Everything on computer screen magnified, how do I fix this?

Anonymous
2009-07-28T17:43:50+00:00

I accidentally hit the keys on my laptop and the screen went dark. When it came on again a few seconds later everything it displayed was magnified. Web pages, toolbars, the desktop, everything. I think I accidentally hit some sort of hot key command that resizes how everything is displayed. This is a real nuisance and I'd like to fix it ASAP. I've checked my screen resolution and it's normal, at 800 x 600. I read an article that said the problem can be eliminated by hiding or showing desktop icons, but that didn't work either. I looked through the Microsoft Help database and this forum and Windows Help and Support and couldn't find anything that helped or even identified exactly what my problem is. I am running Windows Vista and all my graphics settings are on default. No matter what I try to display on my monitor-- the desktop, web browsers, and any program-- everything is magnified. When I try to adjust my browser magnification by using Ctrl - or +, only the content in the web browser window changes size and border of the browser (all my toolbars and searchbars) remain magnified. How can I put my screen back to normal?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Accessibility

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments No comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2009-07-28T18:13:14+00:00

Hello dude_read, welcome.

1024 x 768 is actually the lowest accepted standard for viewing content. If you are running the system at 800 x 600, you will have visual problems displaying content that's designed for larger resolutions.

If you change it up a notch to 1024 x 768, that should do the trick. Alternatively you could change your DPI settings but it's most likely the low resolution you have set.

Let us know,

Thanks!

Was this answer helpful?

100+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments No comments

53 additional answers

Sort by: Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2010-01-18T02:17:24+00:00

    I actually have had the same exact thing happen to me with Windows Vista!  I'm unalbe to re-set it also...and resolution still shows 1024 x  768..........so that's not the fix.

    This is extremely frustrating!  I am not visually impaired and this is driving me nuts and making me totally hate vista!

    Any other suggestions as to how to fix??

    Was this answer helpful?

    3 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments
  2. Anonymous
    2010-01-18T19:53:28+00:00

    This happens when I disconnect from a power projector, but not all the time (I also use VISTA).  Right now I am unable to restore the screen so things are normal size again.  I'm not even sure how to start! And yes, it is frustrating.

    Thanks folks, Cathy

    Was this answer helpful?

    20+ people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments
  3. Anonymous
    2010-02-08T23:51:52+00:00

    Sorry clicked "propose as answer" by mistake. Here is the solution. If you right click the mouse in a blank area on the desktop, then click "personalize". Click on display settings and change the resolution. This resets it.

    Was this answer helpful?

    10+ people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments
  4. Anonymous
    2010-07-22T20:34:24+00:00

    if top-of-page tool bars are normal but rest of screen is magnified, click on 'page' on right hand side of Explorer tool bar. Then click on 'zoom.' if it's set to larger than 100percent, reset to 100 percent.  my six year old managed to change this setting and it took me quite a while to figure out how to undo it!

    Was this answer helpful?

    30+ people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments