Tip: Optimize Display Scaling and Fix Scaling Issues on Windows 7

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Windows allows you to use scaling to increase the size of text and other items on the screen. When you use scaling in this way, Windows magnifies the size of text and UI elements to the scale you choose. Each account on a computer has a separate setting for scaling.

You can specify the scaling to use for text and UI elements by following these steps:

1. In Control Panel, click Appearance And Personalization.

2. Under the Display heading, click Make Text And Other Items Larger Or Smaller.

3. The default scaling options allow you to choose a 100-percent scale (the default), a 125-percent scale, or a 150-percent scale. To use one of these scaling options, make a selection, and then click Apply.

4. To choose a custom setting of between 100 and 500 percent, click Set Custom Text Size (DPI) in the left pane, and then use the Scale combo box to select or specify a scale.

5. You need to log off the user and then log on the user again for the changes to take effect.

Be aware, though, that if you choose a setting higher than 200 percent, UI elements and text may be scaled so large that you cannot work with the computer. You may even be unable to get back into Control Panel to restore the original scaling setting. If you have a scaling issue, enter dpiscaling at a command prompt or in the Search box on the Start menu. This will open the Display page directly, allowing you to then reset the scaling setting.

If you’ve enabled scaling and the text in an application is blurred or unreadable, you may want to disable display scaling for that particular application. To do this, right-click the application’s shortcut and then click Properties. On the Compatibility tab, select Disable Display Scaling On High DPI Settings, and then click OK.

From the Microsoft Press book Windows 7 Administrator’s Pocket Consultant by William R. Stanek.

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