5 Simple Ways to Zoom Out on Mac

Have you ever found yourself wishing your Mac screen was smaller or larger? Perhaps you're dealing with documents or images containing tiny text that requires magnification? Yes, we're discussing how to zoom in and out on your Mac. It's not only those with visual impairments who might want to use the zoom feature; there are several reasons for zooming in and out on your Mac. So, the question is, how do I zoom out on my Mac?

How to Zoom Out on a Mac (with Steps)

There are multiple ways to zoom in and out on your Mac. You might have stumbled upon one of these methods unintentionally, but in this explanation, you'll discover five different approaches with detailed steps on how to zoom in and out on your Mac. Here are the five methods:

Method 1: How to Zoom Out on Mac Using Keyboard Shortcuts

This method only impacts the current window you are operating in. If you have an application open in the background, and then you opened your browser and zoomed in or out on the browser window, all background applications will remain at their default screen size.

Use these shortcuts to zoom out on Mac and zoom in on Mac: To zoom out: - Press `Command` + `Option` + `-` (minus sign) - Alternatively, you can use `Command` + `Control` and scroll down using your mouse or trackpad To zoom in: - Press `Command` + `Option` + `+` (plus sign) - Alternatively, you can use `Command` + `Control` and scroll up using your mouse or trackpad

'Shift–Command–Minus sign (-)' for zoom out translates to 'Shift-Command-Minus (-)' for zooming out in English.

'Shift–Command–Plus sign (+)' for zoom in translates to "Shift-Command-Plus (+) for zooming in" in English.

Method 2: How to Zoom Out on Mac Using Trackpad

Arguably the simplest way to zoom out on a Mac is through the trackpad, without needing any extra commands. Provided your Mac has a trackpad, follow these steps: 1. To zoom out, perform a pinching motion by bringing your fingers together on the trackpad. 2. To zoom in, place two fingers on the trackpad and move them in opposite directions to zoom out.

Method 3: Zoom In and Out of the Entire Screen Using Keyboard Shortcuts

This method impacts the entire screen, not just a single application or webpage like the previous approach. To enable this feature, you'll need to modify some of your system settings. Follow these steps: 1. Go to "System Preferences" on your Mac. 2. Select "Accessibility." 3. Click on "Zoom" from the left panel. 4. The first option you'll see is "Use keyboard shortcuts to zoom." Check this box. Once you've enabled this option, you'll be able to use specific keyboard commands to zoom out on your Mac.

You'll see the available shortcuts listed, with the first one being the command to toggle the feature on or off. Keep in mind that this will impact the casual zoom out on a Mac using Method 1, as if you don't toggle it on, you'll only zoom one window instead of the entire screen, and if you don't toggle it off, you'll zoom the whole screen rather than a single window.

The commands are:

'Option-Command-8' to toggle the full screen zoom feature on and off.

'Option-Command-Plus sign (+)' to zoom in on the entire screen on a Mac.

'Option-Command-Minus Sign (-)' to zoom out the entire screen on a Mac

Method 4: How to Zoom Out on Mac Using Scrolling

Under System Preferences > Accessibility > Zoom, the second full-screen zoom option utilizes scrolling gestures. This approach enables you to zoom out on your Mac by pressing and holding a designated key while scrolling with your mouse or trackpad. Prior to this, you need to set which keys you will press to enable scrolling for zooming in or out. After selecting the key and applying the changes, press and hold the assigned key, scroll up to zoom in, and scroll down to zoom out on your Mac.

Method 5: Enabling Hover Text for Zooming

For Macs with the latest updates, there's an extra option under the Zoom settings, which is the Hover Text to Zoom feature. You can also click here to learn how to use hover text on Mac.

Once the options have been selected, you need to press and hold the 'command' key and keep your cursor hovering over the area you wish to zoom in on.

If you're a beginner Mac user, you might also find the guide How to Copy and Paste on Mac useful.

Conclusion

There are at least five distinct methods to zoom in and out on a Mac using built-in settings, and each method proves useful for different purposes. It's beneficial to familiarize yourself with all of them and employ them as needed.