How to fix monitor display resolution problems

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How to fix monitor display resolution problems


Common Causes of Screen Resolution Problems

Most screen resolution issues come down to one of the following causes:

Settings aren't optimized or have been changed
Installing a new monitor
Windows Update problems
Driver issues
Hardware problem like monitor, graphics card...





1. Check for Windows Update Issues

Before diving into your display settings, let's take a look at Windows Update issues. If your screen-resolution
problems didn't begin until right after installing a Windows Update, the issue is normally caused by an update
changing your display settings or changing your display/graphics driver.










2. Adjust the Resolution

You can solve many screen resolution problems in Windows just by adjusting the resolution. Windows updates,
apps, second monitors, and more can all change your default or custom settings.

Step 1:
Right-click anywhere on your desktop and choose Display Settings.




Step 2:
Scroll down until you see Display resolution. Open the drop-down box to view your options.
Typically, the recommended option is what's best for your current screen. However, test out other options
to customize the resolution for you.



From the Display settings, you can also adjust the brightness, scaling, and the settings for additional connected screens.
If you need a brighter or more vibrant display, and HD is supported by your monitor, click Windows HD Color settings.
You'll only be able to change the settings if your monitor supports them, which mine doesn't, so no HDR games and video
for this writer. In Windows 11, look for the HDR setting under Display.






You can also access advanced settings by clicking Advanced display settings in the Display settings.
Select the display you want to change to view details, then click Display adapter properties for Display at the end of the details.



From here, you can adjust the adapter properties, screen refresh rate (Monitor tab), and the color management (Color Management tab).




3. Update Display Drivers

For something so necessary for hardware to work properly on Windows, drivers cause many problems sometimes. For example, a flickering screen
is often a driver issue. Drivers are often the culprit behind stretched screens, fuzzy resolution, poor refresh rates, and more. They can
also make your screen look more like a Windows 95 desktop than the modern, crisp look we're all used to.

Step 1:
Open the Start menu, type Windows Update and click Windows Update Settings. If Windows doesn't list any updates
or doesn't automatically check for new ones, click Check for updates. Otherwise, you may need to un-pause updates if you've paused them.







Step 2:
If updating doesn't work, you'll need to update the driver manually. Right-click the Start menu and choose Device Manager.



Expand Display adapters. Right-click your display adapter and choose Update driver. Follow the prompts to search for and install a new driver.



If you've installed a new monitor, expand Monitors and do the same thing with your new monitor.
If you continue having issues, right-click your display adapter and choose Uninstall device.
Restart your computer and let Windows reinstall the driver automatically.
You can also visit your display adapter's manufacturer''s website to download the latest driver directly.

4. Adjust DPI Size

Adjusting your DPI size manually usually isn't recommended. However, DPI (dots per inch) affects the size of various elements,
such as icons. If these look fuzzy, then your screen resolution may seem off. If nothing else seems to work, go to Display Settings and select Scale.



Enter a number between 100 and 500 in the Custom Scaling box. Click the checkmark to save your settings. The default is 100.
It becomes problematic when you change the setting, as all display settings adjust accordingly. Make sure you know all your
original display settings before you change anything.




6. Change Display Adapter Mode

If your screen resolution problems in Windows are related to low resolution, and you can't change the resolution using any of the above methods,
there may be one more option. (Make a note of the original setting so you can revert to it if this method doesn't work.)

Step 1:
Go to Settings -> System -> Display -> Advanced Display.

Step 2:
Click Display adapter properties for [Display name]. If you have multiple monitors with resolution issues, you can repeat the process for each monitor.




Step3:
In the Adapter tab, select List All Modes.







Step 4:
Select a different mode from the list to see if it makes any difference. As you can tell, you have quite a few to choose from.
Press OK to save your changes.
Click Apply to finish saving.