HiDPI and Desktop Size

Make text comfortable to read and understand HiDPI clarity, desktop size and performance.

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How does macOS scaling work, and what are HiDPI and LoDPI?
Understand desktop size, rendering pixels, HiDPI and LoDPI, fractional scaling and what custom resolutions can change.
How can I add HiDPI resolutions between the sizes macOS offers?
For a natively connected display, enable flexible scaling or add specific custom scaled resolutions in System Configuration and Flexible Scaling.
Why is my preferred resolution available only in LoDPI?
A HiDPI desktop needs a larger rendering surface than the same desktop size in LoDPI.
Why is flexible scaling missing for a display connected through DisplayLink?
DisplayLink displays use a driver-managed virtual display path, so BetterDisplay’s native System Configuration and Flexible Scaling editor does not apply to them.
How can I make text larger without making the desktop too small?
Choose a slightly smaller HiDPI desktop size, rather than jumping straight to the lowest resolution.
Can I stretch a square or narrow desktop to fill my display?
Yes.
Why does text still look poor after I enable HiDPI?
HiDPI changes how macOS renders the desktop, but the monitor’s own picture processing and the display signal can still reduce text clarity.
Why do 3D apps or screen recordings slow down in HiDPI?
HiDPI can substantially increase the number of pixels an application has to render.
Why does a 4K display show 200% or an 8K rendering resolution?
The resolution slider’s ordinary percentage compares the logical desktop size with its default size.
Can I choose scaling as a percentage instead of a resolution?
Yes.
How can I tell whether my display is already using HiDPI?
Open the display’s Display Mode submenu in BetterDisplay and inspect the highlighted current mode.
Can I use HiDPI for pixel-perfect photo editing?
Yes.
Can I fit a larger desktop onto a lower-resolution monitor?
Yes.

For the rendering background, see how macOS scaling, HiDPI and LoDPI work.