. Some versions of Windows will ask you to log out and log back in to apply the scaling changes. Do so if prompted.

How to zoom in and out in Google Chrome and other apps

Many apps, including Google Chrome, have their own zoom options. For Google Chrome, follow the steps below to zoom in and out. These steps will apply to most other web browsers, including Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft Edge.

1. Click the three-dot menu button in the top-right corner.
2. Locate the Zoom option.
3. Click + to zoom in and – to zoom out.

Using the keyboard shortcut

Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcuts to zoom in and out in apps with a zoom function.

1. Open the app you want to zoom in to or out of.
2. Press and hold the Ctrl key.
3. Press the + key to zoom in and the – key to zoom out.

Alternatively, you can use the touchpad gesture of pinching out to zoom in and pinching in to zoom out.

Getting used to zooming in and out on Windows

Those are all the ways to zoom in and out on Windows. Touchpad gestures and keyboard shortcuts are universal, so you can use them across the board to quickly zoom in or out. Windows zoom options are quite intuitive, so once you pick it up, you shouldn’t have too much trouble using it again. If your Windows PC stutters while zooming in and out, there are a few things you can try to speed up your computer.