Check DPI scaling after changing display scale

After changing a display scale setting, text may look too large on one monitor, too small on another, or blurry when you move an app between screens. The setting can also affect the screen size that a browser reports.

Use the Screens tool to compare the resolution and scale reported for connected screens. Then check your operating system settings and the app where you noticed the difference.

Check scaling on each screen

1. Open Screens in the browser you normally use. Look at the resolution and scale shown for each connected display.
2. Identify which entry belongs to each physical screen. If you are unsure, use your operating system's display arrangement or identification controls to match the screen positions.
3. Write down the resolution and scale for each screen. Keep the browser at its normal zoom, or reset it first with Ctrl + 0 on Windows or Command + 0 on a Mac.
4. Open the display settings and check the scale and resolution selected for each screen. Compare those settings with the values shown in the tool.
5. If you changed a setting, reopen Screens and check the values again. Also compare the same app on each monitor, since some apps handle screen changes differently.

For a useful comparison, keep the browser window at the same zoom level and compare the same page or app. A difference between two monitors is not automatically a fault. Screens with different sizes or pixel densities may use different scaling to make text comfortable to read.

What the result means

The screens report different scale values

This can be normal with a laptop screen and an external monitor, or with two displays that have different pixel densities. Operating systems can apply separate scaling to each screen. Check whether the text size looks comfortable and whether apps remain readable when moved between displays. If it does, the difference may be intentional.

The scale is the same, but text looks different

Matching scale values do not guarantee that text will look the same. The screens may have different resolutions, physical sizes, or pixel densities. Browser zoom, an app's own zoom setting, and display sharpness can also change how text appears. Compare resolution and app zoom before changing the operating system scale again.

The reported scale changed after your adjustment

The browser is seeing a different screen scale after the change. That is a useful sign that the display setting took effect, but it does not prove that every app has updated. Close and reopen an app that still looks too large, too small, or blurry. Some apps update their appearance only after restarting or signing out and back in.

The reported scale did not change

Check that you changed the setting for the intended display, not just the main screen. Also reset browser zoom and reload the page. A browser reports screen information through its own interface, so the number in Screens may not match the percentage shown in your display settings exactly.

How to fix a scaling mismatch

1. Reset browser zoom. Press Ctrl + 0 on Windows or Command + 0 on macOS. Browser zoom changes page content size and can make a scaling check misleading.
2. Set the scale for the right display. In Windows 11, open Settings › System › Display, select the screen, then check Scale & layout › Scale. On macOS, open System Settings › Displays, select the display, and review the available resolution or scaling choices.
3. Check the resolution too. In Windows 11, use Settings › System › Display and review Display resolution for the selected screen. On macOS, check the resolution choices in System Settings › Displays. A non-native resolution can make text or edges look less sharp.
4. Use a comfortable scale rather than forcing both screens to match. Choose a scale that makes text readable on each display. On Windows, the scale can be set per display. On a Mac, choose a suitable option for each connected display in System Settings › Displays.
5. Restart the app that looks wrong. Quit and reopen it after changing display settings. If the problem remains on Windows, sign out and back in so apps can refresh their display scaling behavior.
6. Check the connection if a screen is missing or reports an unexpected resolution. Reconnect the cable or dock, try another port, and check for an available graphics or display update. Then return to Settings › System › Display on Windows or System Settings › Displays on macOS to confirm the screen is detected as expected.

Why DPI and scale do not always match

DPI refers to dots per inch, a physical measure of pixel density. In everyday display settings, people often use “DPI scaling” to mean the operating system's choice to enlarge interface elements. A browser usually reports a scale factor or related screen information, not a direct measurement of the display's physical DPI. That value can be affected by operating system settings, resolution, browser zoom, and the browser's environment.

If you need a broader check of the browser's scaling information, see how to check screen scaling without desktop settings. Use the operating system's display settings as the source for changing scale, and the Screens tool to compare what the browser reports for connected displays.