How to change the screen resolution in Windows

  1. Minimize all applications so that you can see the desktop.
  2. Right-click anywhere on the desktop background (not on an icon).
  3. In the resulting pop-up menu, choose Properties. This will open the Display Properties dialog box.
  4. In the Display Properties dialog box, select the Settings tab.
  5. In the Settings tab, in the lower left corner, is a "slider" which allows you to change the screen resolution.
  6. Slide this control to the left to decrease the screen resolution and to the right to increase the resolution. The resolution will only change in preset steps usually starting with 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768 and getting increasingly larger. Windows is recommending at least 1024x768 unless you have a specific reason to use a lower resolution.
  7. Try changing the resolution one step at a time. Click the Apply button to actually change the screen resolution.
  8. If you see a message asking if you want to keep the new settings, click the Yes button within 15 seconds. (If you don't want to keep the changed screen resolution, either click the No button or wait 15 seconds and the change will be reset to what it was before.)
  9. Keep sliding the resolution control one step at a time until you are satisfied. (Repeat steps 7 & 8.)
  10. When done, click the OK button to close the Display Properties dialog box.

Notes:

  • At higher resolutions, you may not be able to see as many colors, but this is unlikely.
  • Flat panel monitors have a prefered resolution. If you set the display lower or higher, the display will be noticably more blurry. The prefered resolution should be noted in your display manual.