How Optimize Your Display Monitor Settings can Improved Viewing and Productivity
Optimising your display monitor settings can greatly improve your viewing experience and productivity. My guide covers key aspects such as identifying and detecting displays, adjusting scaling, setting up a multi-monitor display, rotating display orientation, and exploring multiple other display options. By taking the time to optimize your display settings, you can work more comfortably and efficiently, and minimize eye strain and discomfort. A well-optimized display can also help improve your focus and concentration, making it easier to complete tasks and meet deadlines.
Let’s start!
Getting Started with Display Settings
Before you can start optimising your display monitor settings, you’ll need to access the Display settings on your computer. Here’s how to get started:
On your device, right-click on an empty space on the desktop and select “Display settings” from the context menu.
Identifying and detecting
Identifying displays involves checking which displays are currently connected to your computer. You should see a list of all displays that your computer has detected. If a display is not showing up, make sure that it is properly connected to your computer and turned on.
Detecting displays involves finding any additional displays that may be connected to your computer. To do this, you can click the “Detect” button in the display settings. If any additional displays are found, they will appear in the “Rearrange your displays” window.
Adjusting Brightness and Night light option
Adjusting the brightness of your display can help reduce eye strain and improve the overall viewing experience. To adjust brightness, move the brightness slider to your desired level.
Using your computer late at night or in a low-light environment can strain your eyes and disrupt your sleep patterns. Windows has a night-time option that adjusts the display to reduce blue light emission, making it easier on your eyes and improving your sleep quality.
Scale and layout
Scaling means adjusting the size of text and icons on your computer screen to make them easier to read and see, or to fit more on to the screen. It can be particularly helpful if you have a high-resolution screen or if you have trouble seeing small text or icons. By scaling, you can make everything on your screen appear larger (or smaller), including desktop icons, menus, text, and other elements.
Resolution refers to the number of pixels on your display and can affect the clarity and sharpness of text and images. The higher the resolution, the more dots there are, and the sharper the image appears (though often it’s best to stick with the recommended option).
Orientation is all about how your display is set up – whether it’s landscape or portrait. Changing the orientation can be a big help when you’re checking out documents, images or emails.
Just a heads-up: some displays won’t be able to handle all orientation options, so you may need to rotate your screen yourself.
Multiple screen display settings
If you are using more than one monitor, understanding your computer’s display settings can help you work more efficiently and make the most out of your screen space. Try experimenting with different settings and arrangements to see what works best for you. Also, remember that you can rearrange your display to match your physical setup and adjust settings like brightness and colour to reduce eye strain.
Common display settings you might encounter include:
- Duplicate Screen: This setting shows the same content on both screens. It can be useful for presentations(e.g. when using a projector or conference room screen).
- Extend Display: This setting treats your additional display as an extension of your main screen. You can move windows and apps between screens, effectively creating a larger workspace.
- Show Only on Screen 1/2: This setting shows content only on the selected screen. It’s helpful if you want to focus on a single task or if you’re disconnecting one of your displays
- Main Display: Your main display is the display where your desktop icons and taskbar will appear. To do it, first select your main screen and tick “Make this my main display”
Rearrange multiple display screens
If you’re using multiple monitors, it’s helpful to rearrange them to match your physical setup. This can make it easier to move your mouse and drag windows from one screen to another, especially if you have a specific layout that works best for your workflow.
To rearrange your display screens, go to “Display settings” in your computer’s settings. You should see a diagram of your displays with numbered boxes representing each screen. You can drag and drop these boxes to rearrange the displays to the desired position.
For example, if you have two monitors side by side, you can drag the box for display 2 to the right of display 1 to match their physical position. Remember to click “Apply” to save the changes.
And that’s it! By playing around with your display settings, you can make your screen space work for you. Whether you need to rearrange your displays, adjust the scaling and resolution, or change the orientation, knowing how to tweak your settings can make your work and play a lot easier.
Don’t be afraid to try different settings until you find what works best for you.
Also, be sure to check out our other “How to” guides for more tips and tricks to make your work easier and more comfortable, such as: The Best Windows Keyboard Shortcuts
