Whether you’re installing a new monitor or trying to improve video performance, getting your screen resolution to the right settings is key to a better viewing experience. However, if you cannot change the screen resolution, you are not alone. Several users reported that the screen resolution option was grayed out after a Windows update or installing a new graphics card.
Screen resolution problems can be caused by anything from a hardware issue to minor configuration issues. If you only encountered the problem after installing an app, game or software, try clean booting first and then changing the resolution.
But if that’s not the case, check out all 5 best ways to fix screen resolution problems in Windows 10.
1. Update the Windows operating system
Before diving deep into the display settings, you should make sure your Windows 10 PC is up to date. Here’s how.
Stage 1: Press Windows key + I to open Settings and select Update & Security. Now click ‘Check for updates’ to see if any new updates are available.
Step 2: If there is any update, download it first and reboot your computer and install it.
In most cases, updating your PC will fix the screen resolution issue you are facing. If not, it probably has something to do with the display drivers installed on your PC.
2. Update Display Driver
If updating Windows doesn’t work, try updating the display driver on your PC as it may be corrupt or no longer compatible. Let’s see how.
Stage 1: Press Windows key + X and select Device Manager from the list. Now expand ‘Display adapters’ from the list. Then right-click on the name of the graphics card and select ‘Update driver’.
Step 2: Select ‘Search automatically for drivers’ and wait for the process to complete.
Now restart your computer to see if the problem is solved. If not, you can try to install the display driver manually.
3. Manually Install Display Drivers
Another way to update drivers is to manually download and install the graphics driver from the manufacturer’s website.
Stage 1: First, you need to know what graphics hardware you currently have. For that, press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog. In summer dxdiag and press Enter.
Step 2: Go to the Display tab and note the name of the driver used for your display.
Stage 3: Now go to the manufacturer’s website and select the OEM, Model no etc. to download and install the latest compatible display driver for your PC.
4. Install Drivers in Compatibility Mode
If the above method of manually installing the driver fails, there may be a compatibility issue between your driver and your operating system. This usually happens if you are using an older computer. Here’s how to solve it.
Stage 1: Right-click the driver setup file you just downloaded and click Properties. Now switch to the Compatibility tab and tick the checkbox that says ‘Run this program in compatibility mode for’ and select Windows 7 or 8 from the drop-down list.
Step 2: Click Apply and then OK. Now right click on the installation file again and select ‘Run as administrator’ to start the installation. Restart your PC after the installation is complete.
Now go ahead and check if you can change the resolution by going to Settings > System > Display > Screen Resolution.
5. Install Microsoft Display Driver
If you are still unable to change the resolution on your PC, try switching to the Microsoft Display Driver by following the steps outlined below.
Stage 1: Press Windows key + X or right-click the Start button and select Device Manager from the list. Now expand ‘Display adapters’ from the list and right-click on the name of the graphics card to select Update driver.
Step 2: Select ‘Browse my computer for drivers’ and click ‘Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer’.
Stage 3: Now select Microsoft Display Driver from the list and hit Next.
Wait for Windows to load the drivers and then restart your computer to see if the issue is resolved.
A New Perspective
This should do. In most cases, updating Windows or display drivers will work. If not, you can also try the other methods listed above. However, if every method fails, the problem is likely to be hardware related and it would be better to consult an expert for this.
Now that the issue is resolved, how about upping your productivity game using split screen in Windows 10?
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