diff --git a/src/filewidgets/kdiroperator.h b/src/filewidgets/kdiroperator.h
--- a/src/filewidgets/kdiroperator.h
+++ b/src/filewidgets/kdiroperator.h
@@ -607,7 +607,7 @@
     bool isInlinePreviewShown() const;
 
     /**
-     * Returns the icon zoom.
+     * Returns the icon zoom level.
      * @since 4.2
      */
     int iconsZoom() const;
@@ -784,6 +784,20 @@
      */
     void setIconsZoom(int value);
 
+    /**
+     * Returns the icon size for a given zoom level.
+     * Typically the level should be between 0 (very small) and 16 (enormous).
+     * @since 5.47
+     */
+    int iconSizeForZoomLevel(int level);
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the zoom level for a given icon size.
+     * Typically the size should be between 16 (very small) and 256 (enormous).
+     * @since 5.47
+     */
+    int zoomLevelForIconSize(int size);
+
     /**
      * Set the URL schemes that the file widget should allow navigating to.
      *
@@ -910,7 +924,7 @@
      * trigger this signal to be emitted.
      * @since 4.2
      */
-    void currentIconSizeChanged(int size);
+    void currentIconSizeChanged(int zoomLevel);
 
 private:
     class Private;
diff --git a/src/filewidgets/kdiroperator.cpp b/src/filewidgets/kdiroperator.cpp
--- a/src/filewidgets/kdiroperator.cpp
+++ b/src/filewidgets/kdiroperator.cpp
@@ -911,23 +911,51 @@
         return;
     }
 
-    int value = _value;
-    value = qMin(100, value);
-    value = qMax(0, value);
-
-    d->iconsZoom = value;
+    d->iconsZoom = _value;
 
     if (!d->previewGenerator) {
         return;
     }
 
-    const int maxSize = KIconLoader::SizeEnormous - KIconLoader::SizeSmall;
-    const int val = (maxSize * value / 100) + KIconLoader::SizeSmall;
-    d->itemView->setIconSize(QSize(val, val));
+    int size = iconSizeForZoomLevel(_value);
+
+    d->itemView->setIconSize(QSize(size, size));
     d->updateListViewGrid();
     d->previewGenerator->updatePreviews();
 
-    emit currentIconSizeChanged(value);
+    emit currentIconSizeChanged(_value);
+}
+
+int KDirOperator::iconSizeForZoomLevel(int level)
+{
+    int size;
+
+    switch (level) {
+    case 0:  size = KIconLoader::SizeSmall; break;
+    case 1:  size = KIconLoader::SizeSmallMedium; break;
+    case 2:  size = KIconLoader::SizeMedium; break;
+    case 3:  size = KIconLoader::SizeLarge; break;
+    case 4:  size = KIconLoader::SizeHuge; break;
+    default: size = KIconLoader::SizeHuge + ((level - 4) << 4);
+    }
+
+    return size;
+}
+
+int KDirOperator::zoomLevelForIconSize(int size)
+{
+    int level;
+
+    switch (size) {
+    case KIconLoader::SizeSmall:       level = 0; break;
+    case KIconLoader::SizeSmallMedium: level = 1; break;
+    case KIconLoader::SizeMedium:      level = 2; break;
+    case KIconLoader::SizeLarge:       level = 3; break;
+    case KIconLoader::SizeHuge:        level = 4; break;
+    default: level = 4 + ((size - KIconLoader::SizeHuge) >> 4);
+    }
+
+    return level;
 }
 
 void KDirOperator::close()
@@ -1378,9 +1406,9 @@
         QWheelEvent *evt = static_cast<QWheelEvent *>(event);
         if (evt->modifiers() & Qt::ControlModifier) {
             if (evt->delta() > 0) {
-                setIconsZoom(d->iconsZoom + 10);
+                setIconsZoom(d->iconsZoom + 1);
             } else {
-                setIconsZoom(d->iconsZoom - 10);
+                setIconsZoom(d->iconsZoom - 1);
             }
             return true;
         }
@@ -1637,21 +1665,17 @@
     const bool previewForcedToTrue = d->inlinePreviewState == Private::ForcedToTrue;
     const bool previewShown = d->inlinePreviewState == Private::NotForced ? d->showPreviews : previewForcedToTrue;
     d->previewGenerator = new KFilePreviewGenerator(d->itemView);
-    const int maxSize = KIconLoader::SizeEnormous - KIconLoader::SizeSmall;
-    const int val = (maxSize * d->iconsZoom / 100) + KIconLoader::SizeSmall;
-    d->itemView->setIconSize(previewForcedToTrue ? QSize(KIconLoader::SizeHuge, KIconLoader::SizeHuge) : QSize(val, val));
+    d->itemView->setIconSize(QSize(KIconLoader::SizeHuge, KIconLoader::SizeHuge));
     d->previewGenerator->setPreviewShown(previewShown);
     d->actionCollection->action(QStringLiteral("inline preview"))->setChecked(previewShown);
 
     // ensure we change everything needed
     d->_k_slotChangeDecorationPosition();
 
     emit viewChanged(view);
 
-    const int zoom = previewForcedToTrue ? (KIconLoader::SizeHuge - KIconLoader::SizeSmall + 1) * 100 / maxSize : d->iconSizeForViewType(view);
-
     // this will make d->iconsZoom be updated, since setIconsZoom slot will be called
-    emit currentIconSizeChanged(zoom);
+    emit currentIconSizeChanged(zoomLevelForIconSize(d->iconSizeForViewType(view)));
 }
 
 void KDirOperator::setDirLister(KDirLister *lister)
@@ -2227,7 +2251,7 @@
     if (d->inlinePreviewState == Private::NotForced) {
         configGroup.writeEntry(QStringLiteral("Show Inline Previews"), d->showPreviewsConfigEntry);
         if (qobject_cast<QListView *>(d->itemView)) {
-            configGroup.writeEntry(QStringLiteral("listViewIconSize"), d->iconsZoom);
+            configGroup.writeEntry(QStringLiteral("listViewIconSize"), iconSizeForZoomLevel(d->iconsZoom));
         } else {
             configGroup.writeEntry(QStringLiteral("detailedViewIconSize"), d->iconsZoom);
         }
diff --git a/src/filewidgets/kfilewidget.cpp b/src/filewidgets/kfilewidget.cpp
--- a/src/filewidgets/kfilewidget.cpp
+++ b/src/filewidgets/kfilewidget.cpp
@@ -512,8 +512,8 @@
     d->iconSizeSlider->setSizePolicy(QSizePolicy::Maximum, QSizePolicy::Fixed);
     d->iconSizeSlider->setMinimumWidth(40);
     d->iconSizeSlider->setOrientation(Qt::Horizontal);
-    d->iconSizeSlider->setMinimum(0);
-    d->iconSizeSlider->setMaximum(100);
+    d->iconSizeSlider->setPageStep(1);
+    d->iconSizeSlider->setRange(0, 10); // 16px to 160px
     d->iconSizeSlider->installEventFilter(this);
     connect(d->iconSizeSlider, SIGNAL(valueChanged(int)),
             d->ops, SLOT(setIconsZoom(int)));
@@ -2131,37 +2131,19 @@
 
 void KFileWidgetPrivate::_k_zoomOutIconsSize()
 {
-    const int currValue = ops->iconsZoom();
-    const int futValue = qMax(0, currValue - 10);
-    iconSizeSlider->setValue(futValue);
-    _k_slotIconSizeSliderMoved(futValue);
+    iconSizeSlider->setValue(ops->iconsZoom() - 1);
+    _k_slotIconSizeSliderMoved(ops->iconsZoom());
 }
 
 void KFileWidgetPrivate::_k_zoomInIconsSize()
 {
-    const int currValue = ops->iconsZoom();
-    const int futValue = qMin(100, currValue + 10);
-    iconSizeSlider->setValue(futValue);
-    _k_slotIconSizeSliderMoved(futValue);
+    iconSizeSlider->setValue(ops->iconsZoom() + 1);
+    _k_slotIconSizeSliderMoved(ops->iconsZoom());
 }
 
 void KFileWidgetPrivate::_k_slotIconSizeChanged(int _value)
 {
-    int maxSize = KIconLoader::SizeEnormous - KIconLoader::SizeSmall;
-    int value = (maxSize * _value / 100) + KIconLoader::SizeSmall;
-    switch (value) {
-    case KIconLoader::SizeSmall:
-    case KIconLoader::SizeSmallMedium:
-    case KIconLoader::SizeMedium:
-    case KIconLoader::SizeLarge:
-    case KIconLoader::SizeHuge:
-    case KIconLoader::SizeEnormous:
-        iconSizeSlider->setToolTip(i18n("Icon size: %1 pixels (standard size)", value));
-        break;
-    default:
-        iconSizeSlider->setToolTip(i18n("Icon size: %1 pixels", value));
-        break;
-    }
+    iconSizeSlider->setToolTip(i18n("Icon size: %1 pixels", ops->iconSizeForZoomLevel(_value)));
 }
 
 void KFileWidgetPrivate::_k_slotIconSizeSliderMoved(int _value)