If we use one large screen or with a high resolution (starting at 1920×1080 pixels) we will notice that on Windows readability will not be the best, with icons and small text.This is not a defect, but the consequence of the fact that the screen space widens by setting the higher resolution. The solution to this problem is certainly not to lower the resolution, because the visual quality supported by the screen would also decrease.
To solve this problem we can increase the size of system text and icons, in order to enlarge the writing on the desktop and in every window and program, without losing visual quality and without seeing blurred characters.
We see how to enlarge text and icons on Windows to withstand even the highest resolutions of modern monitors.
How to enlarge text and icons on Windows
The settings to change the size of the text and icons on Windows are integrated within the system, we just have to open the configuration panel suitable for the Microsoft operating system used and set the desired zoom value (expressed in percentage values) . Normal zoom is always indicated as 100%, so just choose a value even slightly higher to get an enlargement of the text and icons.
How to enlarge text and icons on Windows 10
In Windows 10 the options to enlarge or reduce the size of text and icons on the screen can be changed by pressing on the Start menu at the bottom left, opening the app Settingsby clicking on the menu System and bringing us to the menu Screen.
In the Resizing and layout section we can change the magnification of the text and icons by changing the percentage value expressed in the field Change the size of text, apps and other items. In Windows 10 we can enlarge every element of the system up to 175% (where allowed), even if in most cases it is sufficient to set an enlargement value between 110% and the 125% to get a good result without distorting the icons and texts (which can also be very annoying with too much zoom applied).
To avoid a decrease in visual quality following an enlargement of the text and to choose to enlarge text and icons with a personalized value, we press on the item Advanced resizing settings present immediately under the previously edited item, so you can activate the switch on the item Let Windows try to fix app problems so they don't get blurry.
Once the changes have been applied, we restart the computer to finally have all the Windows writings and icons at the appropriate size and enjoy a screen at maximum resolution.
Note that on the desktop icons can be enlarged or made smaller by right clicking on an empty spot on the desktop, pressing on View and choosing whether to see large, small or medium icons; alternatively, just hold down the CTRL key and move the mouse wheel to dynamically change the size of the icons shown on the screen.
How to magnify text and icons on Windows 8.1 or 7
To find options useful for enlarging text and icons on Windows 8 and Windows 7, we open the menu or the Start screen, we open the Control panel and go to the section Appearance and personalization, where we can find the entry Change screen resolution; in the new screen let's make sure to press on the item Enlarging or reducing the size of text and other elements.
In the new screen that will open we can choose whether to use a sizing of the elements at 125% or to 150% (where available).
In this way the icons on the desktop and the text shown in the system will be bigger, allowing a better readability and a better display of programs and menus.
How to change the zoom on browsers
If the zoom problem affects the contents displayed on the browser, we can act on it without changing the system settings as seen so far.
As soon as we open the browser on the page that is difficult to read, we hold down the button CTRL and turn the mouse wheel, so as to change the zoom applied to the page; alternatively we can also open the browser menu and choose the zoom level to be applied.
To return to the normal zoom level, simply set 100% to the zoom level of the menu proposed by the browser or, alternatively, press CTRL + 0 (zero) to reset the starting zoom.
Conclusions
Applying the right magnification to the screen is very simple and it is highly recommended if we have a monitor with 1080รจ resolution or higher, since the icons may be really too small to be clickable and the text so tiny to cause a noticeable eye strain. If we want to enlarge the screen or some part of it temporarily, we can always use the tool magnifying glass, which we can search in the Start menu of any version of Windows still supported. There Windows magnifying glass it works in full screen or as a lens that enlarges what is framed by the mouse or even in an anchored way, showing the enlarged screen in a space at the top.
If we need to change the screen resolution, we can do so by reading our guide on How to change the screen resolution in Windows 10.
If instead we want to apply different zoom levels according to the site visited, we can customize our visual experience by reading our article Set the ideal zoom for each site with Firefox and Chrome.