Making Windows 10 Accessible

Windows is used by millions of people around the globe. Some of those people face challenges in using a computer. Some have dexterity issues such as carpal tunnel syndrome or arthritis and need to adjust mouse and keyboard settings to make providing input easier. Others face visual challenges that make content on the screen difficult to read. Some might need help hearing sounds or require an alternative way to connect with the spoken word in videos, such as close captioning.

Windows 10 offers several accessibility features to address these needs, such as Magnifier to enlarge content on the screen, Narrator to read content to a user, the ability to adjust screen brightness or contrast, and the option of speaking text rather than typing it. All of these tools make using a Windows 10 computer very easy.

Using Magnifier

Although it’s possible to enlarge or reduce contents in many instances—such as on a webpage or in a word processed document—it’s not possible to enlarge the Windows environment itself. For example, you can’t enlarge the entire desktop (though you can enlarge the icons for desktop shortcuts). To enlarge your entire on-screen environment by a significant factor, you can use the Magnifier feature. This feature is useful to those who have low vision.

Turn on Magnifier

1. Click the Start button.
2. Click Settings.

3. Click Ease Of Access.

   

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4. Click Magnifier.

5. Click to turn on Magnifier.

   

   Click to view larger image

6. In the Magnifier controls, click the Zoom In button to zoom in.
7. Click the Zoom Out button to zoom out.

8. Click the Close button to close Magnifier.

   

Try This

For some people, a dark background with white text is easier to read. To invert color to make the screen black and text white, click Magnifier, turn on Magnifier, and then turn on Invert Colors.

TIP

If you have a touchscreen computer, you can also zoom in or out in Magnifier by pinching in or spreading out with two fingers on the screen.

TIP

After a few seconds, the Magnifier controls change to a magnifying glass icon. To redisplay the controls, click the magnifying glass.