To make everything smaller on your screen in Windows 10, right-click the desktop and select Display settings. Under Scale and layout, set Change the size of text, apps, and other items to 100%, or the lowest option listed. Check that Display resolution is set to the value marked (Recommended).
If only one thing looks too big, such as desktop icons or a web page, use the quicker fixes further down.
Applies to: Windows 10. Checked against Microsoft Support on September 24, 2026.
Lower the display scale
- Right-click an empty area of the desktop and select Display settings.
- Under Scale and layout, open Change the size of text, apps, and other items and choose a smaller percentage, such as 100%.
- Under Display resolution, choose the option marked (Recommended).
- Some apps look right only after you sign out and back in.
A lower resolution makes everything bigger and blurrier, so don’t lower it if you want things smaller. The recommended resolution matches your screen’s actual pixels and gives the sharpest picture. See how to change the display resolution in Windows 10.
Turn off custom scaling
If the scale list is greyed out and says a custom scale factor is set:
- On the Display page, select Advanced scaling settings.
- Delete the number under Custom scaling and select Apply, or select Turn off custom scaling and sign out.
- Sign back in and choose a scale from the list.
Make desktop icons smaller
Right-click the desktop, select View, and choose Small icons.
You can also click the desktop, hold Ctrl, and scroll the mouse wheel down for more sizes. See how to change icon size on Windows 10.
Make web pages and apps smaller
- Browser: press Ctrl and – (minus) to zoom out. Press Ctrl + 0 to go back to 100%.
- Many other apps: hold Ctrl and scroll the mouse wheel down, or look for a zoom slider in the bottom-right corner, as in Word and Excel.
- File Explorer: hold Ctrl and scroll to change the size of files and folders.
See how to zoom out in Windows 10.
Make only the text smaller
If you made text bigger earlier, go to Settings > Ease of Access > Display and move the Make text bigger slider to the left. Select Apply.
Make the taskbar smaller
Right-click an empty part of the taskbar and select Taskbar settings. Turn on Use small taskbar buttons. The taskbar gets thinner and the icons shrink, which leaves more room for windows, especially on a small laptop screen.
Make the mouse pointer smaller
If the pointer looks huge, someone may have changed its size. Open Settings > Ease of Access > Cursor & pointer and drag Change pointer size to the left. The smallest setting is the Windows default.
If a window is too big to fit on the screen
Some apps open at a size larger than your screen, so you can’t reach the title bar or the buttons at the bottom.
- Press Windows + Up arrow to maximize the window so it fits the screen exactly.
- To resize it by hand, press Alt + Space, select Size, and use the arrow keys to shrink it. Press Enter when you’re done.
- To move a window whose title bar is off the screen, press Alt + Space, select Move, and use the arrow keys.
If Magnifier is on
If part of the screen is zoomed in and follows your mouse, Magnifier is probably on. Press Windows + Esc to turn it off, or Windows + minus to zoom out.
If the picture is too big for a TV or monitor
If the edges of the desktop are cut off on a TV, the TV is probably zooming the picture. Change the TV’s picture size setting to something like Just Scan, Screen Fit, or 1:1. See how to fit your PC screen to a TV.
On a second monitor, set the scale separately. Select that monitor at the top of Display settings first. See how to adjust screen size on a second monitor.
If everything suddenly got bigger
- The resolution changed, often after a driver update. Set it back to (Recommended), and update your graphics driver in Device Manager > Display adapters.
- The recommended resolution is missing: the real graphics driver may not be installed. Check Windows Update, or your PC maker’s website.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the best scale for my screen?
Start with the one marked (Recommended). If text is too big, try one step smaller. On small, sharp laptop screens, 100% can make text hard to read.
Does lowering the scale affect performance?
No. It only changes how big things look.
Is there a keyboard shortcut to make everything smaller?
Not for the whole display. Windows has no shortcut for the scale setting, so use Display settings. Inside most browsers and Office apps, Ctrl + minus zooms out and Ctrl + 0 resets the zoom. If you pressed Windows + plus by accident, that turned on Magnifier; press Windows + Esc to close it.
Why are some apps blurry after I change the scale?
Older apps don’t always handle scaling well. Signing out and back in usually fixes it.
For more room on screen, see how to hide the taskbar in Windows 10. If your wallpaper looks stretched after a change, see how to change the wallpaper in Windows 10.
If your screen is sideways or upside down, see how to rotate the screen in Windows 10.
If the mouse pointer is too small to see, see how to change your cursor in Windows 10.
If you use two screens, you can also change the primary display in Windows 10.
Microsoft’s guide is Change your screen resolution and layout in Windows. More help is on our Windows Help & Guides page.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.