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. This can provide a more comfortable interface size between the choices macOS initially offers.

For the underlying rendering method, see what flexible scaling and custom resolutions change.

HiDPI uses more rendering pixels for a given desktop size. For example, on a 2560 × 1440 monitor, a 1280 × 720 HiDPI desktop can make everything larger than you want. Requesting an intermediate size such as 1920 × 1080 HiDPI gives you more desktop space, if the Mac and connection support it.

Flexible scaling uses macOS’s native scaling method. If the exact same desktop size, HiDPI state and other mode properties are already available, enabling flexible scaling does not apply a new sharpening method to that mode. Its value is the additional choices: you can find a more comfortable desktop size or a HiDPI variant that was not offered before. See text clarity and pixel mapping for why intermediate sizes can look different.

Add the sizes you want

  1. Open Settings > Displays > [display] > System Configuration and Flexible Scaling.
  2. Enable Edit the system configuration of this display model. Changes apply to all displays with the same vendor and model identifiers.
  3. Enable Enable flexible scaling for a fine-grained list of sizes matching the display’s aspect ratio. This feature requires Pro. To add only a few specific sizes, enable Custom scaled resolutions instead. Choose Add Custom Resolution and enter the desktop width and height you want. Adding these custom sizes does not independently require Pro.
  4. Use Apply to install the pending configuration, with the requested helper or administrator authorization. Complete the subsequent activation or reboot requested by the app.
  5. Open the display’s Display Mode menu and choose an available HiDPI size. Entering a custom row alone does not select that mode.

Use the intended desktop size in the custom row, not a manually doubled size: BetterDisplay requests both HiDPI and LoDPI variants where possible. Matching the display’s aspect ratio avoids requesting a differently shaped desktop unintentionally.

The row’s status distinguishes Currently available as HiDPI, Currently available as LoDPI and Currently not available. A valid saved row does not guarantee that macOS will expose it. If the applied size remains LoDPI-only, see why some resolutions cannot use HiDPI. If the whole section is missing on a DisplayLink connection, see DisplayLink scaling.

The System Configuration reference explains range limits, Apply/Undo and activation in detail.