Android pinch zoom always requires 2 fingers, and often 2
hands. Unless you’ve placed your phone on another surface, it is extremely
difficult to avail two fingers for zoom from the same hand that is holding the
device.
Under certain circumstances, you can only use one hand to
handle your phone. If you are carrying or holding stuff with one hand, you have
to make use of your remaining hand for all phone maneuvers. What do you do when
you need to zoom in?
Luckily, there are three strategies you can use to zoom into
your Android phone using just one finger. They are explained below.
1. Tap Twice and Drag on the Second Stroke
This feature only works with photos, Google chrome and
Google maps. In gallery photos, some phones enable you to zoom in by tapping
twice. Sometimes, in some situations, browsers may also allow you to zoom-in by
tapping twice.
All you need to do it tap twice. On the second one, don’t
lift your finger. Just drag in any direction. Repeat the maneuver to zoom out.
When viewing gallery photos, you can zoom out by swiping on to the next image.
2. Use Magnification Gestures
This gesture is screen-based. It magnifies your screen and
not a particular object. It will therefore work with virtually any app, save
for some features like keyboard. To enable it, head over to Settings >
Accessibility > Magnifications gestures.
To use magnification gestures, tap thrice on the spot you
want to zoom into. Tap thrice to zoom out as well. You can zoom into videos,
webpages and any area of any app. Use pinch-zoom to adjust the zoom level.
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| Video zoom using magnification gestures on Android |
One drawback to using magnification gestures is that you can’t
navigate properly with one finger. However, you can zoom out and then zoom in
to another spot if need be.
3. Tap Thrice and Hold on the Third Tap
You are required to tap thrice. On the third stroke, you
need to hold onto the screen. This feature works differently on different
Android devices depending on how you’ve set magnification gestures.
If you ever happen to be in a position where you can’t use
your both hands on your phone, utilize one of these gestures. You’ll be glad
that you learnt how to zoom into Android with one finger.