diff --git a/ILSpy.Tests/Editor/EditorZoomTests.cs b/ILSpy.Tests/Editor/EditorZoomTests.cs
index 04f7c6426..83c3fc6c2 100644
--- a/ILSpy.Tests/Editor/EditorZoomTests.cs
+++ b/ILSpy.Tests/Editor/EditorZoomTests.cs
@@ -16,8 +16,11 @@
 // OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER
 // DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
 
+using Avalonia.Headless.NUnit;
+
 using AwesomeAssertions;
 
+using ICSharpCode.ILSpy.Options;
 using ICSharpCode.ILSpy.TextView;
 
 using NUnit.Framework;
@@ -30,53 +33,87 @@ public class EditorZoomTests
 	[Test]
 	public void ZoomIn_Multiplies_By_Factor()
 	{
-		EditorZoom.ZoomIn(10.0).Should().BeApproximately(11.0, 0.001);
+		EditorZoom.ZoomIn(1.0).Should().BeApproximately(1.1, 0.001);
 	}
 
 	[Test]
 	public void ZoomOut_Divides_By_Factor()
 	{
-		EditorZoom.ZoomOut(11.0).Should().BeApproximately(10.0, 0.001);
+		EditorZoom.ZoomOut(1.1).Should().BeApproximately(1.0, 0.001);
 	}
 
 	[Test]
-	public void Reset_Returns_Default_Font_Size()
+	public void Reset_Returns_Default_Zoom()
 	{
-		EditorZoom.Reset().Should().Be(EditorZoom.DefaultFontSize);
+		EditorZoom.Reset().Should().Be(EditorZoom.DefaultZoom);
 	}
 
 	[Test]
 	public void Zoom_Round_Trip_Returns_To_Default_Without_Floating_Point_Drift()
 	{
 		// 1.1 * (1/1.1) is bit-equal-ish but not exactly equal in float; without the
-		// snap-to-default heuristic, the rounded-trip value would be 13.3333000001
-		// instead of 13.3333333... and the user would see a sticky "non-100% zoom"
-		// even after they explicitly returned to default. The Reset path bypasses
-		// this entirely, but Ctrl+Wheel round trips need the snap.
-		var step1 = EditorZoom.ZoomIn(EditorZoom.DefaultFontSize);
+		// snap-to-default heuristic, the round-tripped value would be 1.0000000001
+		// instead of 1.0 and the user would see a sticky "non-100% zoom" even after
+		// they explicitly returned to default. The Reset path bypasses this entirely,
+		// but Ctrl+Wheel round trips need the snap.
+		var step1 = EditorZoom.ZoomIn(EditorZoom.DefaultZoom);
 		var step2 = EditorZoom.ZoomOut(step1);
-		step2.Should().Be(EditorZoom.DefaultFontSize);
+		step2.Should().Be(EditorZoom.DefaultZoom);
 	}
 
 	[Test]
 	public void ZoomIn_Clamps_At_Upper_Bound()
 	{
-		EditorZoom.ZoomIn(EditorZoom.MaxFontSize).Should().Be(EditorZoom.MaxFontSize);
+		EditorZoom.ZoomIn(EditorZoom.MaxZoom).Should().Be(EditorZoom.MaxZoom);
 	}
 
 	[Test]
 	public void ZoomOut_Clamps_At_Lower_Bound()
 	{
-		EditorZoom.ZoomOut(EditorZoom.MinFontSize).Should().Be(EditorZoom.MinFontSize);
+		EditorZoom.ZoomOut(EditorZoom.MinZoom).Should().Be(EditorZoom.MinZoom);
 	}
 
 	[Test]
 	public void ZoomOut_Of_Slightly_Above_Min_Saturates_Not_Below()
 	{
-		// Slightly above MinFontSize zoomed out by the standard factor should land
-		// AT min, not below. Guards against an off-by-clamp bug where the post-divide
-		// value is below min but clamping only runs on the multiplier output.
-		var justAbove = EditorZoom.MinFontSize * 1.05;
-		EditorZoom.ZoomOut(justAbove).Should().Be(EditorZoom.MinFontSize);
+		// Slightly above MinZoom zoomed out by the standard factor should land AT min,
+		// not below. Guards against an off-by-clamp bug where the post-divide value is
+		// below min but clamping only runs on the multiplier output.
+		EditorZoom.ZoomOut(EditorZoom.MinZoom * 1.05).Should().Be(EditorZoom.MinZoom);
+	}
+
+	[Test]
+	public void EffectiveFontSize_Scales_The_Configured_Size()
+	{
+		var settings = new DisplaySettings { SelectedFontSize = 20, EditorZoomFactor = 1.5 };
+		EditorZoom.EffectiveFontSize(settings).Should().BeApproximately(30, 0.001);
+	}
+
+	[AvaloniaTest]
+	public void Changing_The_Configured_Font_Size_Leaves_The_Zoom_Buttons_Hidden()
+	{
+		// The options dialog moves the base font size; that is not a zoom, so the
+		// overlay must stay hidden and the label must keep reading 100%.
+		var settings = new DisplaySettings();
+		var buttons = new ZoomButtons();
+		buttons.Bind(settings);
+
+		settings.SelectedFontSize = 24;
+
+		buttons.IsVisible.Should().BeFalse();
+		buttons.ZoomPercentText.Should().Be("100%");
+	}
+
+	[AvaloniaTest]
+	public void Zooming_Shows_The_Zoom_Buttons()
+	{
+		var settings = new DisplaySettings();
+		var buttons = new ZoomButtons();
+		buttons.Bind(settings);
+
+		settings.EditorZoomFactor = 1.5;
+
+		buttons.IsVisible.Should().BeTrue();
+		buttons.ZoomPercentText.Should().Be("150%");
 	}
 }
diff --git a/ILSpy/Options/DisplaySettingReactions.cs b/ILSpy/Options/DisplaySettingReactions.cs
index 11a3cb6e4..b8a66f9a7 100644
--- a/ILSpy/Options/DisplaySettingReactions.cs
+++ b/ILSpy/Options/DisplaySettingReactions.cs
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.ILSpy.Options
 			// Editor-only (DecompilerTextView applies these directly to the AvaloniaEdit control).
 			[nameof(DisplaySettings.SelectedFont)] = DisplaySettingReaction.EditorLive,
 			[nameof(DisplaySettings.SelectedFontSize)] = DisplaySettingReaction.EditorLive,
+			[nameof(DisplaySettings.EditorZoomFactor)] = DisplaySettingReaction.EditorLive,
 			[nameof(DisplaySettings.ShowLineNumbers)] = DisplaySettingReaction.EditorLive,
 			[nameof(DisplaySettings.EnableWordWrap)] = DisplaySettingReaction.EditorLive,
 			[nameof(DisplaySettings.HighlightCurrentLine)] = DisplaySettingReaction.EditorLive,
diff --git a/ILSpy/Options/DisplaySettings.cs b/ILSpy/Options/DisplaySettings.cs
index ca74d7280..932c15185 100644
--- a/ILSpy/Options/DisplaySettings.cs
+++ b/ILSpy/Options/DisplaySettings.cs
@@ -39,6 +39,12 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.ILSpy.Options
 		[ObservableProperty]
 		double selectedFontSize = 10.0 * 4 / 3;
 
+		/// <summary>Editor zoom (Ctrl+Wheel / the zoom overlay), as a multiplier on top of
+		/// <see cref="SelectedFontSize"/>. Kept separate so changing the font size in the
+		/// options dialog isn't mistaken for a zoom.</summary>
+		[ObservableProperty]
+		double editorZoomFactor = 1.0;
+
 		[ObservableProperty]
 		bool showLineNumbers;
 
@@ -111,6 +117,7 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.ILSpy.Options
 		{
 			SelectedFont = (string?)section.Attribute("Font") ?? "Consolas";
 			SelectedFontSize = (double?)section.Attribute("FontSize") ?? 10.0 * 4 / 3;
+			EditorZoomFactor = (double?)section.Attribute(nameof(EditorZoomFactor)) ?? 1.0;
 			ShowLineNumbers = (bool?)section.Attribute(nameof(ShowLineNumbers)) ?? false;
 			ShowMetadataTokens = (bool?)section.Attribute(nameof(ShowMetadataTokens)) ?? false;
 			ShowMetadataTokensInBase10 = (bool?)section.Attribute(nameof(ShowMetadataTokensInBase10)) ?? false;
@@ -140,6 +147,7 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.ILSpy.Options
 			var section = new XElement(SectionName);
 			section.SetAttributeValue("Font", SelectedFont);
 			section.SetAttributeValue("FontSize", SelectedFontSize);
+			section.SetAttributeValue(nameof(EditorZoomFactor), EditorZoomFactor);
 			section.SetAttributeValue(nameof(ShowLineNumbers), ShowLineNumbers);
 			section.SetAttributeValue(nameof(ShowMetadataTokens), ShowMetadataTokens);
 			section.SetAttributeValue(nameof(ShowMetadataTokensInBase10), ShowMetadataTokensInBase10);
diff --git a/ILSpy/TextView/DecompilerTextEditor.cs b/ILSpy/TextView/DecompilerTextEditor.cs
index 5004c0fe7..71cb27bb6 100644
--- a/ILSpy/TextView/DecompilerTextEditor.cs
+++ b/ILSpy/TextView/DecompilerTextEditor.cs
@@ -86,7 +86,8 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.ILSpy.TextView
 
 		void OnDisplaySettingsChanged(object? sender, PropertyChangedEventArgs e)
 		{
-			if (e.PropertyName is nameof(DisplaySettings.SelectedFont) or nameof(DisplaySettings.SelectedFontSize))
+			if (e.PropertyName is nameof(DisplaySettings.SelectedFont) or nameof(DisplaySettings.SelectedFontSize)
+				or nameof(DisplaySettings.EditorZoomFactor))
 				ApplyFontSettings();
 		}
 
@@ -97,7 +98,7 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.ILSpy.TextView
 			if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(displaySettings.SelectedFont))
 				FontFamily = new FontFamily(displaySettings.SelectedFont);
 			if (displaySettings.SelectedFontSize > 0)
-				FontSize = displaySettings.SelectedFontSize;
+				FontSize = EditorZoom.EffectiveFontSize(displaySettings);
 		}
 
 		static DisplaySettings? TryGetDisplaySettings()
diff --git a/ILSpy/TextView/DecompilerTextView.axaml b/ILSpy/TextView/DecompilerTextView.axaml
index e3d119117..2e08f54c3 100644
--- a/ILSpy/TextView/DecompilerTextView.axaml
+++ b/ILSpy/TextView/DecompilerTextView.axaml
@@ -68,9 +68,9 @@
 				</StackPanel>
 			</Grid>
 		</Border>
-		<!-- Zoom-buttons overlay: bottom-right corner of the editor, auto-hides at default
-		     font size unless DisplaySettings.AlwaysShowZoomButtons is on. Bound at code-
-		     behind time once DisplaySettings is resolvable from composition. -->
+		<!-- Zoom-buttons overlay: bottom-right corner of the editor, auto-hides at 100% zoom
+		     unless AlwaysShowZoomButtons is on. Bound at code-behind time once DisplaySettings
+		     is resolvable from composition. -->
 		<textView:ZoomButtons Name="ZoomButtons" />
 		<!-- Hover documentation popup (configured in SetupRichPopup). It must be declared
 		     here rather than constructed detached: with overlay popups (see
diff --git a/ILSpy/TextView/DecompilerTextView.axaml.cs b/ILSpy/TextView/DecompilerTextView.axaml.cs
index cd5f39ab8..75eb08293 100644
--- a/ILSpy/TextView/DecompilerTextView.axaml.cs
+++ b/ILSpy/TextView/DecompilerTextView.axaml.cs
@@ -422,7 +422,7 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.ILSpy.TextView
 			if (currentDisplaySettings == null)
 				return;
 			var step = e.Delta.Y > 0 ? (System.Func<double, double>)EditorZoom.ZoomIn : EditorZoom.ZoomOut;
-			currentDisplaySettings.SelectedFontSize = step(currentDisplaySettings.SelectedFontSize);
+			currentDisplaySettings.EditorZoomFactor = step(currentDisplaySettings.EditorZoomFactor);
 			e.Handled = true;
 		}
 
@@ -556,17 +556,17 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.ILSpy.TextView
 			{
 				case Key.OemPlus:
 				case Key.Add:
-					currentDisplaySettings.SelectedFontSize = EditorZoom.ZoomIn(currentDisplaySettings.SelectedFontSize);
+					currentDisplaySettings.EditorZoomFactor = EditorZoom.ZoomIn(currentDisplaySettings.EditorZoomFactor);
 					e.Handled = true;
 					break;
 				case Key.OemMinus:
 				case Key.Subtract:
-					currentDisplaySettings.SelectedFontSize = EditorZoom.ZoomOut(currentDisplaySettings.SelectedFontSize);
+					currentDisplaySettings.EditorZoomFactor = EditorZoom.ZoomOut(currentDisplaySettings.EditorZoomFactor);
 					e.Handled = true;
 					break;
 				case Key.D0:
 				case Key.NumPad0:
-					currentDisplaySettings.SelectedFontSize = EditorZoom.Reset();
+					currentDisplaySettings.EditorZoomFactor = EditorZoom.Reset();
 					e.Handled = true;
 					break;
 			}
diff --git a/ILSpy/TextView/EditorZoom.cs b/ILSpy/TextView/EditorZoom.cs
index 2910afa18..fab6c595c 100644
--- a/ILSpy/TextView/EditorZoom.cs
+++ b/ILSpy/TextView/EditorZoom.cs
@@ -18,41 +18,49 @@
 
 using System;
 
+using ICSharpCode.ILSpy.Options;
+
 namespace ICSharpCode.ILSpy.TextView
 {
 	/// <summary>
-	/// Pure-math helper for editor zoom (font-size scaling). The actual editor wiring
-	/// reads/writes <c>DisplaySettings.SelectedFontSize</c>; this class encapsulates
-	/// the step calculation and clamping so it's unit-testable without an editor.
+	/// Pure-math helper for editor zoom. Zoom is a multiplier on top of the configured
+	/// <see cref="DisplaySettings.SelectedFontSize"/>, kept in
+	/// <see cref="DisplaySettings.EditorZoomFactor"/>: picking a different font size in the
+	/// options dialog moves the base size without counting as a zoom. The step calculation
+	/// and clamping live here so they're unit-testable without an editor.
 	/// </summary>
 	public static class EditorZoom
 	{
 		/// <summary>Multiplicative step per wheel tick / button press.</summary>
 		public const double Factor = 1.1;
 
-		/// <summary>Lower bound in points. Below ~8 pt the gutter glyphs collapse.</summary>
-		public const double MinFontSize = 8.0;
+		/// <summary>Lower zoom bound; below 20% the gutter glyphs collapse.</summary>
+		public const double MinZoom = 0.2;
+
+		/// <summary>Upper zoom bound; above 500% one glyph fills the viewport.</summary>
+		public const double MaxZoom = 5.0;
 
-		/// <summary>Upper bound in points. Above ~72 pt one glyph fills the viewport.</summary>
-		public const double MaxFontSize = 72.0;
+		/// <summary>Unzoomed state: the configured font size is used as-is.</summary>
+		public const double DefaultZoom = 1.0;
 
-		/// <summary>Default font size in points, matching <c>DisplaySettings</c>'s initial value.</summary>
-		public const double DefaultFontSize = 10.0 * 4 / 3;
+		public static double ZoomIn(double currentZoom)
+			=> Clamp(RoundToDefaultIfClose(currentZoom * Factor));
 
-		public static double ZoomIn(double currentFontSize)
-			=> Clamp(RoundToDefaultIfClose(currentFontSize * Factor));
+		public static double ZoomOut(double currentZoom)
+			=> Clamp(RoundToDefaultIfClose(currentZoom / Factor));
 
-		public static double ZoomOut(double currentFontSize)
-			=> Clamp(RoundToDefaultIfClose(currentFontSize / Factor));
+		public static double Reset() => DefaultZoom;
 
-		public static double Reset() => DefaultFontSize;
+		/// <summary>The font size an editor should render at: configured size times zoom.</summary>
+		public static double EffectiveFontSize(DisplaySettings settings)
+			=> settings.SelectedFontSize * Clamp(settings.EditorZoomFactor);
 
-		/// <summary>Snap to <see cref="DefaultFontSize"/> when within 0.001 pt — avoids
-		/// floating-point drift after zoom-in followed by zoom-out leaving the size stuck
-		/// at 13.3333000001 instead of the canonical 13.3333333.</summary>
-		static double RoundToDefaultIfClose(double size)
-			=> Math.Abs(size - DefaultFontSize) < 0.001 ? DefaultFontSize : size;
+		/// <summary>Snap to <see cref="DefaultZoom"/> when within 0.001 — avoids floating-point
+		/// drift after zoom-in followed by zoom-out leaving the factor stuck at 1.0000000001,
+		/// which would keep the zoom overlay visible at an apparent 100%.</summary>
+		static double RoundToDefaultIfClose(double zoom)
+			=> Math.Abs(zoom - DefaultZoom) < 0.001 ? DefaultZoom : zoom;
 
-		static double Clamp(double size) => Math.Max(MinFontSize, Math.Min(MaxFontSize, size));
+		static double Clamp(double zoom) => Math.Max(MinZoom, Math.Min(MaxZoom, zoom));
 	}
 }
diff --git a/ILSpy/TextView/ZoomButtons.axaml.cs b/ILSpy/TextView/ZoomButtons.axaml.cs
index f172268cd..b75384b4c 100644
--- a/ILSpy/TextView/ZoomButtons.axaml.cs
+++ b/ILSpy/TextView/ZoomButtons.axaml.cs
@@ -29,8 +29,9 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.ILSpy.TextView
 {
 	/// <summary>
 	/// Editor-corner overlay with zoom in / out / reset buttons plus a live "133%" label.
-	/// Bound to <see cref="DisplaySettings.SelectedFontSize"/>; the overlay auto-hides at
-	/// the default font size unless <see cref="AlwaysShowZoomButtons"/> is set to <c>true</c>.
+	/// Bound to <see cref="DisplaySettings.EditorZoomFactor"/>; the overlay auto-hides at
+	/// 100% zoom unless <see cref="AlwaysShowZoomButtons"/> is set to <c>true</c>. Changing
+	/// the configured font size is not a zoom and leaves the overlay hidden.
 	/// </summary>
 	public partial class ZoomButtons : UserControl
 	{
@@ -79,7 +80,7 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.ILSpy.TextView
 
 		/// <summary>
 		/// Binds this widget to a live <see cref="DisplaySettings"/>. Re-renders the
-		/// percent label and visibility on each <c>SelectedFontSize</c> change. Safe to
+		/// percent label and visibility on each <c>EditorZoomFactor</c> change. Safe to
 		/// call multiple times — the previous subscription is dropped before the new one
 		/// is wired.
 		/// </summary>
@@ -96,7 +97,7 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.ILSpy.TextView
 
 		void OnSettingsChanged(object? sender, PropertyChangedEventArgs e)
 		{
-			if (e.PropertyName == nameof(DisplaySettings.SelectedFontSize))
+			if (e.PropertyName == nameof(DisplaySettings.EditorZoomFactor))
 			{
 				RefreshLabel();
 				RefreshVisibility();
@@ -114,22 +115,26 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.ILSpy.TextView
 		{
 			if (settings == null)
 				return;
-			settings.SelectedFontSize = step(settings.SelectedFontSize);
+			settings.EditorZoomFactor = step(settings.EditorZoomFactor);
 		}
 
+		/// <summary>The rendered zoom label, e.g. "150%" (test observation point).</summary>
+		internal string ZoomPercentText => settings == null
+			? string.Empty
+			: (int)Math.Round(settings.EditorZoomFactor * 100.0) + "%";
+
 		void RefreshLabel()
 		{
 			if (settings == null || this.FindControl<TextBlock>("PercentLabel") is not { } label)
 				return;
-			var pct = (int)Math.Round(settings.SelectedFontSize / EditorZoom.DefaultFontSize * 100.0);
-			label.Text = pct + "%";
+			label.Text = ZoomPercentText;
 		}
 
 		void RefreshVisibility()
 		{
 			IsVisible = settings != null
 				&& (AlwaysShowZoomButtons
-					|| Math.Abs(settings.SelectedFontSize - EditorZoom.DefaultFontSize) > 0.001);
+					|| Math.Abs(settings.EditorZoomFactor - EditorZoom.DefaultZoom) > 0.001);
 		}
 	}
 }