Some Mac users may believe that macOS is one of Apple‘s least frequently updated operating systems. While they are partially correct, as macOS primarily emphasizes productivity and efficiency in our work, there are still numerous intriguing features within macOS that often go unnoticed. In this article, we will focus on the capabilities of the Preview application on Mac and its magnifying glass function, highlighting the full potential that can be extracted from them.
Preview on Macs
To begin, launch the Preview app on your Mac. You can do this by searching for it using the Spotlight feature, the native macOS search engine. Alternatively, you can press F4 to view all the apps on your Mac and locate Preview there. Once you have opened the app, proceed with the following steps:
1. Open a PDF file or an image within the Preview app.
2. Scroll to the top of the screen and click on “Tools.”
3. From the drop-down menu, choose “Show Magnifying Glass” to activate the magnifying glass function.
4. You will notice a circle moving across your screen, indicating the presence of the magnifying glass.
Now, you can freely move the magnifying glass around the screen using your mouse cursor. When you reach the area you want to enlarge, simply click and hold the mouse button. The magnifying glass will zoom in on that specific spot, providing a closer view.
Once you have finished using the magnifying glass, you can disable it by going back to the “Tools” menu. From there, select “Show Magnifying Glass” again. The checkmark next to it will disappear, indicating that the magnifying glass function has been disabled.
Apart from activating and deactivating the magnifying glass function in Preview, it is also essential to know how to adjust the zoom level. This allows us to set the desired magnification accurately, eliminating the need to repeat the previous steps. To do this, follow these instructions:
1. Go to the “Tools” menu in Preview.
2. Within the menu, select either “Increase magnifying glass size” or “Decrease magnifying glass size,” depending on whether you want to enlarge or reduce the zoom level, respectively.
3. By choosing the appropriate option, you can adjust the size of the magnifying glass to achieve the desired zoom level for better visibility and accuracy.
Using these options, you can easily modify the zoom level of the magnifying glass in Preview according to your specific requirements.
In addition to the magnifying glass function, you have the option to customize the toolbar in Preview, allowing you to add frequently used buttons for quick access. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Click on the “View” menu in Preview.
2. From the drop-down menu, select “Customize Toolbar.”
3. A customization window will appear, displaying various tools and buttons.
4. To add a button to the toolbar, simply drag and drop it from the customization window onto the toolbar itself. Buttons for tools like the magnifying glass, rotate, or crop can be added based on your preference.
5. As you enable the customization option, the buttons at the top of the Preview window will start shaking, similar to the behavior of apps on iOS.
6. Arrange the buttons in your desired order by dragging and dropping them within the toolbar.
7. Once you are satisfied with your customized toolbar, click on the “Done” button to save the changes.
By customizing the toolbar in Preview, you can conveniently access the most commonly used tools, including the magnifying glass, rotate, and crop, among others.
Advanced tools focused on accessibility
Additionally, macOS provides a zoom option for users with visual impairments who require accessibility features. To enable zoom on the entire desktop, follow these steps:
1. Go to System Preferences on your Mac.
2. Open the Accessibility settings.
3. Within Accessibility, navigate to the Zoom tab.
4. Here, you can choose to activate either full-screen zoom or image window zoom, which functions similarly to the magnifying glass in Preview but covers your entire screen.
Preview also offers seamless integration with iCloud, enabling you to store your files in the cloud and access them from any device using your Apple ID. This feature is particularly useful when working with documents and images on multiple devices, allowing you to access your files from anywhere.
Lastly, we should mention that Preview has a handy keyboard shortcut for quickly activating and deactivating the magnifying glass: Control-Alt-L. This instant activation command provides a convenient way to control the magnifying glass function in Preview without navigating through menus.
