Why Does Windows 10 Recommend 125% Scaling? SOLVED

Windows 10 is the most popular operating system that helps people use a computer system from every field. Microsoft Windows provides nearly all the facilities and functionalities for increasing productivity by applying multi-tasking. Windows is such an intelligent OS that it detects all devices and their needs.

When you connect the display monitor to a computer with Windows 10 installed, the operating system detects its size, frequency, and resolution. Then it installed its drivers and gave you some suggestions about it. In this article, we will discuss the scaling of your monitor that Windows 10 recommends.

Why Does Windows 10 Recommend 125% Scaling?

Windows 10 recommends 125% or 150% scaling so you can easily see the texts, labels, icons, buttons, text boxes, windows, and other GUI (graphical user interface) even from a distance. It happens when the resolution is very high, especially 4K (3840 x 2160 p), and the display monitor is smaller.

High resolutions have more pixels; in the case of 4K, the display monitor has about 4000 pixels in each horizontal row of the monitor. That is too much detail that a display monitor with a small screen cannot show. As a result, the user interface of the apps, games, files, and folders becomes smaller.

Looking at such a display screen is annoying because a user experiences difficulties reading and finding specific options and files. Windows 10 solves this problem by recommending 125% or 150% scaling. Hence, if you choose 125% scaling, the size of everything is increased by 125% more.

It helps a lot when your display monitor is mounted on a wall at a distance. That is because, after increasing the scale recommended by Windows 10, you can easily see the apps, texts, and other graphical details from a distance. This feature is also helpful for kids and elders with limited eyesight.

There is no specific rule for how much scaling you should apply on your monitor because there are other factors included in it, such as monitor size, distance from the viewer, the vision of the user, etc. We will recommend the usual standards, but you can change the scaling you feel comfortable with.

For example, if you are sitting too close to your display monitor(s) and the monitor size and resolution are reasonable, you might not need any scaling. The same is the case with huge display monitors. But if you intend to use your monitor from a distance, you can scale it.

What is The Best Scale For Windows 10?

Windows 10 provides scaling from 100% to 500%. The more you increase the scale, the larger the display becomes. It is recommended for 4K and higher resolutions, but 720p and 1080p will become blurred. If you want to increase the scale a bit, then it is unnecessary to use 125% or 150%; you can try 110% as well.

• 1080p Resolution
  If you have a monitor with 1920 x 1080p resolution, then the best scale is 100%. In this case, we do not recommend scaling because it increases the size and adds blur, depending on the scaling percentage. The higher the ratio, the more blur. Hence, 100% scaling is best for 1080p display resolution.
• 4K Resolution
  The best scaling for the 32” (inch) display monitors with 4K resolution is 150%. Decreasing scaling can make you feel uncomfortable visualizing things on your monitor. It is beneficial, especially when the monitor size is small. People also use 125% scaling with 4K monitors; you should try it.

But remember that you do not need scaling when the monitor size is enormous. If you have a big display monitor and increase the scaling percentage in Windows, the graphics or user interface (UI) will become blurred. As a result, you will not be able to enjoy the display with 4K resolution.

Does Scaling Reduce Image Quality?

If the monitor size is perfect for 100% scale, scaling over 100% can reduce the image quality. That is because scaling is like zooming in. The more you zoom in, the more the image or video will look blurred, pixelated, and fuzzy. Scaling is done when the monitor is smaller, and the Resolution is higher.

On the other hand, when the monitor is not big enough, and you want to run 4K resolution in Windows 10, the operating system will recommend scaling options. There, you can choose between a scale of 100% to 500%. If you increase scaling too much, you will notice poor image and video quality.

But neither the scaling will increase the image size on your storage media nor its space in the RAM. Scaling is similar to zooming an image in. And you know that the image quality reduces when you zoom in. Hence, too much scaling will ruin the details you have switched to 4K or more resolution.

Should I use No Scaling?

It depends on you whether you want to use scaling or not. Windows 10 has a scaling feature for the high resolutions displayed on smaller monitors. This phenomenon results in too much detail in a very small place. As a result, the icons, graphics user interfaces (GUIs), windows, etc., look smaller.

As a result, the user feels very uncomfortable finding certain buttons, menus, and options. It is a very annoying and time-consuming process that reduces your productivity. The Windows operating system allows you to scale up everything displayed on your monitor screen so you can see them.

This feature is also great when using a monitor from a distance to play games or watch movies. Short-sighted persons and kids can take advantage of the scaling feature more than anyone else. It is okay not to scale if you feel the current scale is comfortable, but try scaling if needed.

Does Windows Scaling Decrease resolution?

Windows scaling does not decrease resolution, but it remains the same. Instead, it zooms in on the full display on your display monitor(s). If you have a 4K monitor, the scaling will not reduce the number of pixels on it as they are physical, electronic components called LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes).

Windows 10 is an intelligent operating system software that detects the resolution and size of your display monitor. Based on its calculations, it recommends the perfect scaling for your monitor on a particular resolution. This scaling makes the display clear and more visible, especially with more graphic detail.

Scaling does not decrease the resolution because it increases zooming. As a result, the display can become a bit blurry and pixelated. Hence, it looks like the resolution has been reduced, but it does not. We recommend you to do the scaling only that much that Windows 10 recommends you to.

Why is Custom Scaling Not Recommended?

Custom scaling is not recommended in Windows 10 because you can accidentally make the user interface, buttons, texts, labels, etc., unreadable. As a result, it will be challenging for you to return to the recommended scaling. It is not impossible, but it will be a bit of a time-consuming process for a naive user.

Simply put, the display will become small if you scale down everything. If your monitor screen is small, use the magnifier app in Windows 10 or a magnifier to find the recommended scaling option. It can be very annoying when you have limited sight.

On the other hand, if you scale way too much, things will get blurred. Finding the scaling option to change the scaling settings back to normal will be very difficult or even impossible. The scaling settings may get cropped, and you have no other display monitor on your right hand.

Additionally, scaling too much may reduce the graphic details and increase the performance of graphics-intensive tasks like gaming or video rendering. Your games may run slower than usual, or worse, and your computer can crash due to high CPU usage.

Therefore, it is highly recommended not to use custom scaling in Windows 10 as it can mess up your display settings.

Can I Scale Below 100% Windows 10?

You cannot scale below 100% in Windows 10 because your operating system will not allow this. We guess you want to do this to increase the graphics quality displayed on your monitor. But it does not work this way. To achieve this, you will have to upgrade your display monitor.

You may also have a vast display monitor installed and want to use only a quarter of it. Sadly, you cannot do this because Windows 10 does not allow you to scale below 100%. For most monitors, 100% scale is the recommended scaling option, and Windows sets it as default for your monitor.

That is because if options were below 100%, then people with small monitors wouldn’t be able to find it in case of accidentally reducing the scale. In addition, a scale below 100% would make the text unreadable. As a result, the user would find it very difficult to find the scaling options recommended by Windows.

Conclusion

Windows always recommends the scale size according to your monitors. All the latest monitors have high hertz; their minimum is 125 to 150%. Considering these aspects, Microsoft Windows 10 recommends you use a scale size of 125%. Also, scaling does not decrease resolution. It remains the same and only zooms in on the full display on your monitor(s). So, use Windows 10’s scaling feature wisely.