Apple goes to great lengths to help its customers use Macs more easily. One of Mac’s multiple accessibilities features is zoom. By using Mac zoom shortcuts, you can read fine print, magnify photos, and zoom in on videos, among others.
Before we start
Zooming in on small fonts is not the only way to make your Mac more usable. You can also optimize its performance, free up disc space and protect the device from viruses and malware. Fortunately, you don’t need guides to learn how it’s done. Install MacKeeper, an easy-to-use security app that can make your Mac safer, cleaner, and faster.
To read fine print with ease, learn how to zoom in and out on Mac in 4 different ways. Whether you prefer using keyboard shortcuts, trackpad or a mouse, we’ve got you covered.
- Zoom on Mac using keyboard shortcuts
- Zoom in and out on Mac using trackpad
- Zoom on Mac with Hover Text
- Zoom on Mac using mouse
How to zoom in and out on a Mac
Macs have been designed to support accessibility needs of its users, making it extremely simple to zoom in and out. Below are several ways to do it.
Zoom on Mac using keyboard shortcuts
To zoom in within a single window, use the Command and + (plus) button combination. To zoom out, use the Command and – (minus) button combination.
Follow these steps to set up shortcuts to zoom in and out within the entire Mac screen:
- In the Apple menu, select System Preferences
- In the Accessibility section, click Zoom
- Select the option Use keyboard shortcuts to zoom
- To zoom in, use Option and Command and +(plus) shortcut
- To zoom out, use Option and Command and – (minus) shortcut
- To disable zoom, use Option and Command and 8 shortcut
Zoom in and out on Mac using trackpad
To zoom in within a single window using a trackpad, pinch two fingers open. To zoom out, pinch two fingers closed.
Here’s how to enable touch bar zoom for the entire Mac screen:
- In the Apple menu, select System Preferences
- In the Accessibility section, click Zoom
- Select the option Use scroll gesture with modifier keys to zoom
- Choose the modifier key: Control, Option or Command
- Press the modifier key and scroll up to zoom in
- Press the modifier key and scroll down to zoom out
Enlarge screen on Mac with Hover Text
macOS allows you to enable a hovering window that serves as a Mac magnifying glass.
Here’s how to magnify screen on Mac with Hover Text:
- In the Apple menu, select System Preferences
- In the Accessibility section, click Zoom
- Select the option Enable Hover Text
- Press Command to enlarge a text under a pointer
Zoom on Mac using mouse
Here’s how to zoom in on Mac with mouse:
- In the Apple menu, select System Preferences
- In the Accessibility section, click Zoom
- Select the option Use scroll gesture with modifier keys to zoom
- Choose the modifier key: Control, Option or Command
- Hold the modifier key and scroll up to zoom in
- Hold the modifier key and scroll down to zoom out
If you use an Apple Magic Mouse, you can enable the Smart zoom feature, allowing you to zoom in and out with a double tap.
Magic Mouse zoom works like this:
- In the Apple menu, select System Preferences
- Click Mouse and select the Smart zoom feature
- Double tap with one finger to zoom in
- Double tap with one finger to zoom out on Mac
Wrapping up
Now you know how to zoom in on Mac with trackpad, mouse, shortcuts, and Hover Text feature. To learn other useful Mac shortcuts and features, check some of our articles below.
Read more:
