Is it difficult to see the icons on the desktop because they are too small? Is your screen grainy and barely half a page of your Word document fits on the screen? Changing the screen resolution changes the size of all elements that are displayed. Follow this guide to learn how to do this.
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Windows 8
Step 1. Adjusting the resolution in Desktop mode
This is similar to previous versions of Windows. Right click on the desktop and select “Screen resolution”.
- Click the Resolution drop-down menu. If you have multiple monitors connected, select the one you want to adjust from the Display drop-down menu.
- Set the slider to the resolution you want. Moving the slider up will increase the resolution, making icons and text smaller. The "(recommended)" resolution is the resolution your monitor is designed for.
- Increasing the resolution will make things smaller, while decreasing the resolution will make things bigger. If you're having trouble seeing things on your computer, try lowering the resolution. If you want the sharpest image possible, increase the resolution to the recommended size for your display.
- Click OK. The resolution will change and a confirmation dialog will appear. If you don't click on "Keep changes", the screen will return in a few moments, in case changes you made didn't improve the picture.
Step #2. Change the resolution from the home screen
From the home screen, go to the bottom right corner to reveal the charms bar. Click Settings.
- Click on "PC and Devices" at the top of the Settings menu.
- Click on "View".
- Adjust the resolution using the slider. Moving the bar to the right increases the resolution, which in turn makes icons and text smaller. The "(recommended)" resolution is what your monitor is designed for.
- Click OK. The resolution will change and a confirmation dialog will appear. If you don't click on "Keep Changes", the screen will return in a few moments, in case changes made didn't improve the picture.
Method 2 of 5: Windows 7
Step 1. Right click anywhere on the desktop
Select "Screen Resolution" from the drop-down menu.
Step #2. Click on the Resolution drop-down list
Set the slider to the resolution you want. Moving the slider up will increase the resolution, making icons and text smaller. The "(recommended)" resolution is the resolution your monitor is designed for.
Increasing the resolution will make things smaller, while decreasing the resolution will make things bigger. If you're having trouble seeing things on your computer, try lowering the resolution. If you want the sharpest image possible, increase the resolution to the recommended size for your display
Step #3. Click OK
The resolution will change and a confirmation dialog will appear. If you don't click on "Keep Changes", the screen will return in a few moments, in case changes made didn't improve the picture.
Method 3 of 5: Windows Vista
Step 1. Right click anywhere on the desktop
Choose Personalize at the bottom of the menu.
Step #2. Click on Display Settings at the bottom of the Personalization window
This will open the Display Settings window.
Step #3. Move the slider to change the resolution
Moving the slider to the right will increase the resolution and make text and icons smaller. Consult your display's documentation to find the recommended resolution.
Increasing the resolution will make things smaller, while decreasing the resolution will make things bigger. If you're having trouble seeing things on your computer, try lowering the resolution. If you want the sharpest image possible, increase the resolution to the recommended size for your display
Step 4. Click OK to change the resolution
The resolution will change and a confirmation dialog will appear. Click "Yes" if you are happy with the new resolution or do nothing and the old resolution will be restored after a few seconds.
Method 4 of 5: Windows XP
Step 1. Right click anywhere on the desktop
Select Properties at the bottom of the menu. This opens the Display Settings window. By default, the window displays the 'Settings' tab. If another tab is open, select Settings.
Step 2. Use the slider to adjust the resolution
Moving the slider to the right will increase the resolution, making text and icons smaller. Consult your display's documentation to find the recommended resolution.
Increasing the resolution will make things smaller, while decreasing the resolution will make things bigger. If you're having trouble seeing things on your computer, try lowering the resolution. If you want the sharpest possible image, increase the resolution to the recommended size for your display
Step 3. Click Apply to test the new settings
Your screen resolution will change, and a confirmation dialog will appear. Click "Yes" if the new resolution looks good, otherwise the screen will revert to the old settings in a few seconds.
Step 4. Click OK to close the display settings window
The new resolution is saved.
Method 5 of 5: Ubuntu Linux
Step 1. Click on the system menu
This is usually located in the top left corner of the desktop. Select Preferences, then Display.
Step 2. Click the resolution drop-down menu
This displays a list of all the resolutions your monitor can display.
Step 3. Select the desired resolution
If your resolution isn't listed, or you only have a small number of options, your graphics card driver may not be installed properly.
Increasing the resolution will make things smaller, while decreasing the resolution will make things bigger. If you're having trouble seeing things on your computer, try lowering the resolution. If you want the sharpest possible image, increase the resolution to the recommended size for your display
Step 4. Apply the new resolution
The screen will adjust, and you will be asked to confirm the new resolution. If you don't confirm, the screen will revert to the previous resolution in a few moments.