Vista Tutorial - Screen Resolution

**Brink** · **Monitor Size** **Usual Native Resolution**

How to Change the Screen Resolution in Vista

Information

This will show you how to change the screen resolution in Vista with the recommended native settings based on the monitor size. The screen resolution setting determines how much information is displayed on the display screen. It is measured horizontally and vertically in pixels. At lower screen resolutions, such as 640 x 480, fewer items will fit on the screen, but they will be larger. At higher resolutions, such as 1600 x 1200, more items will fit on the screen but they will be smaller.

NOTE

The resolution options will vary with each computer based on the video device, monitor size, and video & monitor drivers. If the screen looks distorted or fuzzy, then you may have an incorrect screen resolution size set for your monitor.

WARNING

Make sure your Color Depth (Colors) is set to 32 bits for the best picture. If it is set to 16, then the Windows Aero color scheme will look like the Windows Vista Basic one even though you have Windows Aero selected in color schemes. For more about this, see: How to Change the Color Scheme in Vista and How to Change the Color Bit Depth Settings in Vista .
Vista does not allow for each user to have their own screen resolution. Changing the Screen Resolution in one user account will change it for the computer and for all user accounts.

RELATED LINKS:

EXAMPLE: Usual Native Resolutions for LCD screen size
NOTE: Always check you monitor documentation though to see what it says it's native resolution is. Some monitors may not always use the usual native resolutions below.

Monitor Size Usual Native Resolution
14-15 inch 1024x768
17-19 inch 1280x1024
20-23 inch 1600x1200
24 + inch 1900x1200
17-18 inch Widescreen 1280x800
19 inch Widescreen 1440x900
20-23 inch Widescreen 1680x1050
24-29 inch Widescreen 1920x1200
30 + inch Widescreen 2560x1600

Here's How:

1. Right click on a empty area of your desktop and click Personalize. (See screenshot below)

2. Click on the Click to Play button in the video below.

That's it,
Shawn

WILLYOU · 04-17-2008

Yes have done this but it does not save. I have to do it every time I bot up vista! What am I doing wrong?

**Brink** · 04-17-2008

Hi WILLYOU,

Has it always done this, or just recently? If just recently, you might see if a System Restore using a restore point dated before the problem started can help.

Check to make sure that you have the latest video and monitor drivers? You may need to uninstall them in Device Manager and reinstall them again in case they got corrupted.

Try different monitor type cables to see if you have a bad one. (EX: DVI, VGA, HDMI, etc...)

Hope this helps,
Shawn

3.0Liter · 08-05-2008

Does Vista Home Premium support different users having different Screen Resolutions? My friend just bought a new desktop and I created an account for both of their children. Each user is able to set their own desktop wallpapers, themes, etc without any problems. However as soon as the kids change the resolution it affects ALL the other users and of course their parents don't like having the resolution maxed out to 1900x1200 and of course their kids don't always remember to change it back to the default before logging out.

Appreciate any help on this subject. I tried searching google but only found references to 3rd party utilities for Windows XP.

**Brink** · 08-06-2008

Hi 3.0Liter,

Vista does not allow for each user to have their own screen resolution without some 3rd party program installed. I have not tried this one, but you might give it a try and see how it works for you.

Download Screen Resolution Manager Free Trial - Disputing display resolution and brightness options with your colleagues or kids? Stop the squabbles with this program! This is...

Hope this helps,
Shawn

jaxjesse1 · 11-12-2008

I changed the screen resolution in Vista to something higher (My normal resolution is 1680 by 1050) and the screen turned black. Instead of waiting for it to turn back to normal, I paniced and shut down the computer.

When I turn on my computer, the monitor says:

"ANALOG"

"OUT OF RANGE"

"56.2kHz / 50Hz"

I've tried switching screen resolution in safe mode. (Didn't Work)

My Graphics Card is an ATi Radeon 4870 x2. (If that makes any difference)

In summary: I need to know how to change the screen resloution without seeing the screen.

Thanks in advance.

**Brink** · 11-12-2008

Hello JaxJesse1, and welcome to Vista Forums.

See if you can boot into the advance boot options screen and select the Enable Low Resolution Video (640 X 480) option to boot into. After startup, see if you can change the screen resolution then. If not, repeat the above and uninstall your video drivers, restart the computer, and reinstall the video drivers again. You should be able to change the screen resolution again.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

joebanjo · 02-22-2009

Somehow my screen resolution got extremely decreased. Everything is so big, that i can't go into the system settings and change it. What can I do?

**Brink** · 02-22-2009

Hello Joebanjo, and welcome to Vista Forums.

It may be your DPI settings that got changed from the default 96 DPI to something higher.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

jay817 · 02-22-2009

when i have my tv hooked up though vga vista wont let me higher the resulution of that monitor more than 800x600 the laptop screen runs at 1280x800
the tv is 20inch