Windows 10 does not allow scaling of the display below 100. This could be problematic for many who use a large display device. If you switch from a small display device to a large one, the size of icons and other display items will increase likewise, which might not be very appealing to many.

Although scaling below 100 is out of the question, you can still reduce the size of icons on the desktop by zooming out. It works well with most apps and browsers as well. You can use the keyboard shortcuts and mouse to easily zoom-out.

Increasing the display resolution also gives users the impression that everything has gotten smaller. It works fine for larger displays when a user wants to accommodate more content on the screen.

In this article, we will see how to make everything smaller in Windows 10.

Making Everything Smaller

We will be discussing two ways to make things appear smaller, the zoom-out function and changing display resolution.

Zooming Out

The zoom-out feature is the easiest and quickest to make things smaller on a computer. It works just fine on most of the apps, both in-built and third-party.

If you are using a mouse to zoom-out, press and hold the CTRL key, and rotate the mouse scroll wheel backward.

Once you have got the optimal size of icons, release the CTRL key to stop zoom-out.

Although the wallpaper and the size of the Taskbar remain unchanged, the size of icons can be changed using the zoom-out function. You can also reduce the size of Taskbar icons from the Taskbar settings. With this, the taskbar button size will be in sync with the icon size on the desktop and other apps.

To use smaller Taskbar buttons, right-click on the Taskbar and then select ‘Taskbar settings’.

In Taskbar settings, select the option ‘Use small taskbar buttons’ by tapping on the toggle underneath.

You will now notice that the taskbar has considerably shrunk in size and is now in sync with the icon size on the desktop.

Many laptop users do not use a mouse and rely on the touchpad to zoom in and out. To zoom-out using the touchpad, place two fingers on the touchpad apart from each other and then slowly bring them closer.

💡 Tip
Most applications in Windows 10 support Zoom-in and Zoom-out functions with CTRL + Mouse scroll wheel shortcut. All major web browsers support it too.

Change Screen Resolution

When you change the screen resolution, it changes the way things are displayed on the screen. Screen resolution is the measure of the pixels that can be displayed horizontally and vertically. Higher is the screen resolution, clearer, and crisper the display.

If your system isn’t using the full resolution supported by your display, then there’s room to make things more smaller by simply changing your display resolution to the highest supported by your laptop display or monitor.

To change the display resolution, right-click on your desktop and then select ‘Graphics Option’. From the expanded list of options, click on ‘Resolution’. Then, chose a resolution higher than the one already in use.

After you change the resolution, you will notice a change in display. You can change it as per your requirement and preference, and it does not harm the computer whatsoever. However, it’s suggested that you go with the system-recommended display resolution for optimal display quality.