If you're looking to customize your computer experience, or just make things easier on the eyes, then changing the display DPI scaling on Windows is a great way to do that. In this helpful article, we'll provide you with an easy step-by-step guide for both registry tweaks and Windows settings so that customizing your computer can be done quickly and easily.

Whether it's due to vision problems or if you simply want more control over how things look onscreen, these solutions are sure to help.

What Is DPI Scaling on Windows?

DPI stands for "dots per inch" and it refers to the number of individual dots that can be packed into an inch of space on your screen. The higher the number, the sharper and clearer the display. But here's the thing, sometimes you might want your text and images to be bigger, while at other times, you might want them smaller. That's where DPI scaling comes in; it's your very own personal adjustment tool.

How to Change Display DPI Scaling via Windows Settings

The Settings app is the simplest and easiest way to change display scaling in Windows 11. Here's how to do it.

  1. Press Win + I on your keyboard to open the Settings menu.
  2. From the left pane of the window, click the System tab.
  3. Click Display on the right side.
  4. Scroll down to the Scale and layout section.
  5. Next to the Scale option, click the dropdown menu and change the scaling.
    Change DPI Scale in Settings
  6. Select the one that best fits your needs.

After you've made your changes, close the window and restart your computer, so the changes take effect.

How to Change Display DPI Scaling Using the Registry Editor

If the Settings app isn't working, or you don't have access to it, you can change the scaling through the Registry Editor. But keep in mind that it can be a bit tricky, and you should back up your registry before making any changes.

To change Display DPI Scaling using Registry Editor, follow these steps:

  1. Press Win + R on your keyboard to open the Run command.
  2. Type regedit in the dialog box and hit Enter.
  3. If UAC prompts on your screen, click Yes to continue.
  4. Once you're in the Registry Editor window, navigate to the following path:
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
  5. In the right pane, right-click on LogPixels and select Modify from the context menu.

    If you don't see the LogPixels DWORD key, you need to manually create it. For this, right-click on the empty space in the right pane and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Upon creating the DWORD key, give it the name LogPixels and save it. Now click twice on the key you just created, and a pop-up will appear.

  6. Choose one of the following Value data fields and set the base to Decimal.
    Change Display DPI Scaling in Windows

    Value data

    DPI scale

    96

    Smaller 100% (Recommended)

    120

    Medium 125%

    144

    Larger 150%

    192

    Extra Large 200%

    240

    Custom 250%

    288

    Custom 300%

    384

    Custom 400%

    480

    Custom 500%

  7. When you're done making these changes, click OK to save them.
  8. Next, double-click Win8DpiScaling in the right pane. If you don't see the Win8DpiScaling DWORD key there, you must create it manually in the same way as you created LogPixels.
    Change Display DPI Scaling Using Registry
  9. In the pop-up menu, set the Value data to 0 if you set Logpixels to 96, or 1 if you used any other value.
  10. Select Hexadecimal as the base and click OK.

After performing the above steps, restart your computer to take effect the changes. If you ever need to restore the default settings, just open Registry Editor and go to the same location. Then double-click on Win8DpiScaling and change the Value data to 0.

Scale the Display DPI on Windows

If you're in search of ways to give your screen a sharper and crisper look, change the DPI scaling! You can customize different elements displayed on your device like text size, icons, and more so that it's easier for you to read and navigate.