Zoom or pan the Canvas

Zoom or pan the Canvas

You can zoom in on the Canvas to allow precision alignment and placement of objects, and you can zoom out to get a sense of the big picture or to see the path of a moving object. You can also pan the Canvas to modify your view of a composition. Zooming and panning does not change the size or layout of the images in your project. It only changes your working view of the entire composition.

Zoom using the Zoom tool

  1. In the toolbar, click the view tools pop-up menu, then choose the Zoom tool.

    Selecting the Zoom tool from the View tools pop-up menu

    Zoom mode is activated in the Canvas.

  2. Do one of the following:

    • Click in the Canvas to zoom in.

    • Press Option and click in the Canvas to zoom out.

    • Drag right or left in the Canvas to smoothly zoom in or out.

Zoom using other methods

Do any of the following:

  • Click the Zoom Level pop-up menu at the top-right side of the Canvas, then choose a zoom percentage.

    Zoom Level pop-up menu in the Canvas

  • Holding down the Space bar and Command key (in that order), drag the pointer horizontally in the Canvas. The zoom occurs around the spot clicked in the Canvas.

  • On a Multi-touch device, Pinch closed to zoom out or pinch open to zoom in. After you zoom in, use a two-finger swipe in any direction to scroll around.

Zoom a specific area of the Canvas

  • Zoom in: Holding down the Space bar and Command key (in that order), drag the pointer over an area in the Canvas; while still holding down the keys, click in the Canvas to zoom in 50 percent increments of the current zoom level.

  • Zoom out: Holding down the Space bar, Command key, and Option key (in that order), click in the Canvas to zoom out in 50 percent increments of the current zoom level.

Note: To pan the Canvas without selecting the Pan tool, hold down the Space bar and drag in the Canvas.

Zoom to make the project fill the Canvas

  • Click the Zoom Level pop-up menu, then choose Fit.

    Selecting "Fit" from the Zoom Level pop-up menu in the Canvas

Pan using the Pan tool

  1. In the toolbar, click the view tools pop-up menu, then choose the Pan tool.

    Selecting Pan from the View Tools pop-up menu

    Pan mode is activated in the Canvas.

  2. Drag in the Canvas to move your composition in different directions.

Pan using a keyboard shortcut

  • Holding down the Space bar, drag the pointer in the Canvas.

Reset the Canvas Zoom level or Pan

Do one of the following:

  • Click the Zoom Level pop-up menu at the top-right side of the Canvas, then choose 100%.

    Choosing 100% from the Zoom Level pop-up menu in the Canvas

  • In the toolbar, double-click the Zoom tool.

    Note: Double-clicking the Pan tool resets pan, but not zoom.