How to Zoom In and Out in Excel Application? A Helpful View
In this tutorial, I will explore in detail how to zoom in and out in Excel application to view the proper worksheet area accordingly. The default display setting of zoom in and out in Excel is 100%, and it is the actual size of the data that appears on the screen. However, Excel provides the flexibility to enhance the zooming percentage of your Excel sheet. It allows you to adjust/make your worksheet elements appear larger or smaller than their original size for better readability and ease of navigation.
You can zoom in and out in Excel sheet to show your data in percentages ranging from 10% (making it appear smaller) to 400% (making it appear larger). It’s important to note that zooming changes the on-screen appearance. It does not impact the actual font size or formatting of your data, and it has no effect on the printed output.
How to Zoom In and Out in Excel Application?
Zoom In:
When you zoom in, you can magnify the worksheet data by moving the slider to the right or clicking on the plus sign (+). It is located at the right lower corner of the Excel sheet, as you can see in the above screenshot. This action changes your perspective, providing a more detailed and enlarged view of the workbook.
Excel allows you to zoom in up to a maximum of 400%, offering an excellent look at your data, as illustrated in the screenshot above.
Zoom Out:
On the other hand, when you need to see more area/data of your worksheet, you can use the zoom-out feature by moving the slider to the left or clicking on the minus sign (-), as you can see in the above screenshot.
Zooming out provides a wider, normally less data area view of your worksheet. Excel permits you to zoom out to a minimum of 10%. This dynamic zoom feature enables you to extend your workspace to the specific needs of your Excel tasks.
How can you zoom to a specific area of data in an Excel spreadsheet?
To zoom in on a specific area of data in an Excel spreadsheet, you can use the “Zoom to Selection” feature. This feature will allow you to closely focus on the portion of the sheet you’re working with. This is especially helpful when dealing with large spreadsheets where only a small section of the data is relevant at the moment.
This feature automatically adjusts the zoom level so that the selected area fills the screen, making it easier to view and work with specific data.
To zoom to a specific area of data in an Excel spreadsheet, follow these steps:
- Select the specific area of data or range of cells that you want to focus on.
- Go to the View tab on the Ribbon.
- In the Zoom group, click on Zoom to Selection.
Keyboard Shortcuts for Zooming In and Out in Excel:
While Excel doesn’t have a direct built-in keyboard shortcut for zooming, you can use the following methods:
Using a Laptop Computer:
When using a laptop, you can easily zoom in and out in Excel (and other applications) without a mouse. The most common method is by using the touchpad and keyboard.
Using Touchpad:
- To zoom in, place two fingers and slide them away from each other on the touchpad.
- To zoom out, place two fingers and slide them close to each other on the touchpad.
Keyboard with Mouse:
- Zoom In: Press and hold the Ctrl button and scroll your mouse wheel up.
- Zoom Out: Press and hold the Ctrl button and scroll your mouse wheel down.
Alternatively, to zoom in and zoom out without a mouse:
- Press Alt + W, then Q: This opens the Zoom dialog box.
- Select the desired zoom percentage (e.g., 150 for 150%) and press the Enter button on the keyboard.
Other methods are also being used for this valuable command, like the Zoom dialog box and the Quick Access Toolbar.
