Windows looks blurry after changing display scaling

Symptoms

• Text and icons look blurry after changing the scale percentage
• Some apps look fine while others look fuzzy
• Blurriness appeared right after a scale change or plugging in a second monitor
• Restarting the app or PC sometimes fixes it

Likely causes

• CommonApp running in a legacy DPI-unaware modeOlder applications don't automatically detect and adapt to new scaling settings.
• CommonDisplay not refreshed after the scaling changeSome apps need to be restarted to correctly render at the new scale.
• CommonMixed scaling between two monitors of different resolutionsWindows sometimes struggles to apply different scale percentages cleanly across two displays.
• PossibleGraphics driver not fully supporting the new scale/resolution combinationAn outdated driver can render scaling incorrectly.

What to do

1. Log out and back in, or restart the computer, after changing the scaling percentage.
2. For a specific blurry app, right-click its shortcut or icon, choose Properties > Compatibility > Change High DPI Settings, and enable 'Override high DPI scaling behavior,' setting it to 'System' or 'System (Enhanced).'
3. If using two monitors with different resolutions, try setting them to the same or closer scaling percentages to reduce mismatches.
4. Update the graphics driver from the manufacturer's website.
5. Try a few standard scaling percentages (100%, 125%, 150%) rather than an unusual custom value.
6. Restart affected apps individually rather than assuming a full system restart is required each time.

Tools and parts

• None

When to call a pro

This is a software configuration issue; if blurriness persists across all apps after restarting and updating drivers, double-check the resolution is still set to the monitor's native value.

Safety