Zoom vs. text size in IE 7

Internet Explorer 7 has many new features to help you as you surf. One I like is the "Zoom" feature.

First, let's be clear. "Zoom" is not the same as "Text size" in IE 7. Changing the text size does only that -- increases or decreases the size of the text on the page. If what looks like text is really part of an image, it does not change. "Zoom" make the entire page enlarge or shrink. That also means that as you enlarge the page, it will (usually) eventually exceed the window area and the left and right parts of the web page will be "cut off" in the view.

So text size and zoom each have their uses.

In the lower right of the (bottom area) status bar, you see a zoom percentage. You have several options to changing the "zoom": level

• Click on the zoom number. This rotates through a three zoom levels (125%, 150%, 100%).
• Click on the down-arrow to the right of the zoom percentage, then select one of the set levels you want to view or choose "Custom view".
• If you have a wheel mouse, hold down on the keyboard's "Control" key (often marked "Ctrl") and rotate the mouse wheel. Rolling toward your body decreases the zoom by 10%. Rotating the wheel away from your body increases the zoom by 10%.
• Hold down on the Control key and then press the plus (+) or minus (-) key to zoom in or out by 10%.