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How to Use Windows 10 Display Scaling

Make displayed text, icons, and navigation elements easier to see

By Andy Wolber Andy Wolber Freelance Contributor Southern Methodist University Spring Arbor University Andy Wolber is a former Lifewire writer who has been writing about technology for 15+ years. His focus is G Suite, iOS, and nonprofit sector apps. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on November 10, 2020 Reviewed by Jerrick Leger Reviewed by Jerrick Leger Jerrick Leger is a CompTIA-certified IT Specialist with more than 10 years' experience in technical support and IT fields. He is also a systems administrator for an IT firm in Texas serving small businesses. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email

In This Article

Expand Jump to a Section Why to Use Display Scaling Step-by-Step: Turn on Display Scaling How to Adjust Scaling Step-by-Step: Troubleshoot Display Scaling Larger text often makes words easier to read on a screen. But larger characters alone don't necessarily make a computer easier to use if all the icons and navigation elements remain relatively small. Display scaling makes everything on the screen a bit bigger, which makes applications easier to use for people with less than perfect vision. Instructions in this article apply to Windows 10.

Why You Want to Use Display Scaling

The Windows 10 display scaling system adjusts the size of text, icons, and navigation elements to make a computer easier for people to see and use. You can adjust the display scaling for your Windows 10 device, as well as for any external displays. For example, an adjustment to display scaling can transform a display from one with small text that is difficult to read into a screen that is easier to see. Scaling may also make it less challenging to open, run, and use apps on a projected display. The Windows 10 display scaling system selects the size based on several factors, such as the built-in display resolution, the dimensions of the screen, and the anticipated distance from the screen. The distance from the screen, for example, assumes that a laptop display will be closer to a viewer’s eyes than an external monitor and that a projected display will be viewed at an even greater distance. Screen resolution is a separate setting from scaling.

How to Turn on Display Scaling in Windows 10

To adjust Windows 10 display scaling requires that you choose a scaling percentage. Here's how. Go to the Windows Start Menu. Choose Settings. Select System. Select Display. Look for the Change the size of text, apps, and other items under Scale and layout. Select an option, such as 125% or 150%. Displayed items will appear larger as the scaling increases. Your display will re-size.

How to Adjust Scaling for Multiple Displays or Custom Sizes

You can adjust display scaling for your main display and connected displays. Place your cursor and select the rectangle for the display you want to scale, such as display 1 or display 2, etc. You can adjust scaling for each display separately. Select Advanced scaling settings to adjust scaling from the standard 100% to as much as 500%. In this setting screen, you may manually enter a custom scaling size. However, different scaling settings will work better on different displays. In some cases, you may see blurry characters, words that are cut off, or text too large or small for a specific space. Older programs, in particular, may not fully support modern Windows 10 display scaling features. The Advanced scaling settings also give you access to an additional setting that will ”Let Windows try to fix apps so they’re not blurry.” However, this adjustment only applies to your main display, not any external displays.

Troubleshooting Display Scaling in Windows 10

Not all apps scale well, especially on high-resolution displays, also known as high DPI (dots per inch) displays. Follow these steps to override Windows display scaling settings for a specific app. Don’t make these adjustments or changes unless absolutely necessary. Select the Windows Start Menu. Right-click the app, choose More and select Open file location. Right-click the app in the Programs folder and select Properties. Choose the Compatibility tab. Select Change high DPI settings. Select Open Advanced Scaling Settings. The Scaling Settings window will open. Select Let Windows try to fix apps so they're not blurry. Check the app again. If the issue is not resolved, enter a custom scaling size in the Scaling Settings window. If you’ve installed custom graphics hardware and software, you might not be able to adjust display scaling within the Windows system settings. Third-party software that controls a graphics card, for example, may take precedence over Windows system display settings. You can often access and adjust third-party graphics software from your Windows system tray (typically found in the lower right corner of your screen). If you use older programs, you may discover that some applications don’t honor Windows display scaling settings. In either case, it may be time to either upgrade your system to Windows 10 or contact the application developer for assistance. How to Fix Overscan in Windows 10 to Fit to Screen Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Fix Overscan in Windows 10 to Fit to Screen How to Move a Window That Is Off-Screen How to Fix It When a Second Monitor Is Not Working How to Run Old Programs in Windows 8 and Windows 10 How to Use the Windows 10 DPI Fix Utility to Correct Blurry Text How to Use Night Light in Windows 10 How to Change the Font Size on Your Screen How to Fix It When Your Headphones Aren't Working on Windows 10 How to Make Screencasts With Windows 10 Xbox Game DVR How to Disable AutoRun and AutoPlay for External Devices How to Disable the Touchpad on Windows 10 How to Fix It When Mac Is Not Detecting an External Display How to Set Up Dual Monitors on a Mac How to Find the Printer on Your Network in Windows 10 How to Fix It When Windows Spotlight Is Not Working on Windows 10 How to Use Apple Stage Manager Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies