How to Zoom In and Zoom Out in Google Docs [2023]

Zooming in and out of a document is a common day-to-day task. Whether having a quick overview of the whole document or taking a closer look at a specific point, you likely need to zoom in and zoom out pretty often. Though there are system options for magnifying your screen, it’s more convenient to zoom in or out directly in Google Docs.

You can do this in several ways. In this guide, we will show you how to zoom in/out in Google Docs with visual references. Let’s get started!

How to Zoom In and Out in Google Docs from the Toolbar

Google Docs has a quick-access toolbar that allows you to perform various tasks easily. The zoom feature is also available in the toolbar. Here is how you zoom in or out from the toolbar.

Step 1: Click on the Zoom tool which looks like a drop-down menu with 100% in it. Remember, this is the default zoom in Google Docs.

Step 2: Different zoom ratios are available in the drop-down menu. Numbers greater than 100 are used for zooming in. You will find 125%, 150%, and 200% zoom options there. We clicked on 150%, for example, and this document is now zoomed in.

Step 3: To zoom out of this document, you need to click a number less than 100. You get 90%, 75%, and 50% zoom options here. We clicked 75% for example, and our document was zoomed out.

Step 4: To go back to the original size, you need to click on 100%. If you click on Fit, your document will zoom in or out as necessary to fit it into this screen.

Step 5: If you want to select the zoom level of anything other than the available options, you need to type that number in the zoom textbox. For example, we put 120 into the box and hit Enter. So, this document is now zoomed in at 120%.

How to Zoom In and Out in Google Docs using Shortcut Keys

Zooming in and out using the Zoom tool every time can be time-consuming. You can use shortcut keys instead to save time and effort. Here is how you zoom in or out in Google Docs using keyboard shortcuts.

Step 1: In an open Google Docs document, place the cursor anywhere in the body of your document. 

Step 2: Press Ctrl + Alt + “+” on your keyboard. This will zoom in on your document at 125%, which is the first preset. If you press these keys together again, your document will zoom in at 150%.

Step 3: Press Ctrl + Alt + “-” on your keyboard to zoom out the document. On the first press, your document will zoom out at 90%, and then, your document will go to 75% if you press these keys again.

How to Zoom In and Out in Google Docs using Mouse

Another easy way to zoom in or out in Google Docs is using the scroll wheel on your mouse. Here is how to do it.

Step 1: In an open Google Docs document, hover your mouse over the body of your document.

Step 2: Press the Ctrl button on your keyboard and rotate the scroll wheel upward. This will zoom in on the document instantly. You can increment the zoom level by 10% at every upward rotation of the scroll wheel.

Step 3: To zoom out, you need to do the opposite. Press the Ctrl button on your keyboard and rotate the scroll wheel downward. You will see your document zoom out right away. In this case, the zoom level will decrease by 10% after every rotation of the wheel.

How to Zoom In and Out in Google Docs using Browser Settings

Besides zooming in and out of a document in Google Docs, you can use your browser settings to zoom in and out. Almost every browser has this option, though we are using Google Chrome in our tutorial. Let’s check this technique out!

Step 1: Click on the three dots at the top right corner of your browser. 

Step 2: Click on Settings from the menu. 

Step 3: On the Settings page, click on the Appearance Tab, and go to the Page Zoom option at the bottom of the page.

Step 4: Click on the Page zoom drop-down box and different zoom options will be available here. You can zoom in up to 500% and zoom out up to 25% from here. Select your desired zoom level, and that percentage will be applied to your document.

Step 5: A more convenient way is to change the zoom level from the menu. Click the three dots at the top right corner of the browser, and you will see the Zoom option in the middle. There are (+) and (-) icons beside the zoom level. You can use these icons to increase or decrease the zoom level.

Final Thought on How to Zoom In and Out in Google Docs

Zooming in or out of your document becomes necessary when using tiny or huge fonts in Google Docs to see content clearly. Now you know multiple ways of accomplishing this task in Google Docs! If you follow these steps correctly, you should be able to change the zoom level of your document according to your convenience.