Extended monitor resolution vs scaling

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Extended monitor resolution vs scaling

I got a new mac that I'm using with my 4k Monitor. On the old mac I had the size of windows that I dragged from the mac display to the extended display stay the same size - the 4k factor maybe just affected the clarity of what I was looking at. With the new mac I can have it be at it's 4k resolution but everything is uncomfortably small - I can't find a way to set the size of the windows. if I change the resolution then you can get the windows the correct size but it looks awful because it's low resolution so like text has aliasing or whatever (like why not just the same clarity as the macs own display as an option?). So now I need to zoom into each window at like 200% to see docs at the right size but with 4k crispyness. Like is there any way, maybe with some type of plug in or different monitor cable, that i can change the zoom level on my extended monitor like I used to on my old mac? Just so that a program window I drag across doesn't have to dramatically jump in size and then I have to adjust the document zoom each time I shuffle my windows. Like the computer must adjust it's signal output to think "ok the window needs to have more pixel information on that screen so that it doesn't get smaller on the screen with more pixel density"

Thanks!

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 13.1

Posted on Jan 25, 2023 01:47 AM

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Answer 1

bruno75

Community Specialist

Jan 26, 2023 02:40 PM in response to ayan169

Hey there ayan169,

Upon researching your issue, and looking in our own Mac with macOS 13.2 installed, we were able to see the option to increase text by clicking on the Apple logo near the top left corner of the screen, then on System Settings > Displays. From here, we see options to increase the text for the displays we use with our own Mac.

We also wanted to provide a link that shows other ways to change the size of different things on your display: Make it easier to see what’s on the screen of your Mac

While this isn't necessary to perform the actions you're asking about, it's worth mentioning since you have macOS 13.1, the latest version currently is macOS 13.2. As it's recommended to keep all of your devices up to date, this link shows how to first back up, then Update macOS on Mac.

Cheers!

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Answer 2

Jan 26, 2023 03:24 PM in response to ayan169

Your displays are set to their maximum resolutions by default.

If you can not read text on the screen, you can make gross overall adjustments by changing to SCALED resolutions.

When using this feature, graphics are still displayed at native high resolution.

TEXT is scaled by the factor you implicitly selected, such as 1.2, 1.5, 2.0 times as large, so that it increases in size but maintains its crisp edges.

If you do not see the option is Displays preferences, hold the Option key, and it should appear.

None of what I wrote contradicts anything bruno75 told you above -- I just wanted you to get straight to the Gross control first. Later, you can fiddle with the finer controls around MacOS once you have this part solved.

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Extended monitor resolution vs scaling

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