In this article I’m going to show you how to adjust the screen resolution on Retina and non-Retina displays, and how to perfect the screen resolution on any external display you may be using with your Mac.īefore we get into the ‘how to,’ it’s important to note that not all screen resolutions will be appropriate for your particular Mac. Alternatively, if you love to multitask, then you may want to try increasing the resolution so that you can fit even more apps and windows onto your screen. In particular, you may want to try decreasing the resolution if spending time in front of the computer is leaving you with headaches or eye-strain, as this will increase the size of the onscreen content and take some of the pressure off your eyes. Regardless of whether you’re using an external display, or you’re happy with your Mac’s built-in display, your screen resolution settings determine how large text and images appear onscreen, and also affects the sharpness and clarity of everything you see on your Mac.Įvery model of Mac has a default resolution that’s designed to give you the sharpest text and the most detailed images, but if you’re unhappy with these default settings, then you can always adjust the screen resolution manually.