To change the screen resolution in Windows 10, right-click the desktop and select Display settings. Under Display resolution, open the list and choose a resolution, such as 1920 x 1080. Select Keep changes within 15 seconds, or Windows goes back to the old resolution.
The option marked (Recommended) matches your screen and usually looks sharpest.
Applies to: Windows 10 laptops, desktops, and external monitors. Keep in mind that Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025. Security updates now come only through the Extended Security Updates program, which stops on October 12, 2027.
Change the resolution
- Right-click the desktop and select Display settings. Or select Start > Settings > System > Display.
- If you have more than one monitor, select the one you want to change at the top.
- Under Display resolution, choose a resolution.
- Select Keep changes, or Revert to go back.
Check your current resolution
The resolution shown under Display resolution is the one in use. The number with (Recommended) is your screen’s native resolution.
Make things bigger instead
If text and icons are too small at the recommended resolution, keep the resolution and change Scale instead, for example to 125%. It keeps the screen sharp. Scale works in both directions, so you can also reduce screen size in Windows 10 the same way.
Change the resolution with the keyboard
- Press Windows key + I to open Settings, type
display, and press Enter. - Press Tab until Display resolution is selected, then use the arrow keys to pick a resolution.
- Press Tab to reach Keep changes and press Enter.
Set the resolution for each monitor
With two or more screens, select the monitor you want at the top of the Display page first, using Identify if you’re not sure which is which. Each monitor keeps its own resolution, so a laptop screen and a large external monitor can both use their best settings.
Change the refresh rate too
Resolution sets how sharp the picture is. Refresh rate sets how smooth motion looks. On the Display page, select Advanced display settings, choose the monitor, and pick a rate under Refresh rate, such as 60 Hz or 144 Hz. Gaming monitors often ship set to 60 Hz, so it’s worth checking.
If the resolution you want is missing
- Update the graphics driver. Windows may be using a basic driver that only offers a few resolutions. Installing the right one is part of the process to update all drivers on Windows 10.
- Your screen may not support it. A 1366 x 768 laptop screen can’t show a true 1920 x 1080 picture.
- Check the cable. An old VGA cable or adapter can limit the resolution.
- Resolution is grayed out: restart the PC, then update the graphics driver.
Connecting a second monitor or TV for the first time? Start by setting up dual monitors in Windows 10.
If the screen stays black after a change
Don’t press anything for 15 seconds. If you don’t select Keep changes, Windows goes back to the old resolution on its own.
If the screen is still black after a restart, start Windows in low-resolution mode:
- On the sign-in screen, hold Shift and select Power > Restart. If you can’t see the screen, turn the PC off and on three times during startup to reach the recovery screen instead.
- Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
- Press 3 for Enable low-resolution video.
- Once Windows starts, set a resolution your screen supports, ideally the (Recommended) one, and restart normally.
Frequently asked questions
What resolution should I use?
Use the (Recommended) one. Other resolutions can look blurry or stretched.
Why did my resolution change on its own?
A driver update or a new monitor can reset it. Choose the recommended one again.
Can I use a custom resolution?
Some graphics control panels, such as Intel, NVIDIA, or AMD settings, let you add one. Windows Settings only lists supported resolutions.
Why does the screen go black for a moment when I change resolution?
That’s normal while the monitor switches modes. If the new setting doesn’t work, wait 15 seconds and Windows goes back to the old one automatically.
Related: when only the text feels too small, increasing the font size is gentler than lowering the resolution. On a TV with cut-off edges, fitting your PC screen to the TV fixes the overscan, and gamers may also want to change the refresh rate.
Layout options are also covered on Microsoft’s screen resolution and layout page.
Matt Jacobs writes and maintains the guides on Support Your Tech, which he started in 2017. He spent most of his career keeping small-business PCs running and still takes the occasional consulting job, so the steps here come from fixing the same problems on other people’s computers. Every guide is checked on his own Windows 11, Windows 10, Mac, iPhone and iPad before it goes up.