Photos app is the default picture viewer in Windows 10. The Photos app has all the features from classic Windows Photo Viewer plus image editing capabilities. The Photos app can even import photos from phone and camera.
While viewing a picture file in the Photos app, you may want to zoom in or zoom out the picture. With default settings, you can zoom in and out by holding down the Ctrl key and then rotating the mouse wheel.
Rotating the mouse wheel without holding the Ctrl key brings up the next or previous image. That is, you can switch to the next or previous picture by rotating the mouse wheel.
Many users have asked us if it’s possible to configure Windows 10 zoom in and zoom out using the mouse wheel without holding the Ctrl key. Because we can always switch to the next or previous image by pressing arrow keys on the keyboard, it makes sense to configure the Photos app to zoom in and out photos when you rotate the mouse wheel.
Luckily, an option in Photos app settings allows us to configure the mouse wheel action for the Photos app. Using this option, you can zoom in and zoom out in the Photos app simply by rotating the mouse wheel (without using the Ctrl key).
Use mouse wheel to zoom in and zoom out in Photos app
Here is how to configure the Photos app to zoom in and zoom out pictures using only the mouse wheel (without having to hold down the Ctrl key).
Step 1: Open the Photos app using the Start/taskbar search.
Step 2: Once the Photos app is launched, click the three dots icon (located just below the close button) and then click Settings option. This will open Photos app settings page.
Step 3: Finally, in the Viewing and Editing section, you can find mouse wheel settings. Select Zoom in and out option. That’s all!
From now onwards, you can always rotate the mouse wheel to zoom in and zoom out images in the Photos app.
Paul Temple says
Have tried all suggestion and I still can’t zoom with the mouse wheel.
View next or previous, will only let me scroll back an forth between 2 photos. CTRL + mouse wheel, nothing happens.
Change to zoom in and out and the mouse wheel does nothing.
Any other suggestions?
Poul Østergaard Jørgensen says
Thank you for the tip just what i needed
Burt Weddermier says
Easy, thanks.
Dude, windows, sucks says
It’s a disaster. When I do actually get the scroll wheel to work, by going through the default photo apps start icon and not opening up a jpeg, the scroll option barely works. I find that I’m spinning and spinning the scroll to barely get anywhere.
Seriously, how does Windows F up the most mundane things? Or am I to blame to assume that I can open up an image and zoom into it? That function only belongs in the Utopian future of the Jetsons.
ASWINI says
First close “photos app”
Open “Setting” then “Apps” (or search for “add or remove programs”)
Find Photos App
Then open it click on “Advance Option”
Scroll Down and hit “Reset”
Now open any photo and scroll mouse wheel and windows will ask you if you want to change the setting.
Now the setting page will open you can modify whatever you want.
It works on latest windows.
Hope it will solve your problem.
tn74h says
Mike, Cerealguy, Neal,
Sure the menu changed a little bit but you can still do it.
– Open a picture.
– Click or double click depend on your click setting on “See all photo” icon at upper left corner.
– Click the three dots at upper right corner to pull down a list.
– Click or double click Settings on the list.
– Scroll down to “Mouse wheel” and check one of the box “View next or previous items” or “Zoom in and zoom out”.
Of course today is 03/02/18, who knows if it will change again in the future.
Mike says
Oh, please! The menu structure in Windows 10 Photos has changed. This information is worthless. But of course, alleged Windows experts have no time to redeem their blown credibility. This bad info will hang around the web for decades, wasting every viewer’s time. And we blamed the Russians for fake news. ??????????? ????????!
Cerealguy says
Thanks for the information, but. ….
I have no such option in my settings. What can I do? I really hate that my mouse wheel zooms the picture.
Is there a way to enable this feature in the registers or something?
(I have all the latest updates as for now)
Thanks for the answer. You are my last hope. There is no information about this anywhere. I have been searching for days.
Neal says
Thank you for this tip. I was able to do it in my PC.
However, I have another laptop that when I launch the
Photo App, the 3 dots are greyed out.
( this was a windows 8.1 upgraded to window 10).
Is there a solution for this?
Thank you.
Eber says
“The Photos app has all the features from classic Windows Photo Viewer”
Nuh-uh. It can’t seamlessly handle shortcuts like Windows Photo Viewer.