Google Chrome is one of the world’s leading web browsers, beloved by millions for its accessibility and functionality. Unfortunately, however, it doesn’t always work as planned, and problems with the in-built zoom levels/controls can cause frustration in users, especially those who work on Chrome a lot, and perhaps either have a malfunctioning keyboard, or a malfunctioning version of the app.
Whatever your reason, there is a really quick and simple solution, allowing you to disable zoom in Google Chrome. To learn how, simply follow the instructions down below, and for any other information or queries, see the FAQs at the end of the article.
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How to disable zoom in Google Chrome
There is really only one way to do this, and it’s via an extension, which is free and quick to download and install on Chrome’s extensions marketplace.
- Open up Google Chrome on your chosen device, and if necessary, log in to your Google account.
- In the search bar, type ‘Google Chrome Web Store’ and hit Enter
- Open up the Google Chrome Web Store website
- In the search bar at the top-left of the Web Store, type in ‘Zoom Block’ and hit Enter
- The first Extension which should come up – called simply ‘Zoom Block’ and with a red, crossed-through magnifying glass as its icon – is the Extension you want. Click on it.
- Now, click ‘Add to Chrome’ and wait for the Extension to finish installing. Once installed it will be accessible via the puzzle-piece Extensions icon in the top-right of Google Chrome (just to the left of your Profile Picture)
- The Extension will begin working automatically, and will disable zoom in all non-Chrome/Google tabs
- To override the blocker on zoom for a specific tab, just click the Extensions icon, and click the ‘Zoom Block’ red magnifying glass icon. Doing so will change it to green, signifying that the specific tab you’re on will now be free once more to zoom in and out on.
And there you have it! With just one quick-to-install Extension to Google Chrome, you can disable zoom across almost all of Chrome (excluding only Google Chrome specific pages, and then only for accessibility purposes), and re-enable it whenever you want, on whichever tab you want, at the click of a button.
For more queries, or more information, see the FAQs below.
Frequently asked questions
What is Google Chrome?
Google Chrome is the world’s leading web browser application for PC, desktop, tablet, and mobile, and is used daily by millions of people all around the world to surf the web and conduct their research, business, and play through.
Why would I want to disable zoom in Google Chrome?
There are many reasons why disabling Google Chrome might become a necessity – perhaps your keyboard is malfunctioning, or for some other reason Google Chrome keeps jumping through different levels of zoom, frustrating the flow of your browsing, and ultimately rendering the application unusable. Perhaps you run a storefront in which you display various devices which run Google Chrome, and are constantly finding that customers have altered the zoom levels, making the experience of the next customer a frustrating one.
Can I re-enable zoom if I change my mind?
You can indeed. By clicking on the Extensions icon (shaped like a puzzle piece) in the top-right of Google Chrome, and then clicking the ‘Zoom Block’ magnifying glass so that it changes from red to green, you can enable zoom on specific tabs in which you’re working. If you wish to disable zoom on that tab again, simply repeat the steps, clicking the tool back to red.
Does the Extension block zooming in Google Chrome in all its forms?
Yes and no. Whilst the Extension does disable zooming in all its various means (through keyboard shortcuts, as well as through the in-built zoom tool in the Chrome menu), it only works on non-Google Chrome tabs. For example, the Extension cannot disable the zoom functionality in the Google Settings tab window, but can do so in any tab in which a non-Google website is loaded (practically everything else on the internet).
