How to Adjust the Screen Resolution in Windows 11

Minor adjustments make major improvements in the display quality

By
Joshua Hawkins
Josh Hawkins
Joshua Hawkins
Freelance Technology Reporter
  • Full Sail University
Josh Hawkins is a freelance writer for Lifewire who loves writing about the latest tech and gadgets that help make people’s lives easier. As an avid gamer and VR enthusiast, he also enjoys diving deep into the technology that helps bring those kinds of experiences to life.
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Updated on March 13, 2023
Reviewed by
Jon Fisher
Jon Fisher headshot
Reviewed by Jon Fisher
  • Wichita Technical Institute
Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA certified technologist with more than 6 years' experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek.
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What to Know

  • Right-click on the desktop, select Display Settings, and then select the new resolution.
  • Or, go to Start > Settings > Display > Scale & Layout and select the Display resolution drop-down.
  • If your running display automatically sets your resolution at 1366x768, you can't upgrade to 1920x1080.

This article explains how to adjust the screen resolution in Windows 11.

How Do I Adjust Screen Resolution on Windows 11?

You can adjust the resolution in Windows 11 from the desktop at any point. Here's what to do.

  1. Right-click on any empty spot on the desktop.

  2. Click Display Settings.

    Right-click menu settings in Windows 11 with Display Settings highlighted

  3. If this doesn’t open directly to the Display section of settings, find and click Display in the menu listings. It should be located near the top.

    System settings page in Windows 11 with Display highlighted

  4. Scroll down until you see the Scale & Layout section. 

    The Scale and Layout options in Windows 11 highlighted

  5. Select the dropdown next to Display resolution to select the screen resolution settings you want to use. Windows will always recommend your monitor’s built-in optimal display resolution when looking at these settings.

    How to select the resolution you want to use in Windows 11

Once you’ve changed your screen resolution, it could change how icons and open windows appear on your screen. As such, we recommend changing the settings on a clean version of the desktop by ensuring you close down and open browser windows or apps that you have running at the time.

How Do I Get 1920x1080 Resolution on Windows 11?

If for some reason your computer isn’t automatically defaulting to 1080P resolution in Windows 11, you can change the setting manually. Of course, your monitor will need to support that resolution before you can change it. For example, a monitor that only supports a resolution of 1280x720 (or 720P) will not be able to run at 1920x1080 as it does not support that high of a resolution. Follow the steps below to open the display settings and change to 1920x1080 resolution.

  1. Select Start (the Windows icon) on the taskbar. 

  2. Locate the Settings app icon and select it.

    Start menu in Windows 11 with Settings highlighted

  3. Click Display to open the display settings.

    System menu in Windows 11 with Display highlighted

  4. Scroll down until you see Scale & Layout.

    Scale and Layout section highlighted in Windows 11

  5. Select 1920x1080 resolution from the drop-down next to Display resolution.

    Resolution dropdown menu in Windows 11 with 1920x1080 highlighted

How Do You Get 1920x1080 Resolution on 1366x768 Display?

If you’re running a display that automatically sets your resolution at 1366x768, then chances are you won’t be able to upgrade the resolution to 1920x1080. The reasoning for this is the display you are working on does not actually support 1920x1080 resolution. Even if you used third-party software, such as Custom Resolution Utility, to change the resolution, certain text and other items may become unreadable due to the downscaling needed to show items at that resolution on a screen that doesn’t support it.

FAQ
  • How do I change screen resolution in Windows 10?

    To adjust the screen resolution in Windows 10, from the Start menu, go to Settings > System > Display. Under Scale and layout, use the drop-down menu to adjust text and app size. Use the drop-down menu under Display resolution to adjust screen resolution. Go to Settings and search for calibrate color display to adjust your color calibration.

  • How do I adjust screen resolution in Windows 7?

    Click the Start menu and go to Control Panel, then find the Appearance and Personalization section. Select the drop-down menu next to Resolution to adjust the resolution to your preference, then click Apply.

  • How do I find my screen resolution in Windows 10?

    To find your current screen resolution in Windows 10, navigate to Display Settings, then scroll down to the Scale & layout section. You'll be able to see your current screen resolution, and it will likely have Recommended listed after it.

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