Changing the size of on-screen elements on our Mac lets us adapt our workspace to our preferences in a very convenient and efficient way. Although macOS automatically sets a resolution that maximizes image quality, we can customize this setting to better match our visual preferences or the amount of desktop space we want to have.
How to adjust the resolution of our main display
Screen resolution directly affects how much information we can see and how large or small each element appears. If we choose a higher resolution, elements will look more detailed, but they will also appear smaller, which is ideal if we want more room to work with several apps and windows at the same time. On the other hand, a lower resolution will reduce the available space but make content appear larger, making text easier to read on screen.
To change the resolution of our main display, we click the Apple menu () in the top-left corner and choose System Settings. Then we click Displays.
Here, we will see the resolution options available for our screen. If we want a closer look at each one, we can hover the cursor over the different options.
How to adjust the resolution on external monitors
If we use external monitors, we can adjust each one independently to fine-tune our workspace according to the size of the screen and how we use it. How do we do it? These are the steps:
- We open System Preferences and select Displays.
- We click the tab for the monitor we want to configure.
- We choose the resolution that best suits our preferences from the available options.
We should keep in mind that some apps may not adapt perfectly to the display if the resolution we choose is very different from the default setting. That said, being able to select a lower resolution to make on-screen elements larger, making them easier to read and interact with, or a higher resolution for a more spacious desktop, is very appealing. It is one of those small details that makes working at the computer more comfortable and efficient.
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