Many Facebook users have experienced issues where Facebook appears zoomed out or scaled incorrectly on their screens. This can make the site look very small and hard to read or use properly. There are a few potential causes for Facebook appearing zoomed out:
- Your browser zoom level is set too low
- You have the wrong browser resolution or zoom set
- Your display or resolution settings are incorrect
- There is a problem with your browser or graphics drivers
- Facebook’s mobile site is loading instead of the desktop site
Fortunately, in most cases this issue can be easily fixed by adjusting your browser or display settings. We’ll go through the various causes and solutions so you can get your Facebook looking normal again.
Browser Zoom Level
The most common reason Facebook may appear zoomed out is because your browser’s default zoom level is set too low. Most browsers allow you to zoom in or out on pages using keyboard shortcuts or menu options.
For example, in Chrome and Firefox you can press Ctrl + (plus key) or Ctrl + (minus key) to zoom in and out. Or you can go to your browser’s settings and adjust the default zoom level. Setting this to 100% will display sites normally sized.
If you’ve accidentally zoomed out your browser and left it zoomed out, sites like Facebook will appear smaller until you zoom back in. Simply increasing your browser’s zoom should make Facebook display normally sized again.
Incorrect Display Resolution
Another reason Facebook may look zoomed out is if you have the browser or computer display set to the wrong resolution. Most monitors and operating systems offer various resolution options.
If this resolution setting is too low, sites and applications will appear smaller on your screen. This makes it seem like things are zoomed out when in fact the display resolution is just set incorrectly.
You can adjust the display resolution through your computer or device’s settings:
- Windows – Go to Start > Settings > System > Display
- Mac – Apple menu > System Preferences > Displays
- On a laptop – Often adjusted using function keys like F11/F12 or a display settings menu
- iOS – Settings > Display & Brightness
- Android – Settings > Display
Make sure the resolution is set appropriately for your monitor. For most modern desktop monitors, 1920×1080 or higher is recommended. Increasing your display resolution will make sites appear larger and properly sized.
Browser or Graphics Issues
Less commonly, zoom issues with Facebook may be caused by an underlying problem with your browser or computer graphics drivers. Some things to try:
- Update your browser – Old browsers may have bugs or display issues, updating to the newest version fixes many problems.
- Update your graphics drivers – Outdated graphics drivers can lead to display issues, updating them may help.
- Try a different browser – Sometimes switching browsers fixes zoom issues if it’s a browser-specific bug.
- Adjust browser scaling settings – Chrome and Firefox have settings to force scaling, tweak these.
- Check for malware/adware – Malicious software can modify browser settings; scan for malware.
- Try browser reset – Reset your browser to default settings to eliminate any bad configurations.
- Try Facebook mobile site – The mobile site (m.facebook.com) may display properly if the desktop site is glitched.
Troubleshooting your browser and graphics settings could help resolve the issue if it’s being caused by a software conflict or bug.
Mobile Site Loading
Some users find that Facebook’s mobile site (m.facebook.com) loads instead of the regular desktop site (www.facebook.com). The mobile site is designed for smaller screens like phones, so it will look zoomed out and tiny on a desktop monitor.
If the mobile site is loading incorrectly:
- Check the URL to make sure you are on www.facebook.com not m.facebook.com
- Clear your browser cookies and cache
- Open Facebook in a private/incognito browsing session
- Update your user agent string to specify a desktop device
This forces Facebook to load the proper desktop layout on your computer instead of the mobile version.
Facebook Support Options
If you still can’t get Facebook to display normally after trying the above troubleshooting, here are some further options:
- Facebook Help Community – Post in the Facebook Help Community boards to see if other users have found solutions.
- Contact Facebook support – Reach out to Facebook directly via chat, email or phone support.
- Facebook forums – Check Facebook-related forums for people reporting similar zoom issues.
- Facebook feedback – Use the Facebook feedback option to report the zoom problem directly.
Explaining your situation to Facebook support or its user community may provide additional troubleshooting tips specific to the service.
Conclusion
Facebook looking zoomed out is often just a simple settings issue that can be fixed by adjusting your browser’s zoom, display resolution, or forcing the desktop site to load properly. In rare cases it may indicate an underlying browser, graphics, or Facebook issue that requires further troubleshooting. Follow the steps outlined here to get Facebook looking normal again.
| Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
| Browser zoom level too low | Increase browser zoom level |
| Incorrect display resolution | Change display resolution |
| Browser or graphics issue | Update browser and graphics drivers |
| Mobile site loading | Force desktop site to load |