CtrlPlusMinus

CtrlPlusMinus is a term used to describe keyboard shortcuts that pair the Ctrl key with the plus or minus signs to adjust the scale of content within software. The main use is zooming in and out, increasing or decreasing the size of text, images, and user interface elements.

In many programs on Windows and Linux, Ctrl+Plus zooms in and Ctrl+Minus zooms out. The plus sign often requires pressing Shift on standard keyboards, so users may see shortcuts such as Ctrl+Shift+= or its equivalents. On macOS the common alternative is the Command key (Command+Plus / Command+Minus), with Command+0 frequently resetting zoom.

Other input methods include using the mouse wheel or trackpad gestures while holding Ctrl, and sometimes pinch-to-zoom. In browsers, Ctrl+0 typically resets to 100% zoom; in other applications, zoom behavior may differ or be tied to a separate zoom control.

The term is mainly used in documentation to refer to this class of shortcuts, not a specific product. It is relevant for accessibility because zooming can improve readability, but it may affect layout in complex documents.