Microsoft Weekly

Use the Windows Magnifier tool to zoom in

By Ed Bott

You don't have to be myopic to occasionally need a closer look at something on your Windows screen. Maybe you want a closer look at a detail in a picture. Maybe the font in a footnote is too small to read comfortably.

Whatever the reason, help is literally a keystroke away, thanks to the Windows Magnifier feature. Hold down the Windows key and tap the plus key (on the top row or on the numeric keypad, it doesn't matter). That­­­­ instantly zooms the display. Continue holding down the Windows key and tap the plus and minus keys (or press Ctrl+Alt and use the mouse wheel) to zoom in or out.

Move the mouse to the edges of the screen pan to areas that aren't visible. Hold down the Windows key and tap Escape to close the Magnifier and return to the normal view.

Windows 10 includes a long list of Magnifier options, which you'll find in Settings | Ease Of Access | Magnifier. There, you can set the default zoom level and zoom increments, change the Magnifier view, and configure the Magnifier window to be a floating, transparent magnifying glass. This Settings page also documents the full range of Magnifier keyboard shortcuts and is worth careful study.

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