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Use your operating system’s Display settings for a desktop-wide change, and the game or application’s own graphics settings for an application-only change. Create a custom mode or use command-line tools only when the desired mode is missing and your monitor, GPU, cable, adapter and refresh rate can all support it.
“Resolution” can mean four different things: the output mode sent to the display, a game’s internal render resolution, its resolution scale, or the scaling that enlarges an image. Identifying the right one prevents blurry text, black screens and unnecessary driver changes.
Decide what you actually need to change
- Desktop/output resolution: The signal sent to the monitor, such as 1920×1080 at 60 Hz.
- Application or game resolution: The image rendered by the program. This can change performance without changing the desktop mode.
- Render scale: A percentage at which a game renders relative to its selected output resolution.
- Display scaling: Enlargement performed by the game, operating system, GPU driver, monitor or TV.
For better game performance, lower the game’s render resolution or resolution scale first. Changing the entire desktop output may not improve a game that renders independently.
Force a resolution change in Windows 11
- Press Windows + I.
- Open System > Display.
- Select the correct monitor if more than one is connected.
- Under Scale & layout, open Display resolution.
- Select a listed mode and choose Keep changes when Windows asks for confirmation.
Microsoft normally marks the display’s preferred mode as Recommended. It is usually the native mode, but another listed mode can be useful for accessibility, compatibility or performance. Lower-than-native modes may appear soft, centered, stretched or surrounded by black bars, depending on scaling settings. See Microsoft’s current resolution guidance.
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- Re-engineered sound quality: Enjoy more detailed sound with spacious audio featuring greater output power, deeper frequency response and more decibel range than the previous generation.
- Ultra-thin bezel: Designed with a sleek, modern aesthetic and an ash white finish, this display features ultra-thin bezels for a refined, minimalist design.
If you are still using Windows 10, the same Microsoft documentation applies, but Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025. Menu wording can vary by edition and update.
If Windows does not list the resolution
Do not jump straight to a custom mode. Work through these checks:
- Install the correct graphics driver. A generic or damaged driver can expose only a small set of modes. Check Windows Update and the GPU manufacturer’s supported driver.
- Test the connection. Try another DisplayPort, HDMI or USB-C cable. Temporarily remove a dock, KVM, receiver or AV receiver, and connect directly to the GPU or laptop.
- Lower the refresh rate. A resolution may be available at 60 Hz but not at 120 or 144 Hz. Open Settings > System > Display > Advanced display and test a supported rate; resolution and refresh rate share the display chain’s bandwidth and timing limits. Microsoft documents this interaction in its refresh-rate guidance.
- Check the monitor or TV menu. Look for aspect-ratio, scaling, overscan or PC-input options. A TV may need overscan disabled. “Input not supported” means the display rejected the signal; it does not prove Windows failed to apply it.
- Use the GPU control panel only if necessary. NVIDIA, AMD and Intel software may expose scaling or custom-mode controls, but labels differ by driver and hardware.
A custom mode cannot overcome a physical limitation. The monitor, GPU, driver, cable, adapter and selected refresh rate must all accept the timing.
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When the game has a resolution control
Look under Graphics, Display or Video for Resolution, Render Resolution or Resolution Scale. Resolution chooses an output or render size; resolution scale changes the internal workload and is not interchangeable with the desktop mode. Exclusive fullscreen usually offers more independent modes than borderless-windowed mode.
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When the game launches with a bad mode
- Start it in windowed or borderless mode if that option is available.
- Use the launcher or the game’s documented configuration file to select a safe mode.
- Back up, then rename or remove the game’s video-settings file only if its documentation identifies that file.
- Use a launch parameter only when that particular game documents it; flags are not universal and can change between versions.
- If the display becomes unusable, use another display, Windows recovery or Safe Mode to return to a supported mode.
Borderless games commonly follow the current desktop output and may ignore an independent fullscreen resolution setting.
Windows 11 Auto SR per-game setting
On compatible Windows 11 hardware and games, open Settings > System > Display > Graphics, add or select the game under custom application settings, and look for Maximum display resolution. Microsoft says this Auto SR setting can change the display mode when the game launches, limit the resolutions the game sees and restore the previous mode when it exits. It is not a universal override: supported hardware, software, a compatible game and usually an appropriate fullscreen mode are required. Microsoft also notes that HDR is not currently supported. Details are in the Auto SR documentation.
Scaling: stretched, centered or black-barred
When the aspect ratio differs from the panel, choose deliberately:
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- Maintain aspect ratio: Adds black bars but keeps circles and characters correctly shaped.
- Stretch to fill: Uses the whole panel but distorts the image.
- Center/no scaling: Shows the lower-resolution image at its original pixel size with unused space around it.
Scaling may be controlled by the game, Windows, the GPU driver or the monitor. Change only one layer at a time. Multiple scaling layers can cause unexpected blur, borders or stretching. Black bars are often the correct result of preserving an image’s aspect ratio.
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Change resolution on macOS
- Open Apple menu > System Settings.
- Select Displays and choose the intended display.
- Choose one of the offered resolutions.
- For a fuller list, Control-click the resolution thumbnails and choose Show List, where supported.
Apple warns that changing resolution can leave some application windows too large to fit onscreen. The offered list reflects what macOS and the connected display report as supported; avoid treating third-party utilities or Terminal recipes as universal Apple-supported solutions. See Apple’s display-resolution guide.
Change resolution on Linux
Use your desktop environment’s Display panel first. The commands below apply to an X11 session, not generally to Wayland.
List connected outputs and modes:
xrandrIdentify your actual output name, such as HDMI-1, DP-1 or eDP-1, then select a listed mode:
xrandr --output HDMI-1 --mode 1920x1080
xrandr --output HDMI-1 --mode 1920x1080 --rate 60Restore the native mode shown by your own xrandr output:
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- Improved ComfortView Plus: Reduces harmful blue light emissions to ≤35%, for all-day comfort without sacrificing color accuracy.
- Refresh rate: A smooth, tear-free experience with AMD FreeSync Premium (refresh rate up to 120Hz) and an ultra-low 0.03ms response time create a captivating experience for work and play.
- Vivid colors: Immerse yourself in 4K visuals with a VA panel. Enjoy true-to-life colors with 99% sRGB and 95% DCI-P3 coverage. The 1500:1 contrast ratio and HDR readiness deliver excellent depth and detail.
- Re-engineered sound quality: Enjoy more detailed sound with spacious audio featuring greater output power, deeper frequency response and more decibel range than the previous generation.
- Ultra-thin bezel: Designed with a sleek, modern aesthetic and an ash white finish, this display features ultra-thin bezels for a refined, minimalist design.
xrandr --output HDMI-1 --mode 2560x1440Substitute your real output name, resolution and refresh rate. The X.Org xrandr manual documents this interface. On Wayland, use the desktop environment or compositor’s display controls instead.
Adding a custom X11 mode
This is an advanced last resort. Generate a modeline locally with cvt or gtf; do not copy arbitrary timing numbers:
xrandr --newmode "1366x768_60.00" <modeline values>
xrandr --addmode HDMI-1 "1366x768_60.00"
xrandr --output HDMI-1 --mode "1366x768_60.00"The generated values depend on refresh rate, reduced blanking and hardware. If the display rejects the mode, stop repeatedly applying it.
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- Wait through the operating system’s confirmation timeout; where available, press Esc to cancel.
- Reconnect the display, switch inputs, or remove a dock, KVM or adapter.
- Use another monitor or remote session to restore a known-good mode.
- Boot Windows into Safe Mode or recovery options and select a supported resolution.
- On Linux, remove the temporary custom mode or use the desktop’s display settings.
Do not keep applying an unverified timing. “Input not supported” commonly indicates an invalid refresh rate, insufficient cable or adapter bandwidth, a dock limitation, or a monitor input setting. Try the same resolution at 60 Hz and connect directly.
Best Value
- Low blue light: The improved ComfortView Plus reduces harmful blue light emissions to ≤35%, for all-day comfort without sacrificing color accuracy.
- Refresh rate: A smooth, tear-free experience with AMD FreeSync Premium (refresh rate up to 120Hz) and an ultra-low 0.03ms response time create a captivating experience for work and play.
- Vivid colors: Immerse yourself in breathtaking 4K visuals with in-plane switching technology. Enjoy vibrant colors with 99% sRGB. The 1500:1 contrast ratio and HDR readiness deliver excellent depth and detail.
- Re-engineered sound quality: Enjoy more detailed sound with spacious audio featuring greater output power, deeper frequency response and more decibel range than the previous generation.
- Easy connectivity: Keep your desk organized and clutter-free with a single USB-C cable (up to 65W power delivery).
Common symptoms and their causes
- The game ignores the chosen resolution: It may be borderless, using a separate render-scale setting, reading a configuration file, or running a different executable/profile.
- Everything became huge: You changed resolution instead of scale. Restore the recommended resolution and adjust Windows Scale or text-size settings.
- The picture is blurry: Non-integer scaling, monitor-side scaling, a very low internal render resolution, overscan or a non-native picture mode may be responsible.
Quick decision table
| Goal | Best first method |
|---|---|
| Make text larger | Operating-system scaling |
| Improve game performance | In-game render resolution or resolution scale |
| Use an old 4:3 game | Game resolution plus deliberate aspect-ratio scaling |
| Force one borderless game | Documented per-game setting or supported Windows feature |
| Add a missing monitor mode | Driver, cable, adapter, refresh-rate and display checks; custom mode last |
| Script a Linux change | xrandr on X11 only |
For completeness, Microsoft’s Set-DisplayResolution PowerShell cmdlet is documented for Windows Server Server Core scenarios, not as a general Windows 11 desktop command. See the Microsoft Learn reference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I force a resolution my monitor does not support?
No. You can request or define a mode, but the complete signal path—GPU, driver, cable, adapter, monitor and refresh rate—must accept it.
Will lowering desktop resolution increase game FPS?
Not necessarily. Lower the game’s render resolution or resolution scale; a game may render independently of the desktop output mode.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsWhy do I get black bars after changing resolution?
Black bars usually indicate aspect-ratio-preserving scaling. They are expected when a source and panel have different shapes.
The Bottom Line
Start with the least invasive option: OS scaling for desktop readability, the game’s render controls for performance, and normal Display settings for an output-mode change. Troubleshoot drivers, cables, adapters and refresh rate before creating a custom mode, and always keep a recovery path for an unsupported signal.
Quick Recap
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