How to zoom YouTube Videos

Martin Brinkmann
Nov 22, 2017
Updated • Jun 3, 2019
Companies, Music and Video, Youtube
|
9

Most video players that you run on desktop PCs and even many mobile media players support zooming. You can zoom any video that you play in these players using built-in controls, no plugins required.

In VLC Media Player for instance, a popular cross-platform media player, you can zoom using the Z-key, and reverse zoom with Shift-Z on the keyboard.

YouTube, and most online video services, don't support zooming at all. While you can zoom the pages, doing so leaves the video untouched usually.

Zooming can be useful in certain situations, for instance when you want to take a closer look at something that is displayed in a video or want to focus on a specific part of the video.

firefox youtube zoom

YouTube users have two main options when it comes to the zooming of videos on YouTube. Use a web browser extension to add zooming capabilities, or use a third-party video player with zooming functionality to play YouTube videos.

Check out the following browser extensions that add zooming options to YouTube:

  • OwlZoom for YouTube Videos for Firefox -- The WebExtension adds a zoom entry to the YouTube settings button. Click on it to activate it, and display the different zoom levels the extension supports (between 100% and 200%). The new zoom level is applied automatically. Note that this will show only part of the video on the screen. Once done, click on the new zoom icon in the main player toolbar to activate the selector to display a certain zoomed in part of the screen in the player. You can go back to normal by selecting 100%, or using the shortcut Shift-B.
  • Zoom for Chrome -- Designed primarily to zoom entire web pages, the extension will zoom videos on YouTube as well by enlarging the player area.

Other extensions, Magic Actions for YouTube for instance, may enlarge the player area up to the full size of the browser window. While that is not zooming, it may be sufficient for some users who want to see more details on the screen.

smplayer zoom

The second option is to use a local video player that supports YouTube videos and zooming. You can use SMPlayer's SMTube for that for instance. It is an add-on for SMPlayer that you need to install separately.

Once installed, you may use it to browse and search YouTube using it. Any video that you want to play is sent to SMPlayer's main player interface where it starts to play.

You can then use the program's zoom options, accessible via Video > Zoom and shortcuts, to zoom the video that plays.

Now You: Use another option to zoom videos? Let us know in the comments below!

Summary
How to zoom YouTube Videos
Article Name
How to zoom YouTube Videos
Description
Find out how to zoom YouTube videos using easy to use and install browser extensions, or third-party media players that can play YouTube videos.
Author
Publisher
Ghacks Technology News
Logo
Advertisement

Tutorials & Tips


Previous Post: «
Next Post: «

Comments

  1. Little Joe said on April 2, 2021 at 4:39 pm
    Reply

    You never made clear: the owlzoom is ONLY for “PC” firefox, not android firefox.

  2. Fredric said on September 30, 2020 at 1:42 pm
    Reply

    A google chrome extension called Turn Off the Lights can zoom in the video.

  3. Anonymous said on August 2, 2020 at 5:53 pm
    Reply

    Whoever made this article you are a god send!

  4. Andi said on April 30, 2020 at 5:32 am
    Reply

    Fine article! I cant belive that youtube hasn’t integrated by himself a simple funtion like a zoom option! the firefox extention works good Ty!

  5. Treat Simply said on March 15, 2020 at 11:08 pm
    Reply

    Set a minimum text size for all web content. Use the toolbar button to switch it on and off. NEW: Three preset sizes. NEW: Use mouse scroll on the toolbar button.

  6. david kang said on December 19, 2019 at 1:06 pm
    Reply

    — Open web pages saved with Internet Explorer or other browsers (MHT) — Save many tabs, video and audio reliably, in a single ZIP file (MAFF) — Return to the original site you saved a page from, and more!

  7. Anonymous said on June 2, 2019 at 5:29 pm
    Reply

    its not good

  8. Karl said on December 4, 2017 at 8:24 pm
    Reply

    The “Z” function does nothing on my computer when viewing downloaded YouTube videos on VLC. It SAYS it is zooming in the upper RH corner, but nothing actually happens.

  9. Stefan said on November 24, 2017 at 5:55 am
    Reply

    I always download Youtube videos (HD) and play them with VLC. VLC is blocked to go online.

Leave a Reply

Check the box to consent to your data being stored in line with the guidelines set out in our privacy policy

We love comments and welcome thoughtful and civilized discussion. Rudeness and personal attacks will not be tolerated. Please stay on-topic.
Please note that your comment may not appear immediately after you post it.