How to zoom in a photo in Photoshop?

The Photoshop program includes a huge number of tools for editing pictures. But sometimes a designer needs to carry out a very simple action - to zoom in on the image. How can this be done? How to zoom in a photo in Photoshop?

Under the image zoom in any graphics editor should be understood:

  • increasing the scale of image editing;
  • stretching the picture to the desired size.

In turn, depending on the functionality of a particular program, the noted operations can be performed in different ways. Let's look at the main options of the corresponding type that Photoshop has - using the example of the CS6 version with the English interface.

How to zoom in on a picture in Photoshop by increasing its scale?

The easiest way to solve this problem is to "scroll" the mouse wheel while holding down the Alt key. This method is convenient in that the picture can be reduced at any time, and then enlarged again - and so on until its optimal scale is selected.

In the lower left area of ​​the window where the canvas with the edited image is placed, the current scale of the image will be displayed in percent. At the same time, this element of the program interface allows you to enter certain percentages, reflecting the scale, manually. Thus, here one more method of approximation of the picture in Photoshop becomes available.

Image scaling is a method that is especially convenient because it does not require unlocking the layer.

It happens that when working with a particular design project, the user is undesirable to allow free editing of the corresponding graphic elements.

The problem under consideration can also be solved by increasing the actual size of the picture. Photoshop includes a large number of tools for this.

How to zoom in on a picture in Photoshop by stretching it?

You can try to increase the picture size by adjusting the corresponding parameters through the program menu. Select Image, then Image Size.

After that, you need to adjust the required values ​​for the size of the image - in pixels or percent.

It can be noted that after the settings for the size of the picture are accepted, it "approaches" out of correlation with the scale factor. Thus, the designer has an extra "reserve" for the subsequent enlargement of the image using the first method, which we discussed above.

Of course, here we are not talking about a more efficient method from the point of view of maintaining the quality of the drawing. With significant stretching of any image, one way or another, "cubes" appear on the screen. But combining the two marked zooming methods is usually more convenient than using only one of them. It can also be noted that stretching images using the Image Size option does not require unlocking the layer either.

There are other ways to increase the size of pictures in Photoshop. How to zoom in photos in Photoshop using them?

So, you can select the Rectangular Marquee Tool, then right-click on the picture and activate the Free Transform tool group.

However, before performing the marked operations, it is imperative to unlock the layer - if, of course, it is loaded in the appropriate mode. Otherwise, you won't be able to use the Free Transform tools.

It is very easy to unlock a layer - you need to double-click on its name and click OK. As a result, a picture in the form of a small lock will no longer be displayed in front of it.

After that, you can activate the Free Transform toolset.

Of these, the Scale option will be optimal for solving the problem under consideration. If you select it, then using the sliders located along the contour of the edited picture, you can change the size of the corresponding image.

In order to maintain the aspect ratio of the picture, you must hold down the Shift key while changing its size. As soon as the desired size of the picture is selected, you should fix it by pressing the Enter key.

With the help of other tools in the Free Transform group of options, it is possible to stretch the image in other ways as well.

If the picture initially corresponds to the size of the canvas, then for the convenience of stretching it, you can:

  • slightly enlarge the canvas before using the Scale option;
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  • when the Scale option is activated - shift the picture, stretch, and then - place it in the desired place on the canvas.

It is very easy to enlarge the canvas. It is necessary to select the Image item, then - Canvas Size, then - set the required values. For example, enlarging the canvas by 120%:

You can "zoom in" the picture without enlarging the canvas. To do this, activate the Scale option and slightly shift it by holding down the left mouse button.

The Free Transform tool is especially convenient because with its help the designer is able not only to enlarge the edited picture completely, but also to change the size of its individual sections. How?

Very simple. Select the Rectangular Marquee Tool option again, then hold down the left mouse button and select the desired area of ​​the image.

Further, you can perform the same operations with it as with the whole picture when using the Free Transform group of options.

For example - "zoom in". To fix the new size of the selected area of ​​the image, press Enter again.

It should be noted that you can select the optimal size of the picture not only with the help of sliders, but also by setting the necessary values ​​that determine the size of the image in a separate panel of options.

It becomes available to the user immediately after activating the Free Transform tool.

In addition to the group of Free Transform options, Photoshop has another remarkable function that allows you to "zoom in" pictures by stretching them. This is the Transform Controls option.

In order to be able to use it, you need to select the Move Tool.

It is very easy to activate the Transform Controls option - you just need to check the Show Transform Controls item in the Photoshop interface menu.

After that, sliders will appear along the contour of the edited picture - their functions are almost the same as those used when the Scale option from the Show Transform Controls group of tools is active. With their help, you can also quickly adjust the size of the image.

As with the Free Transform options, the selected image size is fixed by pressing Enter. Another criterion for the similarity of the considered tools: as soon as the user begins to resize the image using the sliders with the Transform Controls option activated, the panel for adjusting the exact parameters of the image size opens.

Same as when using the Free Transform tools.

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