How to Use Screen Magnifier in Chromebook

Key takeaways:

• Chromebook has two built-in magnifiers: full screen and docked.
• You can turn them on in settings or with keyboard shortcuts.
• Adjust zoom level and follow cursor for better reading.

Having trouble reading tiny text on your Chromebook? Or maybe you just want things a bit bigger so your eyes don’t get tired. Good news: Chromebook comes with its own screen magnifier, and you don’t need any extra apps to use it. I’ll walk you through how to turn it on, what the options do, and some quick tips to make it work for you.

Where to Find the Screen Magnifier Settings on Chromebook

So, here’s the deal. Chromebook has a built-in accessibility section, and that’s where the magnifier lives. You don’t need to download anything or mess with weird extensions. Just open up your Settings app. You can do that from the launcher menu—just hit the circle icon in the bottom left, type “settings,” and click it.

Once you’re in, look for Accessibility on the left sidebar. If you don’t see it right away, you might have to click “Advanced” first. Under Accessibility, hit “Display and magnification.” This is where the magic happens.

The Two Types of Magnifiers: Full Screen vs Docked

Chromebook gives you two ways to zoom in on stuff:

• Full Screen Magnifier: This one zooms your entire screen. Everything gets bigger, and you move around by pushing your mouse to the edge of the screen. To turn it on, flip the switch in settings, or just hit Search + Ctrl + M on your keyboard. The whole screen will zoom in, and you can move around by sliding your cursor.
• Docked Magnifier: This one’s a little different. Instead of zooming everything, it adds a bar at the top of your screen that shows a magnified view of where your cursor is. The rest of your screen stays normal. To turn it on, use the switch in settings, or hit Search + Ctrl + D. The docked magnifier is great if you want to keep an eye on the big picture but still read small text up close.

If you want to know more about customizing your Chromebook, check out how to change your Chromebook wallpaper or how to enable dark mode on Chromebook.

Adjusting the Zoom Level and Other Options

Both magnifiers let you tweak how much they zoom. In the settings, you’ll find a slider to change the zoom level—anywhere from 2x up to 20x. Honestly, 20x is wild, so most people stick with 2x or 3x.

There are some bonus options too:

• Magnifier follows the word being read by Select-to-Speak: If you use the Select-to-Speak feature, the magnifier will follow along as text is read out loud.
• Magnifier follows ChromeVox focus: If you use ChromeVox (Chromebook’s screen reader), the magnifier can follow what it’s reading.

Keyboard Shortcuts for Quick Access

Here’s a cheat sheet:

Want more Chromebook tips? How to take a screenshot on Chromebook is a lifesaver if you need to save what you’re seeing.

What It’s Like to Use Each Magnifier

I’ve used both, and here’s what I noticed:

• Full screen magnifier is good if you want everything big, but it can be a little disorienting since you have to move your mouse around to see different parts of the screen.
• Docked magnifier feels more natural for reading or following along with the cursor. You get a zoomed-in view but still see the whole screen.

If you’re switching between tasks, you might find how to split your screen on Chromebook handy too.

Troubleshooting and Extra Tips

• If you turn on the magnifier and nothing happens, double-check you’re not using a mirrored display or an external monitor. Sometimes the effect won’t show up on those.
• You can turn off the magnifier any time by flipping the switch in settings or using the same keyboard shortcut you used to turn it on.
• If you want to make text even easier to see, try how to increase font size on Chromebook.

FAQs

How do I turn off the Chromebook magnifier?

Just use the same shortcut you used to turn it on (Search + Ctrl + M or D), or go back to Settings > Accessibility > Display and magnification and flip the switch off.

Can I change how much the screen is zoomed in?

Yep! There’s a zoom slider in the magnifier settings. You can pick anywhere from 2x up to 20x, but most people stick with 2x or 3x.

Does the magnifier work with Select-to-Speak or ChromeVox?

Yes, there are options to make the magnifier follow what’s being read out loud or what’s focused by ChromeVox.

Why isn’t the magnifier working on my Chromebook?

If you’re using a mirrored display or controlling your Chromebook from another device, the magnifier might not show up. Try using it on your Chromebook screen directly.

Are there other ways to make things easier to see on Chromebook?

Absolutely! You can invert colors, increase font size, or even change your wallpaper for better contrast.

Hope this helps you see everything on your Chromebook way clearer! 👀✨