How to Zoom in Photoshop

You can zoom in on Photoshop by activating the Zoom tool (with the Z key), holding down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) and scrolling with the mouse wheel, choosing View > Zoom In or Out from the menu bar, or pressing the keyboard shortcut Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac) and “+”. You can also use animated zoom by enabling it in Photoshop settings.

For a closer look at your photos or for precise editing, you may want to zoom in on your images. Fortunately, Adobe Photoshop offers several ways to enlarge your photos, including on-screen options and keyboard shortcuts. We’ll show you how to zoom in Photoshop here.

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How to Zoom in Photoshop

Use the Zoom tool

Using Photoshop’s Zoom tool is the easiest way to zoom in (and out) of your images. With this tool, you simply click a spot on your photo and the app zooms in.

While your photo is open in Photoshop, select the Zoom tool (a magnifying glass icon) from the list of tools on the left of your screen. Alternatively, press Z on your keyboard.

With the Zoom tool now activated, click on the area of ​​your photo that you want to enlarge. Photoshop will enlarge that region of the photo. Keep clicking to enlarge even more.

To zoom out on your photo, hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) and click your image.

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Use the mouse scroll wheel

Another way to zoom in Photoshop is to use the scroll wheel on your mouse. You move the wheel and Photoshop zooms in or out of your photo.

To use it, hold down the Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) key on your keyboard and scroll the mouse wheel up or down. Your photo will zoom in and out.

Note: This method does not require you to activate the Zoom tool. You can use any tool in the app and still zoom in and out of the photo.

Use a menu bar option

If you prefer to use an on-screen option, there is an option in the menu bar that you can use to zoom in and out of your photos.

First, open your photo with Photoshop. Then, from the application’s menu bar, select “View”.

From the “View” menu, choose “Zoom In” to zoom in on your photo, or choose “Zoom Out” to zoom out.

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Use a keyboard shortcut

If you’re a keyboard ninja, Photoshop has a keyboard shortcut that allows you to enlarge your images.

Press Ctrl and “+” (Windows) or Command and “+” (Mac) on your keyboard. To zoom out, press Ctrl and “-” (Windows) or Command and the shortcut “-” (Mac).

You can customize your Photoshop keyboard shortcuts if you prefer to use a custom shortcut to activate various options.

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Use animated zoom

With Animated Zoom, you can click and hold a point on your image and Photoshop will slowly zoom in on that part of the photo for you.

To use the feature, you must first activate it. Do this by opening Photoshop settings from Edit (or Photoshop on Mac) > Preferences > General.

Back on the photo, enable the Zoom tool by pressing Z. Then click and hold a point on your photo and let Photoshop zoom in on that area for you.

To zoom out, you would click and hold on the photo while pressing and holding Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) on your keyboard.

Make the image fit your screen

You can also zoom out all the way and make the photo fit in your Photoshop window.

To do that, from Photoshop’s menu bar, select View > Fit to Screen. Or press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + 0 (Windows) or Command + 0 (Mac).

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