The quickest way to zoom out depends on your device and what you're looking at
On Windows, hold Ctrl and press the minus key (–) to zoom out. On Mac, hold Command and press the minus key. Each press zooms out one step. If you're using a trackpad or mouse with a scroll wheel, you can also hold Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac) and scroll down to zoom out continuously.
These shortcuts work in most programs—web browsers, document editors, spreadsheets, and image viewers. The zoom level stays where you set it until you change it again, so you won't have to reset it every time you open the program.
If the keyboard shortcut doesn't work, your program may have its own zoom menu. Look for a magnifying glass icon or check under the View menu at the top of the window.
Key Takeaways
- Hold Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac) and press the minus key to zoom out one step at a time.
- You can also hold Ctrl or Command and scroll down with your mouse or trackpad to zoom out smoothly.
- Zoom settings stay in place when you close and reopen most programs.
- If keyboard shortcuts don't work, check the View menu or look for a zoom icon in the program's toolbar.
- Zooming out on your screen does not change the actual text size on your computer—it only changes how large things appear to you.
Zooming out in web browsers
Web browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari all use the same zoom shortcuts. Hold Ctrl (or Command on Mac) and press the minus key, or use Ctrl+scroll down. The page will shrink so you can see more of it at once.
You can also click the three-line menu icon (called a hamburger menu) in the top right corner of most browsers, then look for a zoom option. It usually shows a percentage—100% is normal size, and you can click the minus button to zoom out.
If you zoom out too far and text becomes hard to read, zoom back in by holding Ctrl and pressing the plus key (+), or use Ctrl+scroll up. Press Ctrl+0 (zero) to reset the page to 100% zoom when ready.
Zooming out in Windows
On the Windows desktop itself, you can change the zoom level through Settings. Right-click on an empty area of your desktop and select Display settings. Look for the "Scale and layout" section, which shows a percentage like 100%, 125%, or 150%. Click the dropdown and choose a smaller percentage to zoom out the entire desktop, including text, icons, and windows.
This method changes how large everything appears system-wide, not just in one program. It takes effect when ready, though some programs may need to be closed and reopened to show the change properly.
If you only want to zoom out in one program, use the Ctrl+minus shortcut instead. That way your desktop stays at normal size and only that program zooms out.
Zooming out on a Mac
On Mac, hold Command and press the minus key to zoom out in any program. You can also hold Command and scroll down. This works the same way as Windows—each press or scroll step zooms out one level.
To zoom out the entire Mac desktop and menu bar, go to System Settings (or System Preferences on older versions), then click Displays. Look for a "Resolution" or "Scaled" option and select a lower resolution to zoom out everything on your screen.
Like Windows, changing the system-wide zoom requires some programs to restart before they display correctly. Using Command+minus in individual programs is usually faster if you only need to zoom out temporarily.
Zooming out in Microsoft Office and Google Workspace
In Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, the Ctrl+minus (or Command+minus on Mac) shortcut works. You can also look for a zoom slider or percentage in the bottom right corner of the window—click the minus button or drag the slider to the left to zoom out.
In Google Workspace programs, you can also click the View menu at the top and select a zoom percentage directly. Microsoft Office programs have a similar option under the View tab.
Zooming out in these programs is useful when you want to see an entire page or spreadsheet at once, or when you need to check how your document will look when printed. The zoom level saves with your document, so others will see it at the same zoom level you set.
Zooming out in image and photo editors
Programs like Paint, Photoshop, and GIMP use Ctrl+minus (Windows) or Command+minus (Mac) to zoom out. You can also hold Ctrl or Command and scroll down. This lets you see more of your image at once, which is helpful when editing large files or checking your work from a distance.
Many image editors also have a zoom tool in the toolbar—it looks like a magnifying glass. Click it, then click on your image to zoom in or out. Some editors let you hold Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) while clicking to zoom out instead of in.
If you zoom out so far that your image becomes tiny, press Ctrl+0 (or Command+0 on Mac) to fit the entire image in the window, or use View menu options like "Fit to Window" or "Zoom to Fit".
What to do if zoom shortcuts don't work
If Ctrl+minus or Command+minus doesn't zoom out, the program may not support that shortcut. Check the View menu at the top of the window—most programs list zoom options there. You may see buttons labeled with a plus and minus sign, or a percentage you can click to change.
Some programs use different shortcuts. For example, some older software uses Ctrl+scroll wheel instead of Ctrl+minus. Try scrolling while holding Ctrl to see if that works.
If the View menu doesn't have zoom options, the program may not support zooming at all. In that case, you can zoom out your entire screen using Windows Display Settings or Mac System Settings instead, which will make everything in that program appear smaller.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does zooming out change the actual size of files or text on my computer?
No. Zooming out only changes how large things appear on your screen. The actual file size, text size, and data stay the same. When you print a document or send a file to someone else, it will be at its original size, not the zoomed-out size you see.
Why does my screen look blurry after I zoom out?
If you zoom out using Windows Display Settings or Mac System Settings (system-wide zoom), some older programs may not display clearly at the new zoom level. This usually fixes itself if you close and reopen the program. If it doesn't, try zooming back to 100% and using the Ctrl+minus shortcut in individual programs instead.
Can I set a default zoom level so I don't have to zoom out every time?
Yes. Most programs remember your zoom level and use it the next time you open them. If a program doesn't save your zoom setting, you can change the system-wide zoom in Display Settings (Windows) or System Settings (Mac), and that will affect all programs.
What's the difference between zooming out and making text bigger?
Zooming out makes everything smaller so you can see more at once. Making text bigger (usually in Settings or Accessibility options) makes only the text larger while keeping other elements the same size. They serve different purposes—zoom out when you want to see the whole page, and increase text size when you have trouble reading.
How do I zoom out on a Chromebook?
On a Chromebook, hold Ctrl and press the minus key, just like Windows. You can also hold Ctrl and scroll down. Press Ctrl+0 to reset to 100% zoom. Chromebooks use the same zoom shortcuts as Windows computers.