Skip To Main Content
Support Knowledge Base

Scaling Issues on Some Windows and Applications on External Monitors

Content Type: Troubleshooting   |   Article ID: 000092814   |   Last Reviewed: 05/03/2024
Description Resolution

Environment

Operating System

Windows 8.1 family*, Windows® 10 family
Surface Pro 3, Surface Pro 4, Surface Book

Description

Experiencing blurred fonts on a few windows and application.

When you use a high-DPI device such as a Surface Pro 3, Surface Pro 4, or Surface Book together with external monitors, you experience the following issues:

  • Elements such as applications, the taskbar, icons, toolbars, text, and dialog boxes appear to be fuzzy.
  • Elements are too large or too small compared to the rest of the desktop.
  • Blurry text appears in applications or in the Windows interface.

Although these symptoms may be seen on a single monitor, they're more common when you use multiple monitors that vary in display resolution. These symptoms also occur when the hardware configuration changes, such as when you dock and undock a device that uses external monitors, or you detach an external monitor from the device.

Resolution

These issues commonly occur in the following scenarios:

  • Applications are moved between monitors that use different display resolutions.
  • The monitor that applications are displayed on changes between docked and undocked configurations.
  • Users mix connections during the same logon session. For example, users log on through a remote desktop connection (RDC), and later connect directly without first logging off.

Display information is determined when a user logs on to the system. A logoff-logon process resets the display information and improves behavior. However, the issue recurs if the monitor configuration changes during the same logon session, such as when you dock or undock the device or detach an external monitor.

This issue has become more prevalent since the introduction of 4k and higher resolution monitors, especially when these monitors are mixed together with older, standard monitors.

To resolve this issue, use the following methods.

  1. Check for error message or yellow bang on the device manager under display adapters.
  2. Update graphics driver to the latest.
  3. Check for available Windows Update.
  4. Change scale from 125% to 120% on Windows Display Settings.

If the issue persists, contact Microsoft support for further assistance.

You may also check Windows scaling issues for high-DPI devices (microsoft.com) for more information regarding this issue.

Related Products

This article applies to 130 products.
Intel® HD Graphics 5300 Other Graphics Intel® Arc™ A370M Graphics Intel® Arc™ B-Series Graphics Intel® HD Graphics 5500 Intel® UHD Graphics Family Intel® UHD Graphics for 11th Gen Intel® Processors Data Center GPU Intel® UHD Graphics 770 Intel® UHD Graphics 610 Intel® HD Graphics 6000 Intel® Graphics for Intel® Core™ Ultra processors (Series 2) Intel® UHD Graphics 630 Intel® UHD Graphics 710 Intel® Iris® Graphics 6100 Legacy Graphics Intel® Arc™ A770 Graphics (16GB) Intel® Arc™ Pro A60M Graphics Intel® UHD Graphics P750 Intel® Iris® Pro Graphics Family Intel® Arc™ A350M Graphics Intel® Data Center GPU Max 1100 Intel® Arc™ A-Series Graphics Intel® HD Graphics 505 Intel® Arc™ A570M Graphics Intel® Iris® Xe MAX Dedicated Graphics Family Intel® Iris® Pro Graphics 6200 Intel® Arc™ Pro A40 Graphics Intel® Arc™ Graphics Intel® Arc™ 140V GPU Intel® UHD Graphics 605 Intel® Iris® Plus Graphics 645 Radeon™ RX Vega M GH Graphics Intel® UHD Graphics for 10th Gen Intel® Processors Intel® Iris® Xe Dedicated Graphics Family Intel® Arc™ graphics for Intel® Core™ Ultra processors (Series 1) Intel® Arc™ 130V GPU Intel® Iris® Plus Graphics Family Intel® Arc™ Pro A30M Graphics Intel® Arc™ A530M Graphics Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics eligible Intel® UHD Graphics 615 Intel® Arc™ Pro A50 Graphics Intel® UHD Graphics 750 Intel® Arc™ A380 Graphics Intel® Graphics Intel® Data Center GPU Max Series Radeon™ RX Vega M GL Graphics Intel® Iris® Graphics Family Intel® Iris® Plus Graphics 655 Intel® UHD Graphics for 12th Gen Intel® Processors Intel® Data Center GPU Flex Series Intel® Arc™ Pro B-Series Graphics Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics Intel® HD Graphics Family Intel® UHD Graphics 620 Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics Family Intel® UHD Graphics 617 Intel® HD Graphics 510 Intel® Arc™ Pro A-Series Graphics Intel® Arc™ B570 Graphics Intel® Arc™ Pro A60 Graphics Intel® Arc™ A750 Graphics Intel® Arc™ Dedicated Graphics Family Processor Graphics Intel® Iris® Xe MAX Graphics Intel® UHD Graphics 730 Intel® Arc™ B580 Graphics Intel® Arc™ Pro Dedicated Graphics Family Intel® Arc™ A580 Graphics Intel® Arc™ A770 Graphics (8GB) Intel® HD Graphics for Previous Generation Intel® Processors Intel® HD Graphics 500 Intel® Graphics for Intel® Core™ Ultra processors (Series 1)

Discontinued Products

Intel® HD Graphics 4000 Graphics Drivers for Intel® 82845G Graphics Controller Graphics Drivers for Intel® Q43 Express Chipset Intel® HD Graphics 520 Graphics Drivers for Intel® 82865G Graphics and Memory Controller Hub (GMCH) Intel® Iris® Plus Graphics 640 Graphics Drivers for Mobile Intel® 915GM/GMS, 910GML Express Chipset Family Graphics Drivers for Intel® 82915G/82910GL Express Chipset Family Intel® HD Graphics 4200 Graphics Drivers for Mobile Intel® 965 Express Chipset Family Intel® HD Graphics 615 Intel® HD Graphics 630 Graphics Drivers for Mobile Intel® 4 Series Express Chipset Family Intel® HD Graphics 4400 Intel® HD Graphics 515 Graphics Drivers for Intel® Q35 Express Chipset Intel® Iris® Plus Graphics 650 Intel® Data Center GPU Flex 140 Intel® HD Graphics 4600 Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 600 (Intel® GMA 600) Graphics Drivers for Intel® Q33 Express Chipset Graphics Drivers for Intel® 82Q963 Graphics and Memory Controller Hub (GMCH) Intel® Iris® Graphics 550 Graphics Drivers for Intel® 82945G Express Chipset Graphics Drivers for Intel® G41 Express Chipset Intel® HD Graphics P630 Intel® HD Graphics 610 Graphics Drivers for Intel® 82852/82855 Graphics Controller Family Graphics Drivers for Intel® Q45 Express Chipset Intel® Iris® Pro Graphics 5200 Intel® HD Graphics 2000 Intel® HD Graphics 2500 Graphics Drivers for Intel® G35 Express Chipset Graphics Drivers for Intel® G31 Express Chipset Intel® HD Graphics 530 Graphics Drivers for Intel® 82Q965 Graphics and Memory Controller Hub (GMCH) Intel® HD Graphics 3000 Intel® Data Center GPU Flex 170 Intel® HD Graphics 620 Graphics Drivers for Intel® 82810 Graphics and Memory Controller Hub (GMCH) Intel® Iris® Graphics 5100 Intel® Iris® Graphics 540 Graphics Drivers for Intel® B43 Express Chipset Graphics Drivers for Intel® G43 Express Chipset Graphics Drivers for Intel® G33 Express Chipset Graphics Drivers for Intel® G45 Express Chipset Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 3600 Series Graphics Drivers for Intel® 82946GZ Graphics Controller Graphics Drivers for Intel® 82G965 Graphics and Memory Controller Hub (GMCH) Intel® HD Graphics 5000 Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 3150 (Intel® GMA 3150) Graphics Drivers for Mobile Intel® 945GM Express Chipset Family Graphics Drivers for Intel® 82830M Graphics and Memory Controller Hub (GMCH) Intel® Iris® Pro Graphics 580 Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 500 (Intel® GMA 500) Graphics Drivers for Intel® 82815 Graphics Controller

Need more help?

Contact support
Contact support