NWA-PCUG Newsletter Article, November 2011
President' Corner
by Wes Eckles, President
alert@ieee.org
(click to email author)

Make Your Computer Screen Easier to Read

Tip 1 - One way to make your computer screen easier to read is to reduce slightly the monitors recommended resolution. This will make the images, text, and icons on the screen larger in all versions of Windows. Once you find a setting that makes it easier to read, save the setting. To change the resolution, place the cursor on a empty spot on your desktop and right click. Select “Screen resolution”.

Tip 2 - If you are using Windows 7, there are other ways to make your PC screen easier to read. Right click on your screen. Select Personalization. Under See Also select Display. Three buttons will appear: . Smaller - 100% (default), . Median - 125%, and . Larger - 150%. Choose a greater % and view the results in the Preview Window. If you like the setting click on the Apply bar.

At the top of the Display screen there is a note directing you to use the Magnifier tool to temporally magnify a part of the screen. Magnifier enlarges different parts of the screen and is part of the Ease of Access Center. To open it quickly, click Start, and then type Magnifier in the Search box. Click on the Magnifier icon at the top and left side of the screen.

If you want to have Magnifier at your fingertips, you can pin it to the taskbar. Right click on the Magnifier Icon and select “Pin to the taskbar”. To exit Magnifier, press the Windows logo key on your keyboard + Esc. The magnifier glass image on your screen will disappear.

There are three Magnifier modes: Full-screen mode: In full-screen mode, your entire screen is magnified. Depending on the size of your screen and the zoom level you choose, you might not be able to see all of the screen at the same time.

Lens mode: In lens mode, the area around the mouse pointer is magnified. When you move the mouse pointer, the area of the screen that's magnified moves along with it.

Docked mode: In docked mode, only a portion of the screen is magnified, leaving the rest of your desktop unchanged. You can then control which area of the screen is magnified.

Full-screen mode and lens mode are only available as part of the Aero experience. If your computer doesn't support Aero, or if you're not using an Aero? theme, Magnifier will only work in docked mode. Go to the Windows website to watch the video. (1:56)

To make items on the screen appear bigger open Magnifier. On the Views menu, click the mode that you want to use. Move the pointer to the part of the screen that you want to magnify.

When you're using full-screen mode, you can quickly preview your entire desktop by clicking the Views menu, and then clicking Preview full screen.

There is a ? button on the Magnifier Views screen. This is the help button to bring up details for the Magnifier.

Be at the November 19th meeting for election of officers for the 2012 program year. Zero nominations have been received at newsletter deadline Oct. 17th.

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