There are several ways in which you can optimize the reading experience while using a web browser. One way is to zoom in and make the text, images, and icons bigger on the web pages that you want to read. You may need to do this because your eyes are tired, or the resolution of the screen is not ideal. However, at some point, you may need to zoom out or reset the zoom level to get things back to normal. Here’s how to do all this in Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Opera, and Mozilla Firefox:

NOTE: Zooming in and out resizes the entire content of web pages, including images. If you only need to modify the size of the text on web pages without impacting other elements, we have you covered as well with this tutorial: How do I make the text bigger in Chrome and other browsers (Firefox, Edge, Opera, Internet Explorer). You can also increase the screen space available for web pages by using Full screen mode.

How to zoom in and zoom out in Chrome

The most straightforward way to zoom in and out when using Google Chrome on Windows devices is by using the keyboard shortcuts. For zooming in (making the contents larger), press CTRL together with + (the plus sign), and for zooming out (making the contents smaller), press CTRL together with - (the minus sign).

Zoom in and out in Chrome by pressing the Ctrl and the + or - sign

Another way to zoom in and out is by using both your keyboard and mouse. Keep CTRL pressed on your keyboard while using the mouse scroll wheel. Scrolling up increases the size of the web page content, while scrolling down decreases it.

Use CTRL + mouse wheel to modify zoom levels in Chrome

Finally, you can zoom in and out by using the Google Chrome interface. First, click or tap the “Customize and control Google Chrome” button (the one with three vertical dots). Then, click or tap on the (+) and (-) buttons next to Zoom.

Access the Zoom controls in Google Chrome

When zoomed in or out in Chrome, you can disable the zoom and return to the default size by clicking or tapping on the magnifying lens icon on the right side of the address bar and then on Reset. You can also change the zoom level by using the adjacent plus (+) and minus (-) buttons.

Reset or modify zoom levels by clicking the magnifying glass icon

NOTE: The magnifying glass icon only appears if the current zoom level is not 100%.

How to zoom in and zoom out in Microsoft Edge

Just like with Google Chrome, you can zoom in and out in Microsoft Edge using keyboard shortcuts. You increase the size of content by pressing CTRL together with + (the plus sign) and you decrease it by pressing CTRL together with - (the minus sign).

If you prefer, you can use your keyboard and mouse to zoom in and out. You do this by pressing and holding CTRL on your keyboard while using the mouse scroll wheel. If you want to increase the size of the web page content, scroll up; if you want to decrease it, scroll down.

Zooming in and out can also be done without the use of a keyboard. First, click or tap on “Settings and more”, the button with three horizontal dots situated in the upper right corner of the browser window. Then, click or tap on the (+) and (-) signs next to Zoom. The zoom percentage is shown between the buttons.

The zoom controls in the Microsoft Edge menu

You can quickly zoom in and out or reset the zoom level to 100% by clicking or tapping on the magnifying glass icon on the right side of the address bar. To revert to original zoom levels, click on Reset.

Modify zoom levels by clicking the magnifying glass icon

NOTE: The magnifying glass icon is only shown if the current zoom level is not 100%.

How to zoom in and zoom out in Mozilla Firefox

There are three ways to zoom in and out when using Mozilla Firefox. The first way is to use the keyboard. Press CTRL together with + (the plus sign) to increase the zoom level, and CTRL together with - (the minus sign) to decrease it.

The second way to change the zoom level in Mozilla Firefox is by using your mouse scroll wheel together with the keyboard. Hold CTRL pressed on your keyboard and rotate the scroll wheel up (to increase the zoom level) or down (to decrease it).

You can also zoom in and out by using the interface. First, click or tap on the "hamburger" button (“Open application menu”) situated in the top-right corner of the window. Then, use the (-) and (+) buttons next to Zoom to modify zoom levels. You can reset the zoom level by pressing the percentage between the (-) and (+) buttons.

Zoom controls in the Mozilla Firefox menu

If you want to quickly reset the zoom level without accessing the menu, click or tap on the button that shows the zoom percentage, located on the right side of the address bar. The zoom level only appears if the zoom is not 100%.

Reset zoom levels by clicking the zoom percentage

Using zoom in and zoom out in Opera

Similarly to other browsers, you can zoom in and out when using Opera by using the keyboard. Press CTRL together with + (the plus sign) to zoom in, and CTRL together with - (the minus sign) to zoom out.

You can also modify the zoom level by using the mouse together with the keyboard. Press and hold CTRL on your keyboard, then use the scroll wheel on your mouse to zoom in and out.

Alternatively, you can use the Opera menus to zoom in and out. Click or tap on the “Customize and control Opera” button located in the top-left corner of the window (the O letter). Go to Zoom and press the (-) button to zoom out and the (+) button to zoom in. The current zoom level is shown between the two buttons.

The zoom controls in the Opera menu

If the zoom level is not 100%, a button appears on the right side of the browser address bar. You can click on this icon to modify the zoom level or to reset it to 100%.

Quickly modify zoom levels using the magnifying glass button

How do you access zooming in your browser?

Zooming out saves us a lot of scrolling, while zooming in is very useful when we use devices with small screens and high resolutions. What method do you prefer to use when zooming in and out in your browser? Let us know in a comment below.