Scale resolution for large monitor

[adelejjeh]

Hello Everyone

I just recently bought a Full HD 27" monitor to use with my MBPr. At 1080p resolution, the user interface on the mac is huge (i.e. fonts are large, toolbar buttons are large, everything is large...) giving much less workspace than I had hoped for. I understand that this is because of the Full HD resolution, and that I would not have the same problem had I bought a 2K display, but I was wondering if there was anyway to decrease UI sizes (fonts, buttons, toolbars, etc...) while keeping the 1080p resolution. Any input will be much appreciated!

Thanks

 

[ixxx69]

Hello Everyone

I just recently bought a Full HD 27" monitor to use with my MBPr. At 1080p resolution, the user interface on the mac is huge (i.e. fonts are large, toolbar buttons are large, everything is large...) giving much less workspace than I had hoped for. I understand that this is because of the Full HD resolution, and that I would not have the same problem had I bought a 2K display, but I was wondering if there was anyway to decrease UI sizes (fonts, buttons, toolbars, etc...) while keeping the 1080p resolution. Any input will be much appreciated!

Thanks

First, start with how to change your screen resolution:
https://support.apple.com/kb/PH25175?locale=en_US

If that's not it, please share your MBP model/screen size and year (not the year it was purchased or made, but the model year, or just give the model # and the rest can be determined from that).

What's the model of the external display?

What type of cable are you using to connect the MBP to the external display?

 

[BrianBaughn]

If the resolution is listed as “1080p” the Mac thinks your monitor is a TV…I think.

Search “Mac thinks monitor is TV” for fixes.

 

[Fishrrman]

If the display's "native resolution" is "1080p" (1920x1080) -- then.... "that's all you get".
A monitor can't display a higher resolution than it's native resolution.

If the display is 1440p or 4k, that's different.
How about telling us WHICH display you have?

 

[adelejjeh]

First, start with how to change your screen resolution:
https://support.apple.com/kb/PH25175?locale=en_US

If that's not it, please share your MBP model/screen size and year (not the year it was purchased or made, but the model year, or just give the model # and the rest can be determined from that).

What's the model of the external display?

What type of cable are you using to connect the MBP to the external display?

My mac is a Early 2015 13" MacBookPro Retina. The monitor is a 27" Dell (not sure what the exact model is). I have them connected through HDMI. The resolution is set at 1080p, this is the highest resolution I get in the display options. I know I won't be able to get a higher resolution given that the monitor is a FHD monitor and doesn't support anything higher than 1080p, I was just wondering if I can scale the buttons/windows/toolbars to make them smaller, not the resolution itself.
[doublepost=1516552547][/doublepost]

If the display's "native resolution" is "1080p" (1920x1080) -- then.... "that's all you get".
A monitor can't display a higher resolution than it's native resolution.

If the display is 1440p or 4k, that's different.
How about telling us WHICH display you have?

The monitor is a Dell SE2717HR. I understand that 1080p is the maximum resolution. I am not asking if I can get a higher resolution, I am asking if I can make the UI smaller. If I am not mistake, this option is available in other OSs.

 

[ixxx69]

My mac is a Early 2015 13" MacBookPro Retina. The monitor is a 27" Dell (not sure what the exact model is). I have them connected through HDMI. The resolution is set at 1080p, this is the highest resolution I get in the display options. I know I won't be able to get a higher resolution given that the monitor is a FHD monitor and doesn't support anything higher than 1080p, I was just wondering if I can scale the buttons/windows/toolbars to make them smaller, not the resolution itself.
[doublepost=1516552547][/doublepost]
The monitor is a Dell SE2717HR. I understand that 1080p is the maximum resolution. I am not asking if I can get a higher resolution, I am asking if I can make the UI smaller. If I am not mistake, this option is available in other OSs.

Yeah, unfortunately you can't do what you want to do with that display... and just FYI, you can't do it with Windows either. You're probably thinking of Windows display scaling, but that can't go lower than 100%, so increasing it would only make the elements on your screen even larger which is the opposite of what you want to do.

 

[mj_]

The monitor is a Dell SE2717HR. I understand that 1080p is the maximum resolution. I am not asking if I can get a higher resolution, I am asking if I can make the UI smaller. If I am not mistake, this option is available in other OSs.

Nope, nothing you can do in this case. You can increase the size of UI elements but not decrease them below 100%. Not in macOS, not in Windows, and not in Linux either. Only solution is to return this display and either get a 21" FHD (which would be my personal maximum size for FHD) or a 27" with 2550x1440 or even 4K - your MBP should be capable of supporting 4K@60Hz.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

As others have said the only answer is to buy a monitor with a higher definition, a 27 inch at 1440p will look exactly like an iMac.

 

[eddjedi]

27" is far too big for a 1080p monitor. You need to remember that "Full HD" is old hat by today's standards, many 22" monitors are now 4k. There's really nothing you can do about it apart from buy a smaller 1080p monitor, or a larger 4k one.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

27" is far too big for a 1080p monitor. You need to remember that "Full HD" is old hat by today's standards, many 22" monitors are now 4k. There's really nothing you can do about it apart from buy a smaller 1080p monitor, or a larger 4k one.

Or the same size in 1440p.