Display Resolution is basically defined as the number of pixels spread horizontally and vertically. It is one of the prominent metrics in a computer and it determines text and graphics clarity shown on your desktop screen. While using the Recommended value is always the best option, you can adjust your monitor for better resolution by switching from one display resolution to another as per your preference in Windows 11/10. In this article, I will be discussing different methods to change the Display Resolution in Windows 11/10.
How to change Display Resolution in Windows 11/10
These are the four ways to change the display resolution in Windows 11/10:
- Use Windows Settings app
- Use HRC – HotKey Resolution Changer
- Change Display Resolution using Command Prompt.
- Change screen resolution using a QRes script.
Let’s discuss these methods in detail!
1] Change Screen Resolution using Settings app
Windows 11
The procedure to change the Display Resolution in Windows 11 is as follows:
- Right-click on the Start button and select Settings.
- In the Settings window, select System on the list on the left-hand side.
- In the right-pane, click on Display to open the Display setting.
- Scroll down a little to the Scale & layout section.
- You would find the option to change the Display resolution.
Windows 10
One of the most common ways to change screen resolution is using the Settings app in Windows 10. You can tweak some display settings to select switch to the desired screen resolution. Follow below steps to use this method:
Open Settings app by pressing Windows + X hotkey and selecting Settings option.
Now, click on System > Display option.
In the Display settings, scroll down to Scale and Layout section. Here, you will see a Display resolution option.
Click on the Display resolution drop-down menu and you will see a list of available screen resolution presets. Select any of them as per your requirement.
As you select a resolution, Windows will show you a preview of how the selected screen resolution will appear.
If you want to keep the screen resolution, click on the Keep Changes option. Else, you can tap on the Revert option and then choose a different screen resolution.
Read: Display Screen Resolution changes on its own automatically.
2] Using HotKey Resolution Changer
HRC – HotKey Resolution Changer is a dedicated software to change screen resolution in Windows 10. It is free and it comes in a portable package. You can simply run its application file and change screen resolution. You can also change color depth and refresh rate through it. The good part of this software is that it lets you customize hotkeys to switch screen resolution on your PC. It lets you modify resolution for multi-monitor setup too. Once you launch this application, you can easily access it from the system tray.
Let’s checkout the steps to use this software!
How to change screen resolution using free software called HRC – HotKey Resolution Changer
- Download this software from its official website funk.eu.
- Unzip the downloaded folder.
- Run HRC.exe file to open its interface.
- Select the desired screen resolution from the drop-down menu, and choose color depth and refresh rate as required.
- Click the computer icon present at the right to switch to the selected display resolution.
4] Change Display Resolution using Command Prompt
You will need to use QRes or Windows Screen Mode Changer, which you can download from sourceforge.net.
Download it to a suitable folder, extract its contents and open a command prompt in the destination folder, and run the following command:
qres x=1680 y=1050
This will set the display resolution to 1680×1050. You need to change the figures as per your requirements.
Read: Can’t change Screen Resolution in Windows.
3] Change Screen Resolution using Script
QRes, discussed above, can use to change screen resolution as well as color depth using a script. It is a free and open source plus a lightweight application. Let’s checkout how you can use it to change screen resolution using script.
You will need to open Notepad on your PC and enter a command similar to this:
"C:\QRes\QRes.exe" /x:1366 /y:768.
This command will change your screen resolution to 1366×768.
In this command, change "C:\QRes\QRes.exe" to the path where you have extracted QRes archive, and, enter your screen resolution in place of /x:1366 /y:768.
After that, save the file by going to File > Save As option.
While saving file, select All File Types and then add .bat extension after the filename.
Run the created script file by double-clicking it and it will change screen resolution.
TIP: This post will show you how to check and change the Screen Resolution in Windows 11 using WMIC Command-line in PowerShell.
Why does Display Resolution change by itself and what can I do to avoid such changes?
In most cases, third-party software products and games change the screen resolution. While usually, this is done only for the period you run the software, but at times, it extends even after closing the software/game and rebooting the system. In this situation, you would have to correct the display resolution manually.
Fix: Screen Resolution problems in Windows
What is the natural Display Resolution of Windows 11?
A Windows 11 device must have a minimum display resolution of 720p or 1280 x 720. Beyond that, there isn’t a specific standard. Computers and monitors come in different brands and sizes. You can choose as per your requirements.
Usually, Windows 11 suggests a recommended display resolution and marks it as “Recommended.” You are advised to use the same.
Should I change the Display Scale for Windows 11?
The default Display Scale for Windows 11 has been set to 150% and it is highly recommended not to change it. However, it an external software changes the scale, you can change it back to the recommended value.
Hopefully, this article helped you find a suitable method to switch screen resolution in Windows 11/10.
