Since its debut in September 2008, Android OS has grown in popularity due to its extensive functionality. Now, it does not just provide great software for smartphones, it also covers tablets, wearables, and television.
As time progresses, our devices’ displays get bigger and more detailed. Of course, this is a welcome change to customers who want to see more at one time. We want our displays to look sharp and vivid. With a bigger screen brings a more immersive experience.
However, some developers may not take into account how small their UI looks on such a big display. We end up having to squint hard or take out our glasses to read it. Android has taken notice of this problem and has come up with a solution: triple-tap zoom.
Triple Tap Zoom
Triple-tap zoom is a feature that enables users to zoom in on the screen with a triple tap. It can be activated anywhere on the display except for the keyboard and the navigation bar. This feature is a lifesaver for devices with irregular display aspect ratios.
How to Enable Triple Tap Zoom
- Open Settings > Accessibility > Magnification
- Navigate to Magnification with Triple Tap
- Tap Use Service
A yellow border will appear around your screen to indicate that the feature is currently active.
Triple Tap Zoom Usage
Here are some ways to make the best of Android’s Triple-Tap Zoom feature.
Devices with Irregular Display Aspect Ratio
The display aspect ratio is the ratio between your display’s width and height. The common display aspect ratio is 4:3 and 16:9. However, there are special devices with a taller screen, like Samsung Flip Z. Smartwatches have small aspect ratios with a rounded display. Tablets have a humongous screen with a box-like display.
These aspect ratio irregularities can reach such an extreme, that it obscures the UI. The font shrinks, UI elements become too small for your finger to isolate, or you just can’t make out what is on the display.
This problem can be easily solved by triple tapping the screen. The screen will zoom in making the UI within that particular range easier to navigate.
Gaining Advantage in Mobile Games
If you like games, then I think you’re going to like this one. Triple-Tap Zoom is quite useful for PUBG and COD mobile battle royale games.
You don’t need a powerful scope when scouting for other players and enemies if you’re standing atop a high tower. You can just triple tap and scan the horizon. With the extra zoom, you’ll be able to spot that person running around in the distance, about 800 meters away.
Image Inspecting
Sometimes you run across a piece of gorgeous 4k artwork, and you just want to marvel at it from a close distance. If you’re an artist yourself and just love looking at the details, you can combine double-tap and triple-tap to inspect the color blending, shadows, and all the tiny little details.
Other Accessibility Tips
Since the Triple-Tap zoom feature is located within Accessibility, there are few other essential Accessibility features that might help make using your phone easier.
Color Correction
For people that are diagnosed with color blindness, you can enable the color correction feature to help you process the UI better. There are three options, Deuteranomaly (red-green), Protanomaly (red-green), and Tritanomaly (blue-yellow).
Font Size + Display Size
This feature is helpful for people that have an eye-related illness such as myopia, hypermetropia, or astigmatism. You can adjust the size of the font to compensate for poor close-range vision. My grandmother was ecstatic when I changed her Android’s font size and display size to large.
Dark Theme
Enable your phone’s dark theme! Not only will your Android UI turn dark, but other apps like Gmail, YouTube, and Google Chrome will automatically follow suit. Besides, it looks very cool, and your eyes will definitely thank you.
Closing Thoughts
Triple Tap zoom is one of many powerful features on Android. This feature lets you zoom in on practically anything, giving you the ability to work around aspect ratio problems, nearsightedness, and even giving you a better appreciation of the finer details in artwork — oh, and for being the best sniper in battle royal games, too. Can’t forget that one!
Wendy says
On my galaxy tab a in the upper left corner is a pict of a camera. Unfortunately I tapped it. I do not know how or have a way on screen to go back to mirroring me. Maybe when I log out …. I know how on my phone & camera, not this tablet. Sad.