Zoom into your screen with the SHARA Magnifier
The SHARA Magnifier enlarges any detail on your Windows screen while the app underneath keeps running. It has four modes: Lens, Spotlight, Live Zoom and Broadcast. This page shows how to open each one with Ctrl+Win+G, change the zoom, and choose Live or Static view and Crisp or Smooth image. It is free for your first 14 days.
The four Magnifier modes at a glance#
All four modes sit in one tool. You choose the mode once, and then Ctrl+Win+G runs it. How the Wheel and toolbar work.
| Mode | What it does | Start it | Main setting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lens | A round picture-in-picture lens that follows the cursor, in the shape of your halo. | Hold Ctrl+Win+G | Zoom 1× to 10×, starts at 2× |
| Spotlight | Dims the screen and keeps the area inside your halo clear. | Hold Ctrl+Win+G | Dim 10% to 100%, starts at 70% |
| Live Zoom | Zooms the whole screen as you scroll. | Press Ctrl+Win+G to start, again to stop | Max zoom 2× to 10×, starts at 8× |
| Broadcast | A separate 9:16 window of your screen, made to capture in OBS. | Press Ctrl+Win+G to start, again to stop | Camera Scale 0.5× to 2× |
Turn on the Magnifier and pick a mode#
- Make sure the Magnifier is on.Open SHARA Settings from the tray icon and select the Magnifier tab. The “Enable Lens” switch at the top left is on by default.
- Pick a mode.On the Magnifier tab, select one of the four Lens Mode cards: Magnifier (this is the Lens), Spotlight, Live Zoom or Broadcast. You can also choose it from the Magnifier slice of the Wheel (Lens, Spot, Zoom, Cast) or from the Magnifier button on the docked toolbar.
- Use Ctrl+Win+G.This is the default shortcut for all four modes. The next four sections show what it does in each one.
Zoom with the Lens#
- Hold Ctrl+Win+G and move the pointer.The lens appears at the pointer and follows it. Let go of the keys and it disappears. This is the default Hold setting.
- Hold Ctrl+Alt and scroll to change the zoom.Scroll while the lens is on. Holding Ctrl+Win+G while you scroll works too.
- Or set the zoom in Settings.On the Magnifier tab, drag the Zoom Factor slider. It runs from 1× to 10× and starts at 2×.
- Press once instead of holding, if you prefer.Select the pill at the top right of the preview (its tooltip reads “Lens trigger settings”) and choose “Toggle” under Shortcut. One press turns the lens on and the next turns it off.
Free to install. Every Magnifier mode is free for your first 14 days.
Download free fromView onMicrosoft StoreFree forever: cursor halo, click animation, Pen, Laser, Arrow, Text, Eraser, Screenshot and the Ctrl+Space Wheel. Every Pro tool is free for your first 14 days, with no card and no account. After that, Pro is a one-time purchase ($19.99 in the US). See pricing and the 14-day trial →
Dim everything but the pointer with Spotlight#
- Choose Spotlight.Select the Spotlight card on the Magnifier tab, or Spot in the Wheel’s Magnifier slice.
- Hold Ctrl+Win+G.The screen dims, and the area inside your halo stays clear so your audience looks where you point. Let go to bring the screen back.
- Hold Ctrl+Alt and scroll to change how dark it is.The Opacity slider on the Magnifier tab does the same, from 10% to 100%. It starts at 70%.
- Change the clear area with Clearance.The Clearance slider adjusts how much room the clear area leaves around the halo. It runs from −4 px to 48 px and starts at −4 px.
Zoom the whole screen with Live Zoom#
- Choose Live Zoom.Select the Live Zoom card on the Magnifier tab, or Zoom in the Wheel’s Magnifier slice.
- Press Ctrl+Win+G once.Live Zoom stays on until you press the shortcut again, so you do not need to hold anything. Live Zoom and Broadcast always work this way.
- Scroll the mouse wheel to zoom.The screen zooms in and out smoothly. “Max Zoom Level” sets the limit, from 2× to 10×, and starts at 8×. “Scroll Step Size” sets how far each notch zooms, from 0.1× to 1×, and starts at 0.5×.
- Press Ctrl+Win+G again to turn it off.The screen returns to normal size.
Make a 9:16 window with Broadcast#
- Choose Broadcast.Select the Broadcast card on the Magnifier tab, or Cast in the Wheel’s Magnifier slice.
- Press Ctrl+Win+G to turn it on.SHARA opens a separate window in a 9:16 shape that shows the part of the screen around your pointer. The Settings text says to capture only that output window in OBS.
- Set the Camera Scale.The slider runs from 0.5× to 2× and changes how much screen area the Broadcast window covers, without resizing the window in OBS.
- Press Ctrl+Win+G again to turn it off.The output window closes.
Choose Live or Static, and Crisp or Smooth#
These choices sit behind the pill at the top right of the Magnifier tab’s preview (tooltip: “Lens trigger settings”). View and Image apply to the Lens only. Spotlight, Live Zoom and Broadcast do not use them.
| Setting | Choices | What each does |
|---|---|---|
| View | Live (default) or Static | Live follows the cursor and keeps updating, so video stays in motion. Static drops a frozen snapshot where you trigger it, and it stays put while you point or draw. |
| Image | Crisp or Smooth (default) | Crisp shows the exact pixels, enlarged. Smooth softens enlarged pixels and is easier on video and photos. At 2× both look the same, because Smooth keeps 2× exact. |
| Shortcut | Hold (default) or Toggle | Hold shows the lens while you hold the keys. Toggle turns it on with one press and off with the next. Lens and Spotlight only: Live Zoom and Broadcast always toggle. |
| Mouse button | Off (default), Middle, Back or Forward | Opens the lens from a mouse button. A tap keeps the lens on, and a hold shows it until you let go. A button can serve one feature, so it stops doing its usual job while assigned. |
Questions#
Is the SHARA Magnifier free?
All four modes are free for your first 14 days, with no card and no account. After that the Magnifier is part of the one-time SHARA Pro purchase, and the Magnifier slice on the Wheel shows a padlock. The halo, the Wheel and the toolbar, Laser, Pen, Arrow, Text and the Eraser stay free forever. See what stays free.
What is the default zoom, and how do I change it?
The Lens starts at 2×. Hold Ctrl+Alt and scroll while it is on, or drag the Zoom Factor slider on the Magnifier tab, anywhere from 1× to 10×. Live Zoom has its own limit: Max Zoom Level, 8× to start.
Can I change the Ctrl+Win+G shortcut?
Yes. The recorder at the top right of the Magnifier tab sets it, and SHARA warns you when another app already uses the keys. Change hotkeys shows how to rebind any of the 31 shortcuts. The defaults are on the shortcuts page.
Why does scrolling not zoom the lens?
The scroll modifier has to include Ctrl: Ctrl alone, Ctrl+Alt or Ctrl+Alt+Shift. SHARA does not accept Ctrl+Shift or a Windows key combination for it. The default is Ctrl+Alt. You can check it at the top of the Zoom Factor slider on the Magnifier tab.
What is the 9:16 Broadcast window for?
It makes a vertical window of your screen that OBS can capture for a phone-shaped video. SHARA with OBS shows how to record it.
If it doesn’t work
- Ctrl+Win+G does nothing. Check that Enable Lens is on in the Magnifier tab. Another app may hold the keys, or SHARA is off: Ctrl+Win+Z turns all of SHARA off and on. Rebind the Magnifier shortcut.
- The Magnifier tab says “Unlock the Magnifier”. Your 14-day trial has ended. See what stays free, or restore Pro if you already bought it.
- Viewers can’t see the zoom. Share the screen, not a window.
More in Features: Cursor halo · Whiteboard and colors · Screenshot.