How to Enable Scrubby Zoom in Photoshop for Faster Image Navigation

(Last Updated On: August 28, 2023)

Do you find yourself constantly zooming in and out on images in Photoshop?

I bet you do because this is something every graphic designer does in Photoshop.

But if you are frustrated by the slow zoom speed, I’ve got good news for you.

Photoshop has a handy feature called Scrubby Zoom that lets you quickly zoom and pan across images with your mouse.

In this article, I will discuss how to enable the Scrubby Zoom feature in Photoshop.

What is Scrubby Zoom in Photoshop?

Scrubby Zoom is a zoom feature that lets you magnify images simply by clicking and dragging your mouse.

The longer you drag, the more the image zooms in. It gives you very precise control over zooming and makes navigating large images much faster.

Why Use Scrubby Zoom?

Here are some of the benefits of using Scrubby Zoom in Photoshop:

• Zoom in and out very quickly just by dragging your mouse
• Precisely control how much you zoom with the length of your drag
• Pan across images rapidly while zooming in
• Easily navigate and work with large, high-res images
• Improves overall Photoshop workflow and efficiency

How to Enable Scrubby Zoom in Photoshop

Although the zoom feature in Photoshop is quite useful, it may not be enabled by default in every version. If you find that the Scrubby Zoom option is greyed out in your Photoshop version, don’t worry.

Here is a simple guide on how to re-enable it.

Note: If you like to watch video tutorials, I have made a video on how to fix when Scrubby Zoom is not enabled in your Photoshop. You can watch it below.

STEP 1: Open Photoshop and go to Edit in the Menu toolbar.

STEP 2: Then find Preferences and click on Performance.

STEP 3: In the Performance window, check the box next to Use Graphics Processor.

STEP 4: Then click Advanced Settings and enable Use Graphics Processor to Accelerate Computation.

STEP 5: Click OK and restart Photoshop.

Note: However, Step 4 is only applicable to older versions of Photoshop. If you have a newer version, you can easily skip this step and go into STEP 5.

After restarting, Scrubby Zoom will be turned on. To use it, just click and drag your mouse over any image to rapidly zoom in and pan around.

Conclusion

As a frequent Photoshop user, zooming in and out is a common action for me. The Scrubby Zoom feature is particularly useful in this regard.

It makes navigating and zooming a breeze!

So, if you found that this feature is disabled in your Photoshop version, use this simple guide to re-enable it again.

BONUS FOR YOU: Unleash your potential as a print-on-demand entrepreneur with this free guide – download now!

Here Are Some of My Favorite Tools For Print-on-demand

DESIGNS: For getting started, I like Kittl. It is a fantastic place with highly professional templates, that can be edited and used for print-on-demand. In my opinion, it is a go-to place for anyone who wants to make money with POD.

Another of my favorites is Creative Fabrica. They have millions of cheap graphics that can elevate your t-shirt design. If you are not the most skillful designer, then try Placeit or Vexels. These are platforms, where you can find thousands of pre-made t-shirt designs you can easily edit and publish on any print-on-demand platform. I recommend Placeit for beginners and after you get some sales move to Vexels.

GET UNLIMITED DIGITAL ASSETS – Envato Elements is a subscription-based digital assets platform that provides a wide range of digital assets. Whether you’re in need of fonts, stock videos, photos, motion graphics, mock-ups, overlays, or brushes – you name it – Envato Elements is likely to have it. It’s your one-stop service for all types of creative resources.

SELLING GRAPHIC DESIGNS – Freepik makes it simple to get your design in front of a huge audience of paying customers. It’s a set-it-and-forget-it source of passive income. The earnings per download may seem small, but they can compound into decent money over time. And they are also accepting AI designs. Try it for free.

SELLING LOW-CONTENT BOOKS – Selling low-content and no-content books on Amazon can be a great way to boost your online income. I’m using Book Bolt to do the research, get pre-made interiors, and create covers. And you can try the platform for free.

Take your POD business to the next level. If you are serious about selling your designs on t-shirts, mugs, and other products, you need to sell them on the most significant marketplaces like Etsy or Amazon. It would be best if you also sold for the best prices through on-demand fulfillment companies like Printul or Printify.

Disclosure: Some of the links above may contain affiliate partnerships, meaning, at no additional cost to you, NechEmpire may earn a commission if you click through to make a purchase.