How do I Unmagnify my Windows screen?

Windows offers several ways to zoom in on a PC to get a better view of your screen.
To zoom in on any web browser, hold CTRL and press the + key.
To zoom in on the entire desktop, you can use the Magnify app, one of Windows' accessibility features.
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If you have trouble reading elements on the screen, Windows can help by zooming or enlarging the display.

Table of Contents Show

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How to zoom in on a PC
How to zoom in on any web browser
How to zoom in on Windows using Magnifier
Zooming in other apps
How do I Unmagnify my computer screen?
How do I get my Windows screen back to normal?
How do I get my full screen back to normal?

There are a few ways to do this. Not only do many programs come with their own zoom control, but Windows has an accessibility tool called Magnifier, which you can use to zoom in on the entire desktop and all its content.

Here's how to do it.

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How to zoom in on a PC

How to zoom in on any web browser

No matter which browser you happen to use in Windows — Google Chrome, Firefox, or Edge, even Internet Explorer — the technique to zoom in on your browser window is the same.

1. Open the browser of your choice.

2. To zoom in and out with a keyboard shortcut, hold CTRL and press the + key to zoom in.

3. Hold CTRL and the - key to zoom out.

You can zoom in and out multiple levels. If you prefer, the Zoom command is usually also available in the browser's menu.

In Firefox, click the three horizontal lines at the top right and then click the + and - beside Zoom.
In Chrome or Edge, click the three dots at the top right and then click the + and - beside Zoom.
In Internet Explorer, hold ALT to get the menu bar to appear, then click View, followed by Zoom.

You can zoom in on any browser window with a keyboard shortcut or the Zoom menu. Dave Johnson/Business Insider

How to zoom in on Windows using Magnifier

In the Start menu search box, type "Magnifier" and click the program when it appears in the search results.

Start the Magnifier app from the Start menu. Dave Johnson/Business Insider

The Magnifier starts with the desktop zoomed to 200 percent. You can find the Magnifier controls at the top left of the desktop (it can be initially disorienting to find your way around the desktop because of the magnification). Once you find the Magnifier, you can use the + and - buttons to zoom in and out.

You can also click the View menu and choose from these options:

Full Screen. The entire display is zoomed into the selected value.
Lens. Only a rectangular "lens" around your mouse pointer is zoomed, so you can move the mouse around the display to get a better look at whatever your mouse is hovering over.
Docked. The zoomed "lens" is docked to the top of the display rather than moving around with the mouse pointer. But the docked display shows wherever your mouse pointer is located at the current zoom level.

You can control the zoom level and style using the Magnifier app. Dave Johnson/Business Insider

To stop magnifying the screen, you can close the Magnifier program or press Windows + ESC.

Zooming in other apps

Many other apps have their own built-in zoom, so if you frequently need to enlarge text, you should look for this in the programs you commonly use.

Most apps that include this feature tend to locate it in the "View" menu. In Microsoft Word, for example, click "View" in the ribbon menu and then click the "Zoom" button in the ribbon.

Dave Johnson

Freelance Writer

Dave Johnson is a technology journalist who writes about consumer tech and how the industry is transforming the speculative world of science fiction into modern-day real life. Dave grew up in New Jersey before entering the Air Force to operate satellites, teach space operations, and do space launch planning. He then spent eight years as a content lead on the Windows team at Microsoft. As a photographer, Dave has photographed wolves in their natural environment; he's also a scuba instructor and co-host of several podcasts. Dave is the author of more than two dozen books and has contributed to many sites and publications including CNET, Forbes, PC World, How To Geek, and Insider.

How do I Unmagnify my computer screen?

You can use your keyboard to zoom in or out. This method works in many applications and web browsers. Click anywhere on the Windows desktop or open the webpage you want to view. Press and hold the CTRL key, and then press either the + (Plus sign) or - (Minus sign) to make objects on the screen larger or smaller.

How do I get my Windows screen back to normal?

Click Start, and then click Control Panel. In the Control Panel window, click Appearance and Themes, and then click Display. In the Display Properties window, click the Settings tab. Under Screen resolution, click and drag the horizontal slider control to change the screen resolution, and then click Apply.

How do I get my full screen back to normal?

Fullscreen mode on a Windows computer To exit the standard view with the address bar, status bar, etc., always showing, press F11 on your keyboard to enter fullscreen. Pressing F11 again goes back to normal view.