IE7's Zoom Feature is Easy to Use

Tue Jan 23, 2007 11:51AM EST

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I have researched several zoom options for my parents to make reading small print on their computer screen easier, but they all pale in comparison to Internet Explorer 7's magnifying tool.

Before IE7, the best my mom could do was play with font and DPI resolution settings. But an easy-to-find and use magnifier on IE7 makes changing zoom settings a snap. I think it will make life on the Internet a little easier to navigate for my folks, who bought their first computer in their eighties. (They were happy with MSN's WebTV for several years before.)

I've been playing with the magnifier to test if it will be easy for my mom and dad to use. In the bottom right-hand corner of the IE7 screen, there's an icon with a magnifying glass and a percentage next to it. Left click on the arrow next to the icon, and you can choose percentages ranging from 50 percent to 400 percent. While on a web page, you can also hit CTRL and the plus (+) sign to zoom in at 10 percent intervals and CTRL and the minus (-) sign to zoom out at the same pace. It couldn't be easier. And it is much better than the Microsoft Magnifier. Microsoft has definitely streamlined something that was possible before with several clicks into a simple, accessible action.

It's a great feature not only for aging eyes but for anyone who comes across a web page with ridiculously sized fonts on dark backgrounds. It renders IE7 a must download for anyone who could use some intuitive help to quickly enlarge the print on different pages at different zoom levels. Check it out.

Related: 

How To: Magnify Your Computer Screen
Screen Magnifiers for the Vision Impaired

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Comments on IE7's Zoom Feature is Easy to Use

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  • 1 Posted by galtonjisix on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:05PM EDT Report Abuse

    Have to agree with you ... Ive been using IE7 for about a month or so now and find it much easier to use and less prone to crashing. I especially like the new tabbing feature and anti-phishing tool ... whilst all new to IE7, its really just a catch up to some of the other browsers that have been out there for a while. Still, better late than never!

  • 2 Posted by timo_lee on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:10PM EDT Report Abuse

    Im not trying to be a punk or whatever you want to call it but these features are nothing new, Firefox had these since I don't know when. I think even Konqueror on Linux had tabs as well as a zoom option. Also on Firefox when you hold down the CTRL button and move your scroll wheel up and down you can also zoom in and out of text.

  • 3 Posted by jdbhills on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:31PM EDT Report Abuse

    OPERA had this YEARS ago. The best browser out there for many years running, OPERA.

  • 4 Posted by lonniebiz on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:56PM EDT Report Abuse

    IE7's zoom feature is different than Firefox's; it magnifies everything (including images and layout) proportionately while Firefox only increases the font size. I like both features; each needs to get the other.

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