Boasting a pretty sleek, responsive and intuitive interface, Windows 11 is designed to deliver a more personalized viewing experience. Though Windows’ default UI scaling is up to the mark, you have the luxury to fine-tune almost all the pivotal aspects in line with your rich taste. Thanks to the full-on customization, you can tweak the UI in keeping with different needs like the adrenaline-pumping gaming or enhanced viewing experience.
Regardless of whether you have a high-resolution display where text and icons appear too small or an external monitor where elements look blurry, tweaking the UI scaling will help amp up your productivity, readability, and even the viewing game. On this very note, let’s jump right in to explore the 25 ways to adjust UI scaling in Windows 11 like a pro.
Best Tips & Tricks to Adjust UI Scaling on Windows 11 24H2
Microsoft offers a decent set of built-in options for changing UI scaling on Windows. However, sometimes, they don’t work on the expected lines, triggering issues like blurry text, misaligned icons, or display distortions. Furthermore, there are certain apps that fail to get along with the system-wide scaling changes, thereby requiring manual DPI adjustments.
From the basic adjustments using Windows Settings to the advanced registry to the super handy Group Policy tweaks to the neat app-specific scaling fixes, to reliable troubleshooting steps, this in-depth guide has got you fully covered.
Basic UI Scaling Adjustments on Windows PC
To begin with, let’s master the fundamental UI scaling via the settings app.
1. Change Scaling from Settings
- To get going, launch the Settings (Win + I) > System > Display.
- Under Scale & layout, choose a predefined scaling percentage (100%, 125%, 150%, etc.).
- Higher percentages make UI elements larger, while lower percentages shrink them.
2. Custom Scaling for Precise Adjustments
- If the predefined scaling options don’t work, click Custom scaling.
- Enter a custom value between 100-500%.
- Click Apply, then restart your system to take effect.
3. Use Display Resolution Settings
- Lowering your screen resolution can make UI elements appear larger.
- Go to Settings > System > Display > Display resolution and lower the resolution.
- This is a workaround but may make text blurry.
4. Change DPI Scaling for Specific Apps
- Right-click an app’s shortcut > Properties.
- Now, choose Compatibility.
- Click Change high DPI settings.
- Enable Override high DPI scaling behavior and test different settings like System, System (Enhanced), or Application.
5. Enable “Let Windows Fix Apps Scaling”
- If some apps look blurry after changing scaling, go to:
Settings > Display > Advanced scaling settings. - Toggle “Let Windows try to fix apps so they’re not blurry”.
Advanced Display Settings for Windows 11
Having got a good hold of the basic times, it would be apt to get through the relatively advanced display settings as well.
6. Adjust Multiple Monitors Individually
- If using multiple displays, Windows lets you set a different scaling factor for each.
- Go to Settings > System > Display, select the monitor, and adjust the scaling.
7. Override High DPI Scaling for Legacy Apps
Some older apps don’t scale properly.
- Right-click the app > Properties > Compatibility > Change high DPI settings.
- Select Override high DPI scaling behavior and test different settings.
8. Check External Monitor Scaling Issues
If text is blurry on an external monitor, check for the external monitor scaling issues and fix them.
- Disconnect and reconnect the monitor.
- Ensure both monitors have the same scaling settings to avoid inconsistencies.
- Go to Settings > System > Display and verify each monitor’s scaling.
9. Use Windows Magnifier as a Temporary Fix
- Press Win + Plus (+) to activate the Magnifier.
- Adjust zoom levels using Win + Mouse Scroll or Magnifier settings.
10. Disable Display Scaling for Certain Apps
If a specific app looks odd after scaling changes, you might have to turn off display scaling for it.
- Right-click the app > Properties > Compatibility.
- Select Disable display scaling on high DPI settings to use default scaling.
Registry & Group Policy Tweaks
Should you wish to take the customization to the next level, it would be cool to get the most out of the registry and group policy tweaks.
11. Modify Registry for Custom Scaling
- Open Registry Editor (Win + R > type regedit).
- Navigate to:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop - Find LogPixels, set it to a custom DPI value (e.g., 110, 120).
- Restart the system for changes to apply.
12. Enable High DPI Scaling via Group Policy
- Open Local Group Policy Editor (Win + R > type gpedit.msc).
- Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Control Panel > Display.
- Enable Use Windows XP style DPI scaling to override default settings.
13. Adjust System-Wide Scaling via Registry
- Open Registry Editor, navigate to:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop - Set Win8DpiScaling to
1and LogPixels to a custom value (e.g., 110, 120). - Restart your computer.
14. Force UI Scaling for All Users
- Open gpedit.msc and navigate to:
User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Control Panel > Display. - Enable “Use this setting to scale for all users”.
15. Restart Explorer After Changing Scaling
- Sometimes, UI scaling changes don’t apply immediately.
- Restart Explorer:
- Ctrl + Shift + Right-click Taskbar > Exit Explorer.
- Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) > File > Run new task > explorer.exe.
Third-Party UI Scaling Tools & Troubleshooting on PC
Third-party tools offer way more freedom and flexibility so that you can scale UI to your heart’s liking by keeping the conservative roadblocks at a fair distance.
16. Use Custom Scaling Apps
- Apps like Windows DPI Fix or Advanced System Font Changer allow precise scaling adjustments.
17. Check GPU Scaling Options
- Open NVIDIA Control Panel or AMD Radeon Settings.
- Look for Display Scaling options and test GPU scaling to optimize UI appearance.
18. Update Display Drivers
As outdated drivers can cause UI scaling issues, make sure to always keep your display drivers updated.
- Open Device Manager (Win + X > Device Manager).
- Expand Display adapters, right-click your GPU, and select Update driver.
19. Reset Scaling to Default
- If UI scaling is broken, reset it to 100% (Recommended).
- Go to Settings > Display > Scale & layout > 100%.
20. Check App-Specific UI Scaling Settings
- Some applications have built-in scaling settings (e.g., Adobe Photoshop, web browsers).
- Look for DPI or UI scaling settings inside the app preferences.
Additional Display Optimization Tips for Windows 11
Should you wish to dig even deeper, there are quite a few useful display optimization tips and tricks that you should be aware of.
21. Increase Text Size Instead of Scaling
- If only text is too small, go to Settings > Accessibility.
- Now, choose Text size and then adjust the slider to increase text size without affecting UI elements.
22. Adjust Taskbar & Start Menu Size
- To resize the taskbar:
- Open Registry Editor and navigate to:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced - Create TaskbarSi (DWORD) and set it to 0 (small), 1 (default), or 2 (large).
- Restart Explorer.
- Open Registry Editor and navigate to:
23. Enable ClearType for Sharper Text
- Open Settings > Accessibility > Contrast themes.
- Scroll down to Adjust ClearType text and follow the wizard for better readability.
24. Check HDR Settings
- HDR can affect UI scaling in some cases.
- Go to Settings > System > Display > HDR and toggle HDR on/off to test.
25. Use Multiple Virtual Desktops for Organization
- If UI elements are too small but scaling isn’t an option:
- Press Win + Tab to create new virtual desktops.
- Distribute apps across different desktops for better usability.
Signing off…
There you have it! From the basic scaling adjustments to advanced registry tips to the handy troubleshooting tricks, this guide is aimed at helping you master the UI scaling and take control of it with precision. If you still find something missing, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.
