How to Fix Display Zoom Issues on iPadOS 17

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Upgraded to iPadOS 17 and your iPad screen looks all messed up after using Display Zoom? You’re not the only one. Many users have reported zoom bugs—icons blown up, text misplaced, and widgets appearing warped. While frustrating, the good news is this is mostly a software glitch and easy to fix with a few adjustments.

Here’s how to troubleshoot and restore your iPad’s screen back to normal.

1. Turn Off “More Space” Zoom View

The “More Space” option under Display Zoom is the usual culprit. Disabling it often fixes layout problems instantly.

To turn it off:

  1. Open the Settings app
  2. Tap Display & Brightness
  3. Scroll down and tap Display Zoom or View
  4. Select Default instead of “More Space”
  5. Tap Done and wait for the iPad to reset the screen layout

Pro tip: If you still need better readability, try enabling Larger Text or Bold Text from Accessibility settings instead.

2. Adjust Home Screen Icon Grid

Some zoom glitches happen when your iPad tries to fit too many icons into zoomed views. Reduce the icon grid to lessen the strain.

Here’s how:

  1. Go to Settings > Display & Brightness
  2. Tap View
  3. Select Home Screen
  4. Choose a smaller grid layout like 4×3 or 5×4

This change updates immediately and may fix icon overlap or distortion.

3. Use Built-In Accessibility Zoom Instead

Instead of using Display Zoom, try the dedicated Zoom tool from Accessibility:

  • Go to: Settings > Accessibility > Zoom
  • Turn Zoom ON
  • Use the three-finger double-tap gesture to zoom in and out
  • Adjust the zoom level slider as needed

You can also combine this with Larger Text settings for a better experience without touching the system-wide zoom layout.

4. Restore Your iPad (Optional Reset Method)

If nothing else works, a clean restore might help remove corrupted settings causing the zoom bug.

Option 1: Restore from Backup

  1. Connect your iPad to a Mac or PC
  2. Open Finder (macOS) or iTunes (Windows)
  3. Select your device and click Restore from Backup

Option 2: Erase & Set Up as New

  1. Open Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPad
  2. Tap Erase All Content and Settings
  3. Set up your iPad as new after wiping

Important: Backup everything before doing this.

5. Downgrade to iPadOS 16 (Advanced Option)

If you really can’t deal with the bugs and want to revert:

  • You’ll need a Mac or PC
  • Download the iPadOS 16 IPSW file for your iPad model
  • Use Finder or iTunes to restore manually

Apple usually stops signing older iOS versions quickly—act fast if you want to downgrade.

Bonus Tip: Reduce Display Glitches Temporarily

Until a fix comes out from Apple:

  • Use Standard Display Zoom
  • Set Icon Grid to a smaller size
  • Use Accessibility Zoom instead of Display Zoom

These tweaks usually help eliminate most visual bugs until Apple rolls out a patch.

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