How to Restore a Computer Screen

By Steve Gregory

Under normal conditions, a computer screen's resolution is large enough for items displayed to cover the entire surface area of the screen. However, if a system change or glitch causes the resolution to change, it can ruin the viewing experience. For example, a lower screen resolution will cause fewer items to fit on the screen, reducing the amount of information you can see without constantly scrolling across the screen. Fortunately, you can restore the screen resolution by accessing the Appearance and Personalization feature in Windows.

Click "Start" then "Control Panel," and select "Appearance and Personalization" from the list of options.

Click "Adjust screen resolution" under "Display." The "Change the appearance of your displays" page will open. Click the drop-down list next to "Resolution." A list of available resolutions will be displayed.

Click the slider and drag it to select the resolution with the highest setting, or the setting that best suits your needs. Click the "Apply" button. The system will change the screen resolution. A dialog window will open asking if you want to keep the display settings. Click the "Keep" button to save the new screen resolution.

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