How to Adjust Window Screens

Adjusting your Windows screen involves changing the resolution of the monitor. Higher resolutions allow more visual area on the screen, but with higher resolution the text and dialog windows are smaller. Gamers and graphic designers typically use higher resolution settings. People with visual impairments may prefer lower resolutions, which leave text and images larger and easier to see. Adjusting the Windows screen is accomplished from the desktop.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Windows XP

1. Right-click any open space on the Windows desktop. This opens a context menu with several options. Select "Properties" from the menu options. This opens a dialog box that controls several visual settings for the monitor and Windows layout.

2. Click the "Settings" tab. Within this tab you may set the resolution configurations as well as color-depth settings. For instance, if you have low memory capacity on the machine, you might lower the amount of colors displayed to improve performance on the computer.

3. Adjust the slide-bar in the area labeled "Screen Resolution." Settings farther toward the right are higher resolution for smaller windows and more visual representation. Slide the bar to the left and the resolution goes lower, increasing the apparent size of objects on the screen.

4. Click the "Apply" button. Windows will switch the screen resolution and display a dialog box asking if you want to keep the current settings. If the resolution is too high or low, click the "Cancel" button to reset the configurations.

5. Click the "OK" button once you've found the settings that feel comfortable. Your screen is resized and you do not need to reboot.

References

• Microsoft: Change Windows Resolution