How to Zoom Out on a Windows PC

To zoom out on a PC in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Opera, press Ctrl + -; with Windows Magnifier running, press Windows + - to reduce screen magnification. Repeat the appropriate shortcut until you reach the size you want. Browser zoom changes web content, while Magnifier changes your magnified screen view.

For smaller text, app controls, and other interface elements across your display, lower Windows display scaling. The Windows Settings steps below use Windows 11 menus. The Magnifier shortcuts, desktop and File Explorer icon controls, and supported touch gestures also apply to Windows 10.

Zoom out in your web browser

In Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Opera for Windows, press Ctrl + - to reduce page zoom. Each press makes the web content smaller. This is not a universal Windows desktop shortcut, so use the display or icon controls when those are what you want to resize.

For menu controls in Chrome, open More and click Zoom out beside Zoom. In Edge, open Settings and more and select Zoom out. In Firefox, open the menu and click -; in Opera, open O Menu > Zoom and use the - control.

Edge also lets you hold Ctrl and scroll the mouse wheel downward. To restore default page zoom in Edge or Firefox, press Ctrl + 0; Firefox also lets you click the displayed zoom percentage to reset it. In Opera, open O Menu > Zoom and select Reset zoom.

For a smaller default in Chrome, open More > Settings > Appearance, then choose a lower Page zoom percentage. In Edge, open Settings and more > Settings > Accessibility, then lower Page zoom under Visibility. These settings control your browser's default page size.

If a Chrome website keeps its enlarged view, open More > Settings > Privacy and security > Site Settings > Additional content settings > Zoom levels. Click X beside the affected website to remove its stored zoom override. In Edge, open Settings and more > Settings > Accessibility and select Zoom levels to manage individual website settings.

Reduce or turn off Windows Magnifier

With Magnifier running, press Windows + - repeatedly to reduce magnification. You can also hold Ctrl + Alt and scroll the mouse wheel downward. These controls change Magnifier zoom.

Press Windows + Esc to turn Magnifier off. To keep it running while switching between your configured magnification and normal 1× magnification, press Ctrl + Alt + -. Use that toggle when you want to return to the enlarged view without closing Magnifier.

On Windows 11, open Start > Settings > Accessibility > Magnifier, then select the - button under Zoom level. Alternatively, press Windows + Ctrl + M, press Tab until you reach the zoom-out control, and press Spacebar. Adjust Zoom increments to change the size of each adjustment, or turn off Magnifier on the same page.

If Magnifier returns automatically at sign-in, change its startup options. On Windows 11, open Start > Settings > Accessibility > Magnifier, expand Magnifier, then uncheck Start Magnifier after sign in and Start Magnifier before sign in. These options prevent automatic magnification without changing your current zoom.

Make the Windows interface smaller

Use display scaling when you want smaller text, app controls, and other interface elements across your monitor. On Windows 11, open Start > Settings > System > Display. If multiple displays are connected, select the one you want to adjust.

Under Scale & layout, open Scale and select a lower available percentage. This changes interface sizes on the selected display. If your whole desktop looks unexpectedly enlarged, you can also work through the controls to restore your screen to normal size.

A resolution below the recommended value can contribute to an oversized desktop. On Windows 11, open Start > Settings > System > Display, select the affected monitor, and open Display resolution under Scale & layout. Choose the value marked (Recommended); available resolutions depend on your monitor and graphics hardware, and the resulting size also depends on scaling.

For previously enlarged system text, use the separate text control. On Windows 11, open Settings > Accessibility > Text size, move the Text size slider left, and select Apply. This reduces text enlargement without resizing images or changing whole-screen magnification.

Shrink desktop and File Explorer icons

Right-click an empty desktop area and select View > Small icons. Choose Medium icons instead if that is smaller than your current setting. This changes desktop icons only.

For mouse-wheel control, hold Ctrl and scroll downward on the desktop. Inside File Explorer, open the folder you want to adjust, then hold Ctrl and scroll downward to change the size and appearance of file and folder icons. The File Explorer shortcut changes the folder view.

Zoom out with a touchpad or touchscreen

On a touchpad, place two fingers on the surface and pinch them together in an app that supports zoom. On a touchscreen, place two fingers directly on the content and pinch inward. Support depends on the app and hardware, and some touchpad gestures require a precision touchpad.

If the gesture does not work, use the app's zoom controls. Firefox supports pinch zoom on a supported touchscreen or high-precision touchpad, and this gesture does not change page layout. Normal Firefox page zoom is remembered per hostname.

For Magnifier's touchscreen controls on Windows 11, first turn on its touch bars, which are off by default: open Settings > Accessibility > Magnifier and turn on Show touch bars when using a touchscreen device. Then use the gray touch bars. Tap a - button to zoom out, or place one finger on each vertical touch bar and pinch inward. Tap X to turn Magnifier off.

Zoom out in Word and other Office apps

In Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and classic Outlook for Microsoft 365 or Office 2024 on Windows, move the status-bar zoom slider toward a lower percentage or click -. In classic Outlook, this changes Reading Pane content. Use these controls when you need a smaller document, worksheet, slide, or message view.

Current Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows supports Ctrl + - to zoom out and Ctrl + 0 to return to 100%. For a specific percentage, open View > Zoom and enter a smaller value. You can also select One Page, Multiple Pages, or Page Width in the Zoom group.

In Excel or PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 or Office 2024 on Windows, open View > Zoom and enter a lower percentage. PowerPoint also provides View > Fit to Window to fit the slide into the available area. In classic Outlook for Microsoft 365 or Outlook 2024 on Windows, open the message, select Message > Zoom, and enter a lower percentage.

Fit a PDF page on your screen

With a PDF open in Edge for Windows, press Ctrl + \ to switch between fitting the page and fitting its width. Use the page-fitting state to see the entire page. This shortcut applies to Edge's built-in PDF viewer.

In Adobe Acrobat or Acrobat Reader's new Windows interface, click Zoom out in the right panel. Alternatively, open the hamburger menu, select View > Zoom, and choose Actual size, Zoom to page level, Fit to width, or Fit height. A fitting option reduces magnification only when your current view is larger than the fitted view.

For a lower default PDF magnification in Acrobat or Acrobat Reader for Windows, open the hamburger menu and select Preferences > Page Display. Choose a lower value in Zoom. Use the current-page controls for an adjustment to the PDF you are viewing.

Where available, open the hamburger menu and select View > Zoom > Pan & zoom, then reduce the zoom value or click -. The Loupe zoom tool has its own - button and slider. In page thumbnails, resize the page-view box to show a larger area.

Reduce Teams content and Terminal text

While viewing shared meeting content in Teams for Windows, hold Ctrl and scroll downward to zoom out, or pinch inward on the trackpad. These controls apply to the shared content you are viewing.

In Windows Terminal, press Ctrl + - or Ctrl + Numeric keypad - to decrease font size with the default bindings. These bindings can be customized. When mouse-wheel zoom is enabled, hold Ctrl and scroll downward; that size change lasts for the terminal session.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make Chrome text smaller without shrinking images?

In Chrome for Windows, open More > Settings > Appearance and select a smaller Font size. Select Customize fonts for additional font controls. Some websites prevent text-only size adjustments.

How do you reduce only the text size in Firefox?

In Firefox for Windows, press Alt, open View > Zoom, and select Zoom Text Only. Then press Ctrl + - to reduce the text size.

How do you set a smaller default zoom in Firefox?

Open Firefox's menu, select Settings, find Default zoom, and select a smaller percentage. For a text-only default, select Zoom text only.

How do you change Opera's default zoom for all pages?

In Opera for Windows, open Settings > Appearance > Page zoom and select a smaller percentage. Reload already-open tabs to apply the new default.

Can you briefly see the whole screen while using Magnifier?

In full-screen Magnifier view, hold Ctrl + Alt + Spacebar for a temporary whole-screen overview. Release the keys to restore your magnified view. With Magnifier's touch controls, tap opposite touch bars simultaneously for a temporary whole-screen view.

Can you click a zoom button with Voice access?

With Windows 11 Voice access configured and listening in a supported recognition language, display the app's zoom-out button and say Show numbers. Then say Click <number>, replacing the placeholder with the number shown over that button. This uses Voice access's general control-selection feature.

How do you zoom out with Surface Dial?

With Surface Dial connected to a compatible Windows 11 PC, press the Dial to display its tools and rotate to select the zoom tool. In supported Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator experiences, rotate left to zoom out. Click to fit the content to the screen.