How to zoom and pan images in Photoshop

How to Zoom and Scroll Images in Photoshop

This tutorial shows you how to zoom, scroll and navigate images in Photoshop similar a pro. You lot'll learn how to utilize the Zoom Tool, the Hand Tool, the View commands and more, along with some great tips and tricks to speed upwardly your workflow!

If you're new to Photoshop, one of the first things you need to know is how to navigate an image, meaning how to zoom in and zoom out, and how to pan or scroll an paradigm from i expanse to some other. So in this tutorial, I show you the best ways to work. I cover the basics of zooming and panning images, including the tools and commands you demand to know. But I as well bear witness yous lots of swell tips and tricks to speed things upwardly!

I'thousand using Photoshop 2022 merely whatsoever recent version will work. This is lesson one of seven in Affiliate 4 - Navigating Images in Photoshop.

Let's get started!

How to zoom in and zoom out in Photoshop

You can follow along with your own epitome. I'll use this image from Adobe Stock.

An image opened in Photoshop

Opening the paradigm in Photoshop.

Where to detect the electric current zoom level

When yous first open your image, Photoshop zooms the image out so it fits entirely on the screen. And we can see the electric current zoom level in the document tab at the top. In my case, information technology's 33.3%. Your value may be different.

Viewing the current zoom level in the Photoshop document tab.

Viewing the current zoom level in the tab.

Changing the zoom level

The zoom level is besides displayed in the lower left of the certificate. Just the divergence is that we can modify the zoom level from here.

The zoom level displayed in the lower left of the Photoshop document.

Viewing the zoom level in the lesser left corner.

Double-click on the current value to highlight it.

Highlighting the current zoom level.

Highlighting the current zoom level.

Then enter a new value, like l for 50%.

Entering a new zoom level for the Photoshop document.

Entering a new zoom level.

Press Enter on a Windows PC or Return on a Mac. And the image instantly jumps to the new zoom level.

The image is now zoomed in to 50 percent in Photoshop

The image is now zoomed to fifty%.

Zooming with the Scrubby Slider

And here'southward the kickoff tip. If you hover your cursor over the zoom level in the lower left, and hold downwardly the Ctrl cardinal on your keyboard, or the Command cardinal on a Mac, your cursor will change to a scrubby slider.

Hovering over the zoom level while holding the Ctrl (Win) / Command (Mac) key

Hover over the zoom level and hold Ctrl (Win) / Command (Mac).

You can then drag to the correct to zoom in, or elevate to the left to zoom out. And if you add the Shift fundamental (so that's Shift+Ctrl in Windows or Shift+Command on a Mac) yous'll zoom in or out in larger 10% increments.

Dragging with the scrubby slider to zoom in on the image.

Dragging with the scrubby slider to zoom in.

Photoshop'due south Zoom In and Zoom Out commands

Some other way to zoom in and out of an image is by going up to the View menu in the Carte du jour Bar and using the Zoom In and Zoom Out commands.

Photoshop's Zoom In and Zoom Out commands under the View menu.

The Zoom In and Zoom Out commands nether the View menu.

I'll choose Zoom In, and Photoshop zooms the prototype in a bit closer. The but problem with these commands is that you would need to keep going dorsum to the View menu and reselecting them to zoom in or out further.

The result after selecting the Zoom In command.

The consequence after selecting the Zoom In command.

The Zoom In and Zoom Out keyboard shortcuts

Thankfully, each command has a keyboard shortcut. And these are two of the virtually useful shortcuts in Photoshop to memorize. To zoom in, press and concur the Ctrl cardinal, or the Command fundamental on a Mac, and then press the plus sign (+). And to zoom out, hold the Ctrl key, or Control on a Mac, and press the minus sign (-).

The keyboard shortcuts for Photoshop's Zoom In and Zoom Out commands.

The keyboard shortcuts for the Zoom In and Zoom Out commands.

Photoshop's zoom level presets

Go on an center on the zoom level in the document tab as you press Ctrl++ (Win) / Command++ (Mac) to zoom in on the image, and Ctrl+- (Win) / Command+- (Mac) to zoom out. Notice that the zoom level jumps to specific values.

For example, if y'all zoom out to 25%:

Zooming the image out to 25 percent.

Zoomed out to 25%.

And so press Ctrl++ (Win) / Control++ (Mac) to zoom in, the zoom level will leap to 33.three%.

Photoshop jumps the zoom level from 25 percent to 33.3 percent

The zoom level jumps from 25% to 33.3%.

Continue zooming in and the zoom level jumps to 50%, then 66.7%, and so 100%. And if you press Ctrl+- (Win) / Command+- (Mac) repeatedly to zoom out, the zoom level jumps from 100% back to 66.vii%, then l%, 33.3%, then back to 25%.

These are non random values. These are the zoom levels that give us the most authentic view of the image. Whatever time we're viewing the image at a zoom level less than 100%, we're not seeing all of the pixels. And then Photoshop needs to redraw the epitome with fewer pixels while withal trying to make information technology await as authentic as possible.

Merely if you're zoomed in at a value other than one of these presets, the prototype will look softer on your screen than it really is.

For example, on the left is the image zoomed in to an odd value, similar 51.25%. And on the right is the prototype zoomed in to l% (one of the presets). Notice how her eyelashes look softer on the left and sharper on the right. That'south because the 50% zoom level on the right is giving us a more than accurate view.

A comparison of the sharpness at two different zoom levels in Photoshop.

A sharpness comparison with the zoom level at 51.25% (left) and 50% (right).

And then whenever yous need a sharper view of your epitome, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl++ (Win) / Command++ (Mac) to zoom in, or Ctrl+- (Win) / Command+- (Mac) to zoom out to the nearest preset level (25%, 33.3%, 50%, 66.7%, 100% and so on).

The Fit on Screen command

To go back to viewing the entire epitome at once, become upward to the View carte and choose the Fit on Screen command. And find that information technology has a keyboard shortcut, Ctrl+0 or Command+0 on a Mac.

Choosing the Fit on Screen command from the View menu in Photoshop.

Going to View > Fit on Screen.

I'll choose Fit on Screen, and at present the entire image is once once more visible.

The zoom level after choosing the Fit on Screen command in Photoshop.

The result after choosing Fit on Screen.

The 100% view

Just to get the near accurate view possible, nosotros need to view the image at a zoom level of 100%. And you can jump to 100% at any time by going up to the View menu and choosing 100%. Or by pressing the keyboard shortcut, Ctrl+1 or Command+ane on a Mac.

Choosing the 100 percent command from Photoshop's View menu.

Going to View > 100%.

While we have the View card open, find that all of the main zoom commands share the same key for their shortcut. It's the Ctrl key on a Windows PC and the Command cardinal on a Mac. Once you know that, all you demand to retrieve is to add the plus sign to zoom in, the minus sign to zoom out, 0 to fit the image on screen, and i to jump to 100%.

The zoom command keyboard shortcuts in Photoshop.

The zoom command shortcuts.

I'll choose 100%, and the image jumps to the 100% zoom level.

Viewing the image at the 100 percent zoom level in Photoshop.

Viewing the image at the 100% zoom level.

It's very important to understand that viewing the image at 100% is the only manner to see a truly accurate view of your epitome with all of its detail. At 100%, each pixel in the image is displayed past a single pixel on your screen. And that is not true with whatever other zoom level.

So if you are sharpening the image or doing anything where you need the virtually authentic view possible, be certain to view it at 100%.

For now, I'll go dorsum to fitting it on the screen by pressing Ctrl+0 (Win) / Command+0 (Mac).

Fitting the image on screen.

Fitting the prototype on screen.

Using the Zoom Tool

So far, we've learned that we can zoom in and out using the Zoom in and Zoom Out commands. And yous'll use these commands all the time. But they do have one big drawback. They can only zoom on the middle of the document window.

To command which part of the image we're zooming in to, we use Photoshop's Zoom Tool, constitute near the lesser of the toolbar. You tin likewise select the Zoom Tool from your keyboard by pressing the alphabetic character Z.

Selecting Photoshop's Zoom Tool from the toolbar.

Selecting the Zoom Tool from the toolbar.

With the Zoom Tool active, your mouse cursor changes to a magnifying glass with a plus sign in the middle.

The Zoom Tool's magnifying glass icon.

The Zoom Tool'southward magnifying drinking glass icon.

Click on the area with the Zoom Tool to zoom in, and click repeatedly to zoom in closer. The Zoom Tool uses the same preset values as the Zoom In and Zoom Out commands that we looked at earlier (similar 25%, 33.3%, 50%, 66.7%, 100%) so you're getting the most accurate view.

Zooming in closer to the woman's eye with Photoshop's Zoom Tool.

Clicking with the Zoom Tool to zoom in on her center.

To zoom out with the Zoom Tool, printing and agree the Alt key on your keyboard, or the Choice key on a Mac. The plus sign will alter to a minus sign.

Holding Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) to zoom out with the Zoom Tool.

Holding Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) to zoom out with the Zoom Tool.

Then click on an area to zoom out, and click repeatedly to zoom out further.

Clicking with the Zoom Tool to zoom out from the click point.

Clicking with the Zoom Tool to zoom out.

Zooming in beyond 100%

You can zoom in beyond 100%. In fact, these days Photoshop lets you zoom all the way in to 12800%, although yous may want to go your eyes checked if you demand to zoom in that close. Simply once we go beyond 100%, we're not seeing whatsoever more detail. We're but making the pixels larger.

Here I'm zoomed in to 800% and the image is looking quite blocky:

Zooming in beyond 100 percent in Photoshop only makes the pixels bigger.

Zooming in beyond 100% but makes the pixels bigger.

The Pixel Grid

If you continue zooming in closer and closer beyond 100%, you lot'll eventually see an outline effectually the pixels known as the Pixel Grid. The grid won't be visible when you salvage or print the image. It'south merely for reference. And it will disappear when you zoom dorsum out.

The Pixel Grid in Photoshop.

The Pixel Grid appears when you zoom in far beyond 100%.

You lot can disable the Pixel Grid by going up to the View menu, choosing Show, and then Pixel Grid to deselect it. To turn information technology dorsum on after, simply go back to the View carte du jour and reselect information technology. Personally I just get out it on because I rarely zoom in close enough for it to appear.

Turning the Pixel Grid off in Photoshop.

Become to View > Prove > Pixel Grid to turn the grid on and off.

How to temporarily switch to the Zoom Tool from your keyboard

So the Zoom Tool is great for zooming in on a specific surface area. Only rather than selecting information technology from the toolbar every time you need to zoom in or out, a improve way is to access the Zoom Tool temporarily from your keyboard.

But hold downward the spacebar and the Ctrl key on a Windows PC, or the spacebar and the Command primal on a Mac. Mac users may need to hold the spacebar first, and so the Command key, to avert a disharmonize with the MacOS operating organisation.

Yous'll have admission to the Zoom Tool for as long as the keys are held down and so you can click on an surface area to zoom in. To zoom out, add together the Alt central, or the Option key on a Mac. Release the Alt or Option key to switch back to zooming in, and release all the keys to switch dorsum to the previous tool so you can go along on working.

Continuous Zoom

Another way to use the Zoom Tool is with a feature known equally Continuous Zoom. With the Zoom Tool active, click on an area where you want to zoom in and keep your mouse button held down. Subsequently a 2nd or so, Photoshop volition outset zooming in continuously until you release your mouse button. To zoom out continuously, add the Alt key or the Option key, and and then click and hold.

Scrubby Zoom

Simply my favorite way, and the fastest style, to apply the Zoom Tool is with a feature called Scrubby Zoom. This characteristic should exist turned on past default. But simply to make sure, select the Zoom Tool from the toolbar.

Selecting the Zoom Tool in Photoshop.

Selecting the Zoom Tool.

And in the Options Bar, brand certain Scrubby Zoom is checked.

Photoshop's Scrubby Zoom option in the Options Bar.

The Scrubby Zoom option in the Options Bar.

Then simply click and drag to the correct to zoom in on an area, or drag to the left to zoom out. The faster yous elevate, the faster the zooming will exist.

The but catch with Scrubby Zoom is that you lot need to kickoff dragging immediately after you lot click. If y'all await besides long, Photoshop will assume you desire to use Continuous Zoom instead. And one time Continuous Zoom starts, dragging has no outcome. So to utilise Scrubby Zoom, make sure yous start dragging every bit soon as your mouse push button is down.

Clicking and dragging left or right with the Zoom Tool to use Scrubby Zoom in Photoshop.

Click and drag left or right with the Zoom Tool to use Scrubby Zoom.

Dragging a selection outline to zoom in

If you lot turn Scrubby Zoom off past unchecking it in the Options Bar:

Turning Scrubby Zoom off in Photoshop's Options Bar.

Turning Scrubby Zoom off.

Then the Zoom Tool behaves more similar the Rectangular Marquee Tool. You lot can click and drag a selection outline around an area:

Clicking and dragging a selection outline with the Zoom Tool in Photoshop.

With Scrubby Zoom off, click and elevate a selection outline with the Zoom Tool.

And when you release your mouse button, Photoshop instantly zooms in on that area. If you prefer to work this way, you tin get out Scrubby Zoom unchecked. But if yous similar Scrubby Zoom meliorate, but reselect information technology in the Options Bar.

Photoshop zooms in on the selected area when you release your mouse button.

Photoshop zooms in on the selected area when you release your mouse button.

Zooming with the scroll bike

Finally, 1 more way to zoom in and out is past using the scroll bicycle on your mouse. And this works with whatsoever tool active, not just the Zoom Tool.

Hover your cursor over the area where you lot want to zoom in. Printing and hold the Alt key or the Option key on a Mac, and scroll the wheel up to zoom in or downwards to zoom out.

And if you add the Shift key, you'll limit the zoom values to just those presets we looked at earlier that give you lot the sharpest and virtually authentic view. And that's the basics of zooming in and zooming out in Photoshop.

Scrolling in and out of the image in Photoshop using the mouse scroll wheel.

Agree Alt (Win) / Pick (Mac) and scroll up or down to zoom in or out.

How to pan or scroll an image in Photoshop

Adjacent, permit's wait at how to pan or ringlet an prototype from ane area to some other. Panning or scrolling is most useful when nosotros're zoomed in and tin can't see everything at once.

So I'll zoom my image in to 100% by going up to the View menu and choosing 100%. Or by pressing that keyboard shortcut we learned in the previous section, Ctrl+ane or Command+1 on a Mac.

Viewing the image at the 100 percent zoom level in Photoshop.

Viewing the paradigm at 100%.

Using the Mitt Tool

To pan the image from one area to some other, we utilize Photoshop's Paw Tool which is found in the toolbar directly above the Zoom Tool. You tin too select the Hand Tool from the keyboard by pressing the letter H.

Selecting Photoshop's Hand Tool from the toolbar.

Selecting the Manus Tool from the toolbar.

With the Hand Tool active, your mouse cursor changes to a manus icon.

Photoshop's Hand Tool icon.

The Mitt Tool icon.

And then just click on the image, keep your mouse button held downward, and drag the image around to view and inspect dissimilar areas. Release your mouse button to let go.

Panning the image with the Hand Tool in Photoshop.

Panning the paradigm with the Hand Tool.

Flick Panning

If you release your mouse button while yous are in the eye of a drag, you will toss or throw the paradigm in that direction. And it will continue moving until information technology gradually comes to a stop. Or y'all tin stop it manually by clicking on the image again. This is known every bit Pic Panning.

Flick panning the image with the Hand Tool in Photoshop.

Release your mouse push in the middle of a drag to throw the image in that management.

If Flick Panning is non working, check to brand sure it's enabled in Photoshop'south Preferences. On a Windows PC, go upward to the Edit bill of fare. On a Mac, become up to the Photoshop menu. From there, choose Preferences, and then Tools.

Opening the Tools preferences in Photoshop.

Going to Edit (Win) / Photoshop (Mac) > Preferences > Tools.

Make certain Enable Motion picture Panning is checked, and then click OK to close the Preferences dialog box.

Making sure the Enable Flick Panning option is turned on in Photoshop.

Making sure Enable Flick Panning is turned on.

How to admission the Hand Tool temporarily

Just like with the Zoom Tool that nosotros looked at before, you won't want to select the Mitt Tool from the toolbar every fourth dimension you need to pan to a different office of the paradigm.

Then a faster way to work is to access the Hand Tool temporarily from your keyboard. And you tin can do that by pressing and belongings the spacebar. So holding the spacebar forth with the Ctrl (Win) / Command (Mac) central lets y'all admission the Zoom Tool temporarily, and holding the spacebar on its own gives you access to the Hand Tool.

Release the spacebar when you are done panning to switch from the Manus Tool back to your previous tool.

Panning the image with the scroll bars

Y'all can move the paradigm upwardly or down using the roll bar along the right of the document window. And you can pan left or right using the scroll bar along the bottom.

Panning the image in Photoshop using the scroll bars along the right and bottom of the document window.

Panning the prototype with the ringlet confined.

Panning with the curl wheel

But yous tin can also pan the image up, downwards, left or right using the curlicue wheel on your mouse (if your mouse has one). This works with any tool active, non just the Manus Tool. Scrolling the bicycle up moves the image upwardly, and scrolling down moves it down.

Concur the Ctrl key, or the Command key on a Mac, and scroll the cycle up to pan the epitome to the left, or scroll down to pan it to the correct.

And merely to recap from before, holding the Alt or Option key while scrolling your mouse bike upwardly or down lets you zoom in and out.

Panning the image up, down, left or right in Photoshop using the mouse scroll wheel.

Panning the image up, down, left or correct using the mouse coil wheel.

The Birds Centre View

Finally, a great style to pan an image is past using a feature chosen Bird's Eye View, which is not just useful but also a lot of fun.

I'll zoom in close to my epitome then we tin actually see how it works. Here I'm zoomed in to 200%.

Zooming in to 200 percent.

Zooming in on a specific part of the image.

Earlier, nosotros learned that we can select the Paw Tool by pressing the alphabetic character H on the keyboard. To utilize the Bird's Heart View, press and hold the letter H. It won't work by holding the spacebar to temporarily access the Manus Tool, and yous need to concur H fifty-fifty if the Hand Tool is already active in the toolbar.

With the H key down, click and concord on your image. Photoshop will zoom the paradigm out and so it fits entirely on the screen. And yous'll see a rectangle which represents the area you'll zoom in to side by side. Drag the rectangle over the new area you want to inspect.

How to use Birds Eye View in Photoshop

Agree H, click and concur on the paradigm to zoom out, and drag the rectangle over a different area.

Release your mouse push button, and Photoshop instantly zooms in on that area, at the same zoom level you were at previously (then in my case, 200%).

Equally long every bit the H primal is yet down, you can proceed clicking and holding on the image to zoom out, dragging the rectangle to a different expanse, and so releasing your mouse push button to zoom back in.

Zooming in on a different area using Birds Eye View in Photoshop.

Release your mouse button to zoom dorsum on.

Selecting the Fit on Screen and 100% views from the toolbar

Here's i last tip. If you always need to bound to the Fit on Screen or 100% views but tin't remember their keyboard shortcuts, you can quickly access them from the toolbar.

Double-click on the Hand Tool in the toolbar for Fit on Screen. Or double-click on the Zoom Tool to jump to 100%.

Double-click the Hand Tool for the Fit on Screen view or the Zoom Tool for 100 percent.

Double-click the Hand Tool for the Fit on Screen view or the Zoom Tool for 100%.

Where to go next...

And there we take information technology! In this lesson, we learned how to zoom and pan a single epitome in Photoshop. In the next lesson, nosotros'll larn how to navigate multiple open images at one time!

You can jump to any of my other lessons in this Navigating Images in Photoshop chapter. Or visit my Photoshop Basics section for more than topics!