# How do I fix my computer display? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 13, 2006, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-fix-my-computer-display/380203 "2006-11-13T05:06:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-fix-my-computer-display/380203/1 "2006-11-13T05:06:15Z")
I think my kids did something to my computer and I can’t seem to fix it. I can’t even really describe it. the font and display got too big, but only in certain programs. I can hardly look at Yahoo; the font is big and it’s… brighter? It actually hurts my eyes. I can’t figure out how to make the text and picture smaller. The whole display goes off the screen. I’ve tried options in “Display” in the Control Panel, but no luck. Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-fix-my-computer-display/380203/2 "2006-11-13T05:13:09Z")
Under your top Internet Explorer bar Choose View\>Text Size and play with that setting. If that doesn’t help go into the Display Properties panel \> Appearance\>Font size and play with that. If that’s not the answer trying changing the resolution in Display Properties. ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-fix-my-computer-display/380203/3 "2006-11-13T05:17:08Z")
Minimize the window Right click on an empty portion of your desktop. Select Properties. Select Settings. Adjust the little slide bar, and try Apply a few times. When you get something you can live with, remember the numbers. Tris ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-fix-my-computer-display/380203/4 "2006-11-13T05:18:28Z")
[QUOTE=JillGat] I think my kids did something to my computer and I can’t seem to fix it. I can’t even really describe it. the font and display got too big, but only in certain programs. I can hardly look at Yahoo; the font is big and it’s… brighter? It actually hurts my eyes. I can’t figure out how to make the text and picture smaller. The whole display goes off the screen. I’ve tried options in “Display” in the Control Panel, but no luck. Any ideas? [/QUOTE] If it’s a desktop, could the monitor settings have been messed with? It’s pretty easy to adjust the horizontal and vertical scaling and positioning and make it go off the screen. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-fix-my-computer-display/380203/5 "2006-11-13T12:16:39Z")
The OP says it’s only in certain programs, so it’s not a global setting. I would check through the Accesibilty settings. And doesn’t windows have a magnifier thing. I’d look for that as well, make sure they’re all off. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-fix-my-computer-display/380203/6 "2006-11-13T12:57:50Z")
Is this one of those \+mousewheel things? Open one of the affected windows and try holding down \ and moving the mouse wheel, if you have one. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-fix-my-computer-display/380203/7 "2006-11-13T19:12:16Z")
[QUOTE=JillGat] I think my kids did something to my computer and I can’t seem to fix it. I can’t even really describe it. [/QUOTE] Can you post a screenshot? ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-fix-my-computer-display/380203/8 "2006-11-13T22:05:56Z")
Knowing your OS is pretty important… the names of some affected/unaffected programs would help too. Joining in on the WAGs and assuming one of Bill’s own OSs, I’ll say check Display Settings -\> Appearance. There’s the option to enable custom themes and adjust font settings, and not all programs will obey them, which sounds close. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-fix-my-computer-display/380203/9 "2006-11-13T22:54:18Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] Is this one of those \+mousewheel things? Open one of the affected windows and try holding down \ and moving the mouse wheel, if you have one. [/QUOTE] This was my first guess. You can also hold down CTRL and plus the + or - keys. ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-fix-my-computer-display/380203/10 "2006-11-14T02:21:25Z")
[QUOTE=Joey P] The OP says it’s only in certain programs, so it’s not a global setting. I would check through the Accesibilty settings. And doesn’t windows have a magnifier thing. I’d look for that as well, make sure they’re all off. [/QUOTE] What are the “accessibility settings”? Where is the Windows “magnifier thing”? Nothing happens when I hold down Control and roll the mouse wheel or press + or -. I tried to mess with the Monitor settings but can’t seem to find the problem there. They are also very non-intuitive and frustrating to try to figure out. I’ve messed with all the settings in “Display/Appearance” and none of those fix it. I don’t know how to post a screen shot. This computer has \*&^%$$ AOL, so there is no Internet Explorer “view” option on the toolbar. This exact same thing happened a few years ago on a previous computer of mine. I think the setting got changed because of a game my kid had or something. One of the most irritating things about it is the BRIGHT SCREEN. It’s like a brightness/contrast issue. It actually causes a headache and I have to turn the thing off because it hurts to look at it. Wish I could remember how I fixed it last time. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-fix-my-computer-display/380203/11 "2006-11-14T03:19:24Z")
[QUOTE=JillGat] I don’t know how to post a screen shot. . [/QUOTE] 1. Open start-\>programs-\>accessories-\>paint 2. go to the program that’s having problems. 3. press ALT + Print Screen. This saves a picture of the open window in your clipboard. 4. go to the Paint program. 5. Edit-\> paste. This pastes an image of the open window into Paint. 6. save the image. 7. go to [http://photobucket.com/](http://photobucket.com/) register for a free account. 8. post your picture to your free account. 9. post a link here. ---
**Author:** ![Alien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/57b2e6/32.png) [@Alien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alien)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-fix-my-computer-display/380203/12 "2006-11-14T03:21:46Z")
You’ll find Accessibility Options in the Control Panel. The magnifier should be at Start - Programs - Accessories - Accessibility (or click Start - Run, type magnify.exe in the box, hit enter). A 19" screen should run at 1280x1024 if that’s a problem, adjusted in Control Panel - Display; by clicking the Advanced button in this screen you can also adjust the brightnes if you don’t have contrast/brightness buttons on the monitor’s frame. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-fix-my-computer-display/380203/13 "2006-11-14T03:31:26Z")
Just a thought, what it might be… 1. right-click on the space between the open windows, select “properties” from the pop up menu. 2. go to the “appearance” tab 3. Make sure you have the following settings : windows and buttons = Windows XP Style color scheme = Default (blue) Font size = Normal I’ll take a guess that your current font size is set to Large, and the colour scheme is set to silver.