Zoom is that utility that allows us to enlarge a specific area of our screen to see it larger. It is not only useful to see an image with a higher level of detail, but it is also a tremendously useful tool for people with vision problems.
What many people don’t know is that Android also offers the possibility of zooming in on any part of the screen , whatever the app we are using. It is an option that is somewhat hidden, so we are going to take advantage of this post today to show you how to activate this magnificent utility. Below we explain how to zoom in any area of our Android screen. Let’s start!
Activate the gestures of enlargement or “zoom” of Android
On Android, the zoom function is known as “ magnification gestures ” or “ magnification ” (just plain), and it is a utility that is disabled by default on all devices. In order to activate the zoom mode, the first thing we have to do is access the general system configuration settings (the classic icon of a gear). Once inside, we will go to the “ Accessibility ” settings and click on the “ Extension ” option.
Once inside the enlargement menu, we will activate the « Shortcut to enlarge » tab. Once this option is activated, we will see that an accessibility icon appears in the navigation bar (a person with arms outstretched), just in the lower right area of the screen.
To zoom in we just have to press the accessibility icon in the navigation bar and then touch the area of the screen that we want to enlarge. Its operation is as follows:
To expand:
- Tap the accessibility icon in the navigation bar.
- Touch the screen.
- Drag two fingers to move around the screen.
- Pinch with two fingers to zoom.
- Use the shortcut to stop the magnification.
To temporarily extend:
- Make sure you have set the magnification type to full screen, within the “Magnification” settings.
- Tap the accessibility icon in the navigation bar.
- Touch and hold anywhere on the screen.
- Drag your finger to move around the screen.
- Release your finger to stop magnification.
As a last detail, clarify that the system does not allow zooming on the keyboard or the navigation bar. Bear that in mind!
Shouldn’t zoom be on by default?
The truth is that the zoom function is a very juicy utility and I do not understand how they have not decided to leave it activated by default throughout all these years (or at least in a more visible place). I understand that in some cases it could cause usability problems, but the chances of triggering it by mistake I would say are almost minimal . It is true that in some games this can be a problem, but surely that could also be solved without major complications. In any case, it is a subject that has been studied and that Android developers have taken into account, so we are going to trust their know-how.
So now you know, if you want to activate the zoom and see with a greater level of detail everything that passes through your screen, you only have to activate this small tab in the accessibility options of your terminal. Surely more than one appreciates it.