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Several PC users have said that after connecting their laptop to an external monitor, installing a new Windows update, or installing a new graphics card on their Windows 11 or Windows 10 computer, they were unable to change the screen resolution because the Screen Resolution Settings Greyed Out in the Display options page in the Settings app.
This post gives PC users who are having problems ways to fix the problem. Problems with screen resolution could be caused by anything from a hardware problem to a small configuration problem.
If you have a basic video driver installed, this problem could also happen. It could also be a problem with the graphics card. Sometimes the monitor can handle the resolution, but the graphics card isn’t strong enough to drive it. But if this isn’t the case for you, you can read the rest of the post to figure out how to fix this problem!
Fix: Screen Resolution Settings Greyed Out Issue in Windows
Reset Your PC
You could also reinstall Windows 10 or 11 to start over with all of your settings. You don’t have to worry about your files because using the Reset This PC option won’t delete your personal information. You also don’t need installation media to do the reset, but it might take a while.
Here’s how to do a factory reset on a device running Windows 10 or 11:
- Click Start > Settings.
- Choose Update & Security, and then from the left menu, click Recovery.
- Click the button that says “Get Started” under “Reset this PC.”
- You can choose whether to keep all your files or get rid of them.
- Click Next, then click Reset.
Uninstall the most recent Windows Update
- Click “Start” and type “updates”
- To open the Settings page, press Enter.
- Click on Change past
- Click Uninstall updates on the next page.
- Find the patch you just installed and click the “Uninstall” button.
- Follow the steps on the screen.
Switch to Microsoft Basic Display Adapter Driver
- To open the Power User Menu, press the Windows key + X.
- Device Manager can be opened by pressing the M key on the keyboard.
- Scroll down the list of installed devices and open up the section called “Display adapters.”
- Next, right–click on the graphics card and choose Update driver from the menu that pops up.
- Choose to look for drivers on my computer.
- Click the option that says “Let me choose from a list of drivers on my computer.”
- Choose Microsoft Basic Display Adapter from the list.
- Click “Next” and wait for Windows to put the drivers in.
- Once done, reboot your computer
Enable Custom Resolution on Intel
- The Intel Graphics Command Center should be opened.
- Click on the “Display” tab.
- Click the Custom button next to the Resolution setting in the Display General Settings.
- Click OK to move on.
- Click on Advanced Settings in the Basic Custom Resolution settings to see more options.
- Input the custom resolution or mode values per your requirements
- To save the changes, click “Yes.”
Update display driver
- Open the Start menu, type “device manager,” and press the Enter key.
- Make the Display adapter bigger.
- Choose Update driver when you right-click on the graphics card.
- Follow the steps on the screen to finish the job.
Install Graphics driver
The best place to find the latest versions of graphics drivers is on the site of the computer’s maker. For example, go to the NVIDIA Driver download page and download the latest graphics driver for your device.
- Find the place where you saved the file, right-click on setup.exe, select “Run as administrator,” and then follow the instructions on the screen to install the latest graphics driver on your computer.
- Once you’re done, restart your computer, and when you start it up again, Windows 10 will figure out the screen resolution on its own. You don’t need to do anything.
- Or, you can change the screen resolution on your own by going to settings, then system, then Display.
Install Optional Updates to Upgrade Other Drivers on the PC
Make sure to update all the drivers and firmware on your PC when you update the important device drivers.
- Use the Windows + I keys to open the Windows Settings menu.
- Click Windows Update on the left side of the screen.
- Click on the tab that says Advanced Options.
- Click on Updates You Can Choose.
- Click the checkbox next to the firmware and drivers you want to update.
- Then click Download and Install.
- After you’ve updated everything that needs to be updated, check to see if you can now change the display resolution.
you can visit Microsoft support center for further help.
FAQ
Why is my screen resolution option greyed out
One reason could be that the graphics driver isn’t set up right or isn’t up to date. In this case, the system might not be able to find the graphics hardware and show the available resolution settings. There’s also a chance that a Windows update changed the settings so that they are now grey.
How do I force my screen resolution to change
Click Start, then click Control Panel. In the Control Panel window, click Appearance and Themes, and then click Display. Click the Settings tab in the Display Properties window. Click and drag the horizontal slider control under Screen resolution to change the screen resolution, then click Apply.
Can you force a resolution
In Windows 10, you can force a resolution by going to the Display Settings menu, clicking on the Display tab, and then clicking on the Advanced Display Settings option. Here, you can choose a resolution and then set it by clicking the Apply button. Open the Display Settings in Windows.
How do I force an unsupported resolution
- To turn off your device, hold down the power button for 10 seconds. To turn your device back on, press the power button again.
- If you can still boot into Windows, but the monitor’s native resolution is not listed.
- Reinstall the graphics driver by hand.