Can’t Change Display Resolution in Windows

Are you tired of using a disoriented screen on your Windows PC because the display settings have become inaccessible?

Well, you are not alone. Many Windows users have encountered a similar problem over time. The majority of them believe it is a driver error, while some have found it to be a hardware issue with the monitor.

Errors like these are often tricky to resolve as no single solution exists. Since it is not a particular application, we are talking about. Users often perform a system restore or format the PC to fix the issue.

Well, if this worries you, do not fret. We have a bunch of fixes. You can resolve the issue and change the display resolution in Windows.

How to Change Display Resolution Windows

Either way, it can be frustrating for a user to have access to the system but unable to change the screen settings. If you, too, have felt it, check out the following fixes:

Fix 1 – Check for Pending Windows Updates

Step 1 – Press Win+I to bring up the System Settings.

Step 2 – Click on Windows Update from the left pane in the System Settings window.
Step 3 – Click on Check for updates from the opened section to initiate the Windows updates search.

Step 4 – If an update is available, download and install it. If not, the search will say that Windows is up to date.
Step 5 – If you have installed an update during the process, restart your PC for it to take effect. 

Read Also: 9+ Ways To Fix Windows Stuck on “Checking for Updates”

Fix 2 – Update Display Adapter Drivers on PC

2.1 – Manual Method to Update Drivers

Step 1 – Press Win + R to bring up the Run search.
Step 2 – In the Run search, use the command devmgmt.msc. This will open the Device Manage

Step 3 – In the Device Manager, scroll down to find your Display Adapter drivers.

Step 4 – Right-click on the adapter and click on Check for Updates.
Step 5 – This process will tell if your Display adapter requires an update. Click on the Check wizard and then select the Search for updates automatically to initiate the process.

Step 6 – If the update is available, install it on your computer via Windows Driver Update Utility.
Step 7 – After the update is complete, restart your computer.

Or 

2.2 – Automatic Method to Update Drivers

Step 1 – Download and install the Advanced Driver Updater on your computer

Step 2 – Run a scan using the tool to find the exact outdated drivers on your PC.

Step 3 – Click on Update All to initiate the update process for drivers. 

Using the automatic method makes more sense as it does not require even a fraction of the effort that the manual method requires. Updating the drivers will help you boost the functionality of the display, updating the existing settings menu and making screen resolution settings accessible.

Read Also: Computer Turns On But No Display On Monitor – 5 Effective Ways to Fix

Fix 3 – Use the Maintenance Troubleshooter

Step 1 – Press WIn+R to bring up the Run search
Step 2 – In the Run search, use the Command – msdt.exe -id MaintenanceDiagnostic

Step 3 – The above command will bring up the troubleshooter window.

Step 4 – In the Window, click on next to initiate the troubleshooting process.

Step 5 – Let the process run until it stops and shows the screen that says “Troubleshooting has Completed.” Restart once it is completed.

Fix 4 – Repair Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables

Step 1 – Press Win + R to open the Run search
Step 2 – Use the Command Control Appwiz.cpl to open the Installed Programs list on your screen.

Step 3 – Spot the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables. Select it, and you will find a Change button on the top bar.

Step 4 – Click on the Change button to open the C++ Redistributables.
Step 5 – From the opened prompt, you may find three options – Repair, Uninstall, Close. Click on Repair

Step 6 – Let the process run for a while.
Step 7 – As soon as you get the Setup successful prompt, close the window and restart your PC.

Fix 5  – Try System Recovery Tools

Multiple recovery tools can be used to ensure that your display resolution settings are made accessible again. You see, after performing all the shared fixes, you must be able to fix the issue. However, if it persists, you may be a victim of corrupt windows. In this situation, recovering is the only method that might help. 

Here are things that you can try – 

5.1 – Try using the safe mode 

Step 1 – Shut Down your PC
Step 2 – Press the power button to turn it back on
Step 3 – Use the Functionality Key ( In some cases, the Tab and in Some Cases, F12) to open advanced booting options.
Step 4 – Use the F5 key or Press 5 to choose Safe Mode with Networking from the available options.
Step 5 – Navigate to check if the Display Resolution settings are now available.

If you have tried accessing the screen resolution settings normally, you should try logging on to your PC using the safe mode. It removes all the third-party applications that may be causing hindrances in your PC settings and runs the machine raw. If the safe mode does not get it done, you may be required to restore your PC. 

5.2 –  Reset PC 

Step 1 – Press Win+I to bring up the System Settings window.
Step 2 – Look up Recovery options in the menu.

Step 3 – You may find the Reset this PC button after opening the Recovery options. Click on it.

Step 4 – Follow the instructions that appear to keep your files safe and reset the system to factory settings.

System reset is the ultimate way to help you resolve the settings issue. Considering that you have corrupt system files on your PC, it is better to replace them with a fresh new installation, and that is exactly what the Reset this PC button helps you do.

Fix 8 – Update Your PC

If you have not updated your PC for a while, and are still using an obsolete version of Windows on your PC, there are chances that system settings will not work as effectively and issues like can’t change display resolution will appear. Hence, keeping your PC updated regularly is a must.

Step 1 – Press Win+I to launch System Settings.
Step 2 – From the left pane, Click on Windows Updates.
Step 3 – In the updates window, click on Check for Updates and the system will now fetch the latest updates.

Once the updates are available, simply download and install them right away. Your PC will require a restart hence you should not leave your work open in the background as you may lose all your progress.

A lot of you may be wondering what to do if the issue has appeared after installing an update. Well, for some PCs the display resolution settings greyed out error appears on an outdated OS and for some the latest update brings bad luck. Well, if your PC is using an older version, update it today and if the issue has appeared after a recent update, then check out the next fix!

Fix 7 – Uninstall Latest Updates

If the issue has appeared after you recently updated your PC, chances are that the latest updates are unstable or your PC cannot handle those updates. In either case, the best way is to uninstall the last update. To do so, simply follow these steps –

Step 1 – Press Win+I to launch System Settings.
Step 2 – From the left pane, Click on Windows Updates.
Step 3 – In Windows Updates, navigate to Update History where you will find all the updates listed.
Step 4 – Scroll down to find the Uninstall updates option.
Step 5 – After you have found the same, you can see a list of updates that can be uninstalled. Click on the Uninstall button corresponding to it and the process will begin.

After starting the process, all you need to do is follow on-screen instructions and the PC will restart once you have successfully uninstalled the update. With that being said, once your PC is back to previous versions, you should be able to change the display resolution easily.

Other than these fixes, if you are using a dedicated third-party GPU such as your AMD, Nvidia, or Intel graphics processors, you can use their application interface to try and manipulate the Display resolution settings, but that is just a way out to ignore the issue, not a solution. 

Hope all these fixes help you resolve the issue. Thanks for reading. That will be all, catch you in the next one!

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