Did you know that Windows has a utility that allows you to magnify what’s on the screen? Some form of this utility has been in Windows for years but it doesn’t seem to be all that well known. In Windows 7, it comes with a variety of keyboard shortcuts that make using it quite easy. It is part of the Ease of Access Center discussed in a previous tip It can be accessed there by opening the Ease of Access Center with the keyboard shortcut
Windows key+U
or directly with the keyboard combination
Windows key and Plus Sign(+)
- Full-screen mode—In full-screen mode, the entire screen is magnified.
- Lens mode—In lens mode, a separate window around the mouse pointer is created that acts like a magnifying glass. When you move the mouse pointer, this window moves along with it.
- Docked mode— In docked mode, the magnified area is docked to the top of the screen. This is the only mode available if Aero is disabled.
Magnifier can be managed with a variety of shortcuts, which are given in the table below.
Keyboard combination | Action |
---|---|
Windows key and Plus Sign (+) or Minus Sign (-) | Zoom in or out |
Ctrl+Alt+Spacebar | Preview the desktop in full-screen mode |
Ctrl+Alt+F | Switch to full-screen mode |
Ctrl+Alt+L | Switch to lens mode |
Ctrl+Alt+D | Switch to docked mode |
Ctrl+Alt+I | Invert colors |
Ctrl+Alt+arrow keys | Pan in the direction of the arrow keys |
Ctrl+Alt+R | Resize the lens |
Windows key + Esc | Exit Magnifier |
This tips section is maintained by Vic Laurie. Vic runs a Windows blog called The PC Informant and also operates a computer education website.
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