Zooming Back to Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!

By | July 21, 2019
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Zooming Back to Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!

This tip works in Windows 10, and Windows 11

Make Text Bigger or smaller When Reading Emails or Web Pages; Make Icons Bigger or Smaller on Your Desktop or in File Explorer

Over the last few weeks, we’ve received a couple of dozen emails from people asking for help because the text in an email or web page has become too small to read comfortably and asking us “How can I make the text bigger?” While each browser and email program has its own “view” options, this tip will work on almost any browser or email program. So, it’s kind of like “one size fits all”, only this one-size-fits-all really does!

To enlarge the text in your email reading pane or when using your Web browser, hold down the CTRL key and move the mouse wheel away from you until the text is as large as you want it. You can also hold down the CTRL key and keep tapping the + (plus) key until the text is as big as you want it. This works when reading an email, as well as when composing an email. It also works on most web pages in most browsers.

If you want to make the text smaller, hold down the CTRL key and move the mouse wheel toward you. Or hold down the CTRL key and keep tapping the – (minus/dash) key until the font is the size you want it. As with making text larger, this works in most email programs when reading mail as well as when composing mail. It also works in most browsers on most web pages.

Cloudeight InfoAve

Above is the compose window in Thunderbird. The text is the normal size. But, my eyes are weary and I’m having trouble reading that, so a little CTRL Key + moving the scroll wheel away from me (toward the screen) and look!

Cloudeight InfoAve

No matter how blurry my eyes were or where my glasses were, I could still read that!

And it works the same in the reading pane (window):

Cloudeight InfoAve

Above. I was feeling patriotic and decided to send myself the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution. But when I received it, sans glasses, I couldn’t read it very well. But then, a little Ctrl Key magic and… look ma! No more squinting!

Cloudeight InfoAve

Now, look up there. See? Now I can see the double comma I didn’t realize was there.

So if you’re having problems reading or writing an email because the text is too small and you want a quick way to make it bigger – you got it!

In Thunderbird (and some other email programs) the text will remain larger until you restart the programs. In most browsers, changing the text size as above only works for the current tab/page.

Note: When composing an email, you also make your font bigger in your email program’s options/settings. But be careful with this: If your recipient has normal vision your text may look HUGE to them if you change the font size in your email program. If you use the method above, the recipient will see the normal text size set in their email program, but you’ll see the text as big as you need it to be.

This tip works in any browser too!

This works in any browser including Firefox, Chrome, Opera, Microsoft Edge, Brave, Vivaldi, and more. You can make page contents, including text, bigger or smaller using the Ctrl key and your mouse wheel.

You can also use this tip to make your desktop icons bigger or smaller

That’s right! You can use CTRL + mouse wheel to make your desktop icons larger or smaller. You can also use the same method to change the size of icons in File Explorer. Check out the screenshots below:

File Explorer Zooming - Cloudeight

File Explorer Zooming - Cloudeight InfoAve

Above: Changing the size of icons in File Explorer.

Below: Changing the size of icons on the Desktop.

Zooming Desktop Icons -Cloudeight

Zooming Desktop Icons - Cloudeight

 

5 thoughts on “Zooming Back to Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!

  1. JonInOz

    Hi TC & EB,

    I see this as a very good tip for many people, increasing or decreasing the text size in a simple manner.

    Text, it is sad that many people with a ‘smart telephone’ cannot determine the difference between text and message, so how is it possible to send texts, text is singular and can’t be pluralised and why sending a ‘message’ has been incorrectly renamed.
    One person saying to another, “Text me tomorrow” for instance continues to be another addition of ‘gobbledy-gook’ speaking added to the already confusing English Language.

    Reply
  2. Arnie Brown

    Thanks Folks for this tip. GREAT-GREAT-GREAT. I’ve been looking for a simple fix, and you gave me the simple answer.
    Arnie

    Reply
  3. Eric

    As a side note, if you want to reset the size of the text to what it was before using the ctl key just enter ctl + 0.

    Reply
  4. anne

    Thank you again for this tip.
    This incident never happened before on any of your emails.
    I will always remember it.
    Your are marvelous

    Reply

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