How to Change Display Settings in Windows

Looking for more display settings?

We've put together a full guide that covers all the display settings available in Windows including brightness, color, night light, scaling, multiple monitors, and more.

Explore Windows Display Settings: Brightness, Color, Scaling, and More

What's in this article

1. Set or change the screen resolution
2. Change the screen brightness
3. Adjust the refresh rate
4. Change the size of text and icons
5. Turn on ClearType for sharper text

Set or change the screen resolution

Screen resolution controls how much content fits on your screen and how sharp it looks. A higher resolution fits more on screen; a lower resolution makes things appear larger.

Windows usually picks the best resolution for your display automatically, but you can change it at any time.

Windows 11

1. Right-click an empty area on the desktop, then select Display settings.
2. Under Scale & layout, open the Display resolution dropdown menu.
3. Select your preferred resolution from the list.

   Tip: Select the option marked Recommended for the sharpest image. This is your display's native resolution.

4. Select Keep changes when prompted. If you don't respond within 15 seconds, the screen reverts to the previous setting automatically.
5. If you have more than one monitor, select each display at the top of the page and repeat steps 2–4.

For multiple monitors:

• In Extend mode, you can set a different resolution for each monitor independently.
• In Duplicate mode, the resolution is limited to the highest resolution that both monitors support.

Change the screen brightness

On a Dell laptop

Your Dell laptop has keyboard shortcut keys to quickly adjust brightness. These are usually the Fn key combined with one of the function keys (F1–F12).

For the exact key combination on your model, see your Dell laptop's User Guide.

Want more brightness options? Our Windows Display Settings guide also covers how to adjust brightness, night light, and color temperature directly in Windows settings.

On a Dell monitor

Dell monitors have an on-screen menu (called the OSD menu) that you access using the physical buttons on the monitor. From there, you can adjust brightness and contrast.

To find the exact steps for your monitor:

1. Go to Dell Manuals.
2. Enter your monitor's model number or Service Tag, then select Search. Or select Browse all products to find your monitor.
3. Under the Manuals & Documents section, select the monitor's User Guide.

Adjust the refresh rate

The refresh rate is how many times per second your screen updates the image. A higher refresh rate means smoother motion, especially useful for gaming or fast-moving video.

Windows 11

1. Right-click an empty area on the desktop, then select Display settings.
2. Scroll down and select Advanced display.
3. If you have more than one monitor, select the display you want to adjust at the top of the page.
4. Under Choose a refresh rate, select your preferred refresh rate from the dropdown menu. The change applies immediately.

If your Dell gaming laptop or monitor supports 120Hz or higher, you may also see a Dynamic Refresh Rate option. When turned on, Windows automatically adjusts the refresh rate to balance smooth performance and battery life.

Tip: Most standard displays support up to 60Hz. Dell gaming monitors and laptops often support 120Hz or higher. Check your device's User Guide for the full specifications.

Change the size of text and icons

If text or icons look too small or too large, you can adjust the scaling level. This makes everything on your screen; apps, text, and icons appear bigger or smaller without changing the resolution.

Windows 11

1. Right-click an empty area on the desktop, then select Display settings.
2. If you have more than one monitor, select the display you want to adjust at the top of the page.
3. Under Scale & layout, open the Scale dropdown menu and select a percentage. For example, 125% or 150%.
4. Sign out and back in if prompted for the changes to take effect.

Need a specific size not listed? Select Scale to expand it, then enter a custom percentage under Custom scaling. Note that custom values can sometimes cause text or app layouts to appear slightly blurry.

Want even more control over text, color, and layout? Visit our full Windows Display Settings guide for detailed instructions on scaling, color calibration, and more.

Turn on ClearType for sharper text

ClearType is a Windows feature that smooths out the appearance of text on your screen, making it easier to read on LCD displays. It's available on both Windows 11 and Windows 10.

1. Press the Windows key and type ClearType.
2. Select Adjust ClearType text (Control Panel) from the search results.
3. Check the box next to Turn on ClearType, then select Next.
4. If you have more than one monitor, select the monitor you want to adjust, then select Next.
5. Follow the on-screen steps to choose the text sample that looks best to you, then select Next.
6. Select Finish when done.

More display help and resources

For a complete guide to all Windows display settings including brightness, night light, color calibration, HDR, and multiple monitor setup, visit Windows Display Settings: Brightness, Color, Scaling, and More.

You can also find more support for your Dell monitor or laptop screen on our Monitor and Display Support page.