Everything looks blurry or too small
Text on my screen is blurry and tiny. How do I make it clear?
Written by The CommonFixes team · fact checked by CommonFixes review desk
Last updated
Short answer
The resolution or the scaling does not match what the screen was built for. The quickest thing to try first: set the recommended resolution — Open Settings, System, Display, and choose the resolution marked Recommended. Anything else makes text soft on a flat screen. Most people are done in about 5 minutes.
Full walkthrough below: 5 steps for Windows and Mac, rated easy.
Sounds like this
- •Fuzzy text
- •Icons too small to read
- •Picture does not fill the screen
Why it happens
The resolution or the scaling does not match what the screen was built for.
Work through these in order
0% done- 1
Set the recommended resolution
Open Settings, System, Display, and choose the resolution marked Recommended. Anything else makes text soft on a flat screen.
- 2
Adjust the scale rather than the resolution
In the same screen, set Scale to 125 or 150 percent to make everything larger while staying sharp.
- 3
Run ClearType
Search for Adjust ClearType text and follow the short wizard. It tunes text sharpness for your specific screen.
- 4
Fix blurry apps
Right click the program shortcut, Properties, Compatibility, Change high DPI settings, and tick the override for scaling behaviour.
- 5
Zoom just the browser
Hold Control and press plus or minus to change size on web pages only, which leaves everything else as it was.
If none of that worked
On an external monitor, check that the cable supports the resolution. An old HDMI cable can force a lower one.
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Who wrote this and how we checked it
The CommonFixes team
Writer and researcher
We are a small group of people who spend our days repairing laptops and desktops for family, friends and small offices. Every guide here starts with a problem someone actually brought to us, and we only write down the steps that put the machine right.
- Everyday repairs
- Windows and Mac
- Plain language
CommonFixes review desk
Technical editor
Before a guide goes live, a second person walks through it on a real machine and checks each instruction against the maker's own support pages. Anything we cannot confirm is removed rather than guessed at.
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This guide was last updated on 10 August 2026. If a step no longer matches what you see on screen, tell us on the contact page and we will test it again.
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