HELP! I bought a 28" 4K screen but...

[donvito4ever]

... I see very small fonts!!

I can't use this screen with this font size, and I don't know how the h**l make it bigger!! In windows it's soooo easy, but in Mojave....

I was modified in finder's prefs the icon size and put the font size to 16 (i'd like almost 18)... but in the menu bar and apps...... are very small!!!!

How can I do? I googled but I don't find solution (change the resolution isn't a real solution for me, by this way I prefer the other screen (32" 2K))

Help!

 

[bookemdano]

System Preferences > Displays > while holding down the option key on your keyboard, click the word "Scaled" > Choose 1920 x 1080 from the list as a starting point. That should be HiDPI, so it will use all 3840x2160 pixels to render (so will look "retina"-like) but will make all your screen elements larger. If that is too big, you can try some of the other options--just choose the ones that don't say "(low resolution)"

 

[donvito4ever]

It's a sh*t... yes, a s*it.......

With 1920x1080 resolution seems blurred... Isn't the solution...

Why can choose the size of the system fonts like in Windows???? Is this sooooo difficult??

 

[AidenShaw]

It's a sh*t... yes, a s*it.......

With 1920x1080 resolution seems blurred... Isn't the solution...

Why can choose the size of the system fonts like in Windows???? Is this sooooo difficult??

I believe that you don't want to force 1920x1080 - you want to tell the system that you have a retina display.

See this: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202471 Using a Retina display

 

[bookemdano]

I believe that you don't want to force 1920x1080 - you want to tell the system that you have a retina display.

See this: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202471 Using a Retina display

Those instructions only apply to Macs with a built-in Retina display. That interface never shows up on a Mac Pro (or Mac Mini). Unless you know of some way to force it?

To the OP: When you option-click "Scaled" what resolutions show up in the box? Here's what shows for my Dell 27" 4K monitor:

Note that several resolutions have two options. The ones that say "(low resolution)" will be blurry as they use the monitor's scaler to blow everything up. The ones that don't say "(low resolution)" use the HiDPI feature of macOS to redraw all screen elements using all available pixels, so everything should be sharp.

You must option-click the word "Scaled" to see all of these options. If you simply click it without holding down the option key they will not all show up. Try all the options listed to see if any look good to you.

 

[awer25]

Those instructions only apply to Macs with a built-in Retina display. That interface never shows up on a Mac Pro (or Mac Mini). Unless you know of some way to force it?

To the OP: When you option-click "Scaled" what resolutions show up in the box? Here's what shows for my Dell 27" 4K monitor:

View attachment 838642

Note that several resolutions have two options. The ones that say "(low resolution)" will be blurry as they use the monitor's scaler to blow everything up. The ones that don't say "(low resolution)" use the HiDPI feature of macOS to redraw all screen elements using all available pixels, so everything should be sharp.

You must option-click the word "Scaled" to see all of these options. If you simply click it without holding down the option key they will not all show up. Try all the options listed to see if any look good to you.

Whenever I use a monitor or TV and see the image like yours, it's never that clear, and at 4K resolution it gives only 30Hz refresh. I also have a couple Dell P2715Q's but mine looks like the image below, and is recognized as a Retina display. I'm using a DP cable for what it's worth - are you using HDMI or DP?

 

[h9826790]

Download ResXtreme (a free apps), then select one of the “x2” scale you want from there.

For 28”, 2560x1440 x2 scale usually works well.

 

[bookemdano]

Whenever I use a monitor or TV and see the image like yours, it's never that clear, and at 4K resolution it gives only 30Hz refresh. I also have a couple Dell P2715Q's but mine looks like the image below, and is recognized as a Retina display. I'm using a DP cable for what it's worth - are you using HDMI or DP?

In your screenshot, what model of Mac is that P2715Q connected to? If it's a 2009/2010/2012 Mac Pro then would you please post the result from System Profiler > Graphics/Displays? Here's what mine looks like (2009>2010 Mac Pro, AMD RX 580, P2715Q connected via DisplayPort 1.2, so yes it's 4K @ 60Hz).

 

[donvito4ever]

Those instructions only apply to Macs with a built-in Retina display. That interface never shows up on a Mac Pro (or Mac Mini). Unless you know of some way to force it?

To the OP: When you option-click "Scaled" what resolutions show up in the box? Here's what shows for my Dell 27" 4K monitor:

View attachment 838642

Note that several resolutions have two options. The ones that say "(low resolution)" will be blurry as they use the monitor's scaler to blow everything up. The ones that don't say "(low resolution)" use the HiDPI feature of macOS to redraw all screen elements using all available pixels, so everything should be sharp.

You must option-click the word "Scaled" to see all of these options. If you simply click it without holding down the option key they will not all show up. Try all the options listed to see if any look good to you.

Thanks. I pressed late option and preferences don't show me those screen modes... I can see it now, is a little bit better, but don't than we expected...

Download ResXtreme (a free apps), then select one of the “x2” scale you want from there.

For 28”, 2560x1440 x2 scale usually works well.

Thanks! I was installed this app but the result is similar/same than option-click...

I think that I will sell this monitor (Asus MG28UQ 28" 4k) and look for a 32"...

But I don't understand why Apple don't include a system preferences that can modify the size of the fonts... I don't want to change the font, only the size in, for example, menu bars... It's a pity...

 

[HDFan]

But I don't understand why Apple don't include a system preferences that can modify the size of the fonts..

Thinking about it, if you have text next to a graphic object (such as in Safari, or dock labels) if you increase the size of the font then the relationship to the other elements in the display then is messed up. If you increase the size too much without changing the placement of other elements you risk overwriting. So how does Windows do it?

 

[AidenShaw]

So how does Windows do it?

In the display properties panel:



The drop-down list gives:


"Advanced scaling" lets you choose any number between 100 and 500.

Scaling applies to both font sizes and graphic elements - no issues with text overflowing the size of a button.

 

[h9826790]

no issues with text overflowing the size of a button.

Not really, I have few apps become unusable because the wrong scaling (e.g. test size increased, but the window size is fixed at the original size.)

I’ve already removed those apps, and I am not at home now. So, can make screen capture. The Windows scaling thing may more flexible, but may also create more trouble.

My wife’s Windows computer has 28” 4500x3000 monitor. And as simple as the Origin (gaming company) software won’t obey the scaling. And the text is super ridiculous small.

So far, I prefer the MacOS scaling method more. I can’t customise most OS UI text size. But as long as I pick the correct UI resolution. Everything will work out beautifully.

It seems Windows can’t scale up all software’s UI automatically. Some apps offer UI scaling in preference, but some apps don’t.

 

[AidenShaw]

seems Windows can’t scale up all software’s UI automatically. Some apps offer UI scaling in preference, but some apps don’t.

Windows will scale almost all of the UIs from one system setting. The exceptions are apps that use ancient raw pixel APIs or raster fonts. (I've heard about these, but haven't seen any.)

It's also nice that Windows has many scaling options, unlike Apple OSX's choice of 1:1 or 2:2 at full monitor resolution.

 

[donvito4ever]

It's also nice that Windows has many scaling options, unlike Apple OSX's choice of 1:1 or 2:2 at full monitor resolution.

I agree... I can't understand why....

 

[Rastafabi]

Effectively it's not so different, apart from the interface to enable it and the spectrum of options.
On macOS you can always apply those scaled resolutions (for HiDPI displays); meaning it takes all the x2 UI elements and applies them to the selected resolution. While this can be pixel by pixel it isn't necessarily. For instance if you apply an 1280*800 looking resolution (effectively 2560*1600) to an 1920*1080 pixel screen 3 rendered pixels are scaled to 2 physical pixels. So the rendered image is downscaled. As you just do not have any more physical pixels it actually does not really degrade the visual but in-fact translates to an UI scaling of 150%.

The mechanics on windows are similar, but apply the scaling on the UI elements prior to rending. As obviously also on windows there isn't an image for any scale 100%, 110%, 137%… nor does it include sag (non-pixel) images. Effectively windows also takes its x2 files and scales them to the desired resolution and then renders the UI with this. This, does have some advances on lower resolution displays, for fonts, window-boarders and alike, but isn't important for HiDPI units. Windows applies some additional tricks to make this look better by force the next best pixel perfect scaling to some elements, but this results into having a slightly non-conform look, as depending on the scale screen elements do stand in different proportions to each other. Also by this you get (infamous) issues using displays with different pixel densities and scaling options.

Especially the last part is why I do prefer macOS UI scaling, although pixel-perfect rendering is still the optimum. And that's true for macOS as well as windows.

 

[frou]

I think that I will sell this monitor (Asus MG28UQ 28" 4k) and look for a 32"...

Have a read of this, if you haven't already, about which monitor specifications it makes sense to buy for use with macOS:

https://bjango.com/articles/macexternaldisplays/

 

[awer25]

In your screenshot, what model of Mac is that P2715Q connected to? If it's a 2009/2010/2012 Mac Pro then would you please post the result from System Profiler > Graphics/Displays? Here's what mine looks like (2009>2010 Mac Pro, AMD RX 580, P2715Q connected via DisplayPort 1.2, so yes it's 4K @ 60Hz).

View attachment 838664

Mine is going to a 2018 Mac Mini.

 

[chfilm]

4K at 28“ is a stupid choice in the beginning. Never understood why they even build screens like that. It needs to have 5k at that resolution for a proper 1440p retina experience.

 

[bookemdano]

Mine is going to a 2018 Mac Mini.

Makes perfect sense then. I believe the only way to get the interface you depicted is with:

2013+ Retina MBPs, MBAs and MBs
2018 Mini
Maybe the 2013 Mac Pro (I dunno, never used one. I doubt it though).

For instance both my 2014 Mac Mini and 2010 cMP will not show that "Larger Text" vs. "More Space" interface, even when connected to a 4K+ display. I think I posted a thread here back in 2016 when I first got my 4K monitor asking if there was any method to enable that interface and no one knew of any way.

Would be nice to get it but the option-click thing works fine for me. I don't change resolutions very often so it's really no big deal.

 

[eyeangle]

Yes I know! I remember posting about this a while back when I got my 4K screen. Everything is too small.

Holding down Option and clicking "Scaled" doesn't do anything other than give a "Detect Displays" option. I haven't tried the DisplayPort idea but I will give that a go. I'm sure this will be fixed in Catalina, in fact it will have to be with Apple's new 6K display.

 

[h9826790]

Yes I know! I remember posting about this a while back when I got my 4K screen. Everything is too small.
View attachment 842487
Holding down Option and clicking "Scaled" doesn't do anything other than give a "Detect Displays" option. I haven't tried the DisplayPort idea but I will give that a go. I'm sure this will be fixed in Catalina, in fact it will have to be with Apple's new 6K display.

You select 3840x2160, of course everything is small. You should select 2560x1440 or 1920x1080, etc (depends on your actual screen size)

What you want is just a different UI, no extra functions at there (less options available indeed).

 

[eyeangle]

You select 3840x2160, of course everything is small. You should select 2560x1440 or 1920x1080, etc (depends on your actual screen size)

What you want is just a different UI, no extra functions at there (less options available indeed).

I don't want to change the resolution, I need 4K for some of the software I use. I want Apple to make the UI larger, ie: larger taskbar, toolbars, and text in macOS, all using the resolution I have so that it's sharper. Just like I can change the size of the dock without pixelation. Sure decreasing the resolution to 1440p or 1080p makes everything bigger but it makes everything pixelated/unsharp, (on a 32" monitor) and less screen real-estate. Didn't Apple already solve this problem with retina display with the picture on the right I posted above?

 

[xraydoc]

I don't want to change the resolution, I need 4K for some of the software I use. I want Apple to make the UI larger, ie: larger taskbar, toolbars, and text in macOS, all using the resolution I have so that it's sharper.

It doesn't change the resolution of the screen, it changes the size of the UI elements, making the fonts "look" like the size of 1080p or 1440p (or whatever). The screen stays at 4K.
Not the same as using the monitors internal scaler to actually display a smaller pixel matrix but blown up to the physical size of the screen.
Apple's implementation is not really named all that well, but essentially does the exact same thing as Windows implementation (but just not called 125%, 150%, etc.).
But you must use the HiDPI modes, not the modes labelled "low resolution".

 

[h9826790]

I don't want to change the resolution, I need 4K for some of the software I use. I want Apple to make the UI larger, ie: larger taskbar, toolbars, and text in macOS, all using the resolution I have so that it's sharper. Just like I can change the size of the dock without pixelation. Sure decreasing the resolution to 1440p or 1080p makes everything bigger but it makes everything pixelated/unsharp, (on a 32" monitor) and less screen real-estate. Didn't Apple already solve this problem with retina display with the picture on the right I posted above?

It doesn't change the resolution of the screen, it changes the size of the UI elements, making the fonts "look" like the size of 1080p or 1440p (or whatever). The screen stays at 4K.
Not the same as using the monitors internal scaler to actually display a smaller pixel matrix but blown up to the physical size of the screen.
Apple's implementation is not really named all that well, but essentially does the exact same thing as Windows implementation (but just not called 125%, 150%, etc.).
But you must use the HiDPI modes, not the modes labelled "low resolution".

As I said before, there is no extra functions available at the "what you want UI", it only give you 5 fixed options rather then let you choose whatever "UI Looks like" resolution you want.

If you select 2560x1440 HiDPI, macOS will render the screen at 5120x2880, then down scale back to 3840x2160, but with the UI still looks like 2560x1440 (150% larger).

If you can't understand that, you may download ResXtreme (as I said in post #7), and then pick whatever "x2" scale you like. It will do exactly what you looking for.

This may gives you better idea. I choose 3840x1080 for my display in both case. Left one is HiDPI, right hand one is non-HiPDI. They both shows up at the same size on my display. As long as you choose the HiDPI option (non low resolution options), the screen will be rendered at x2 scale, and everything will be sharp.

 

[Kubat]

I sugest using TnkerTool (its free)
https://www.bresink.com/osx/TinkerToolOverview.html
There you can change UI font size and font sharpnes

I have the same problem, it seams some displays don't work with this "font size option" or maybe its port connectivity issue (I use DP to connect to NEC P27")