Go to Start > Settings > System > Display. Set Scale and Display resolution to the options marked (Recommended), and set Display orientation to Landscape. Those are the defaults Windows picks for your screen.
Applies to: Windows 11. Checked against Microsoft Support on September 29, 2026.
Go back to the recommended settings
- Select Start > Settings > System > Display.
- If you have more than one screen, select the one you want to fix at the top.
- Under Scale & layout, set Scale to the option marked (Recommended).
- Set Display resolution to the option marked (Recommended). If the display that looks wrong is an external one, see how to adjust the screen size on a second monitor in Windows 11.
- Set Display orientation to Landscape (unless the screen is turned on its side).
Keep or undo a change
After you change the resolution, Windows asks if you want to keep it.
If the screen goes blank or looks wrong, do nothing. Windows changes back on its own after about 15 seconds.
If you kept a setting and now can’t see anything, restart in Safe Mode. It uses a basic display mode, so you can open Display settings, pick the (Recommended) options, and restart normally.
Reset the other display settings
If the screen still doesn’t look normal, check these settings too:
- Custom scaling: if Display shows Custom scaling is set, select Turn off custom scaling and sign out.
- Refresh rate: go to Display > Advanced display and choose the highest rate listed for your screen.
- HDR: if colors look washed out, turn off Use HDR on the Display page.
- Text size: go to Settings > Accessibility > Text size and move the slider back to 100%.
- Color filters and contrast: in Settings > Accessibility, turn off Color filters and set Contrast themes to None.
- Orientation: on the Display page, set Display orientation to Landscape if the picture is sideways or upside down.
- Night light: if the screen looks orange, turn off Night light on the Display page.
- Theme and colors: go to Settings > Personalization > Themes and select Windows (light) to undo custom colors, accent colors and backgrounds.
- Visual effects: if animations or transparency are missing, go to Settings > Accessibility > Visual effects and turn Transparency effects and Animation effects back on.
- Color profile: search for Color Management, select your display on the Devices tab, then select Profiles > Reset my settings to the system default.
Quick fixes with the keyboard
- Windows logo key + Ctrl + Shift + B restarts the graphics driver. The screen goes black for a moment, which is normal.
- Windows logo key + P opens the projection menu. Pick PC screen only if your laptop screen went blank after you unplugged a monitor.
Fix the layout with more than one screen
- In Settings > System > Display, select Identify. A number appears on each screen.
- Drag the screen boxes so they match how the monitors sit on your desk, then select Apply.
- Under Multiple displays, choose Extend these displays or Duplicate these displays.
- If a monitor is missing, select Detect under Multiple displays.
If it still looks wrong
- Blurry or wrong size after an update: check Settings > Windows Update for a display driver update.
- Colors look off: turn off Night light in Settings > System > Display.
- Too dark or bright: move the Brightness slider on the same page.
- Still wrong after all that: open Device Manager, expand Display adapters, right-click your graphics card, select Uninstall device, and restart. Windows reinstalls the driver. Leave the option to delete the driver unchecked.
Frequently asked questions
Is there one button to reset everything?
No. Picking the (Recommended) options puts back the main settings.
How do I fix a second screen?
Select it at the top of the Display page first. See how to duplicate your screen in Windows 11. For Windows 10, see how to change screen resolution in Windows 10.
Why does my screen look stretched or fuzzy?
The resolution is probably lower than your screen’s native one. Pick the option marked (Recommended), which matches the screen.
Why did my display settings change by themselves?
A driver update, a docking station, or plugging in a different monitor can change them. Windows remembers settings per monitor, so check each one.
Will resetting display settings delete anything?
No. These settings only change how things look on the screen. Your files, apps and wallpaper stay the same.
If you only want one app to look bigger, you may not need to change the display. For example, here’s how to make Outlook bigger on Windows 11.
Microsoft’s reference is Change your screen resolution and layout in Windows. More help is on our Windows Help & Guides page.
Related: how to change the refresh rate in Windows 10.
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.