Quick Tip: How to zoom in and out on your Chromebook

We’re back with another quick tip to help you get the most out of your Chromebook. Large or small, HD or 4K, your Chromebooks display is useless if you can’t see what’s on your screen because it’s too small. Thankfully, your lovely little Chrome OS device offers you a number of tools with which you can make the items on your screen larger or smaller at will. I’m going to cover three ways that you can zoom in and out on your Chromebook and then, you can decide which method best fits your needs.

Display size

Every Chromebook comes out of the box with a default display size. The default depends on the size and available resolutions on that particular device. The “native” resolution is the actual resolution of the display and that may or may not be the default resolution. Again, it depends on the device. On this Acer Spin 713 I’m using, the native display is 2K with a resolution of 2256 x 1504 on a 13.5″ screen. That resolution makes elements on the display very, very tiny. Therefore, the default display size on the Spin 713 is actually 1410 x 940 which I find very comfortable. Some users may prefer a higher output while others are comfortable with lower. It’s entirely up to you.

Adjusting the display size will affect all elements on your desktop including your shelf icons. You can change it anytime you want but this is the best way to adjust your display if the overall output is too small or large for your liking. To adjust your display size, head to the settings menu by opening the system tray in the bottom-right corner. Click the gear icon and look for the “device” tab. Click that and then, select “display.” You should see a slider. Adjust that slider until you see a screen size that feels comfortable. You’re all set now. If you decide you want to change it later, just head back to the settings. Additionally, you can use this menu to adjust the display settings and arrange any external monitors you have connected to your Chromebook. Power Tip: You can change the display size using shortcut keys and save yourself some time. Adjust the display size up using Ctrl+Shift+= or down with Ctrl+Shift+-. To reset to the default resolution, just click Ctrl+Shift+0.

Zoom page

If you’re happy with the resolution on your Chromebook but you need to zoom in or out on a specific page, there’s a shortcut to do just that. You can access the “zoom” settings by clicking the three-dot menu at the top-right of the browser but the quick way is to use the shortcuts Ctrl with +/-. Once you’re done getting a closer look, just reset the page zoom with Ctrl+0.

Touchpad

Sometimes, you just want to zoom in on something and you can do so with your trackpad. All it takes is two fingers. Just use your thumb and index finger to pinch and zoom in and out on the active window. Seriously. Try it now. (You don’t have to use your thumb and index. They’re your fingers. Use whichever two you prefer.) Anyway, this is the quickest, easiest way to zoom in on a page or image on your Chromebook without actually adjusting any settings. I hope this helps you get around your Chromebook a little easier. Stay tuned for more Quick Tips from Chrome Unboxed.