A comparison of free and low cost screen magnifiers

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Monday, 22 August 2011 14:42pm

Media Access Australia’s web accessibility team has reviewed several free and low cost screen magnifiers and their common features.

A screen magnifier is computer software that enlarges a portion of the screen, allowing older people or those who are vision impaired to see it more easily. Media Access Australia reviewed a number of screen magnifiers for different operating systems that offer the most common features available in free and low cost screen readers.

All screen magnifiers reviewed can serve as a viable alternative to commercial products and offer a wide range of features that enable people with low vision to make the most of using a computer.

If you use several computers and need a portable magnifier that doesn’t require installation then DesktopZoom is a great option. Alternatively, The Magnifier offers the highest magnification scale of any screen magnifier that was tested (up to 40x) and can be used with dual screens. If your computer operates on Windows 7, Windows 7 Magnifier would be the best option for you since it comes automatically with the operating system and offers most of the core features that are included in commercial products. For Mac users, Zoom is a full-screen magnifier that comes with the OS X operating system and can be easily operated using keyboard shortcuts.

Each of the above is quality software that will help you get around your desktop or laptop screen. The reviews we wrote should help you decide which one will suit your needs the best.


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