Changing your Screen Resolution in Windows | Back to User Tips

One of the more important settings that need to be setup is your screen resolution. Most computers, when you first purchase them, are set so that the screen resolution is at 640x480. This is the number of dots per inch on the monitor. The higher the numbers the finer the items on screen will be drawn. Low numbers mean that you will have very large icons and MapScenes, MapScenes Pro and MapScenes 2006 will all have a very small drawing area and the menus and desktop buttons will not all be visible. You need to ensure that your resolution is raised up to a minimum of 800x600, and if possible you should try setting it higher than this (1024x768).

The resolution can be changed, very easily, on most computers. Here are the steps to follow to see if you can change your resolution to take the best advantage of your system.

1. Go to the START button in Windows (normally the bottom left corner of your screen) and pick on it with the left mouse button.

2. Move up the menu with your mouse until you find the SETTINGS option. Let your mouse sit there for a second, or pick on it with the left mouse button.

3. This should bring out a sub-menu with several items on it. You want to pick the CONTROL PANEL option. This window may look like one of the following screens depending upon the version of Windows you are running and how you have your system setup.

 

 

4. Look for a small icon or picture that says DISPLAY. This is the option that will allow you to change the resolution of your screen. With the left button on your mouse, Double pick on the DISPLAY icon. This will bring up a dialogue box similar to what is shown below. Yours may look slightly different but you should be able to see the similarities.

Choose the tab on the top of your dialogue box marked SETTINGS. You should then see something similar to one of the two boxes shown here.

In this first example there is a setting for SCREEN AREA, on the second there are settings for Screen Resolution and the third for both a screen or DISPLAY AREA and DESKTOP AREA.

These settings control the resolution of your screen and will probably be set to 640x480 by default.

In all of these examples you will see a small sliding bar that can be moved left and right. This will increase or decrease the resolution. You need to slide this to the right so that it shows 800x600 or higher. The three examples show higher settings. If you can not change the settings here then you may need to consult your computer sales person to get further assistance.

If you wish to stride out on your own then you need to know the make and model of your video card and monitor and then pick on the Advanced button or the Change Display Type button, both found in the bottom right of the boxes shown here.

We will not show these options because every system will be different. We recommend you seek professional assistance on this matter.

5. If you were successful in changing the resolution by sliding the small bars, then all you need to do is press the APPLY button. You may receive a message such as,

Press OK to continue.

On the next screen you will see a message similar to this.

6. If everything is legible then pick YES right a way. (wait too long and it will switch back again)

You are now done! You are now operating at the new screen resolution!

The higher you set the resolution, the more screen area you will see BUT the smaller the menus, text and buttons will get. You should set the resolution as high as you can but make sure it is still easy enough to read. Some monitors and video cards may not permit changes to the resolution or may limit your options. If you run into a situation like this then we recommend you consult with a local hardware professional.

Glen W. Cameron, CET
Technical Support Manager