Windows 10: Start Menu size text too small on 14 inch laptop 1920 X 1080p

Hi there

Got a nice light small laptop(screen 14 inch - enough for travelling) which has a native resolution of 1080 X 1920 --much better than the usual 768 X 1366 - especially when viewing movies etc. The display is really a significant improvement over the bog standard 768 X 1366 and really noticeable also when typing word documents or reading text.

(For travelling etc the 14 inch size is far more convenient than the more usual 16 - 17 inch sizes).

However the windows standard texts are tiny (boxes, drop down menus etc etc). -- I fixed most of it by adjusting text size settings and display to 150% -- the start menu items still have too small text.

If I increase the display resolution to 175% things like file explorer fail to start when clicked and the screen refreshes periodically - so set back to 150%.

Any body know of a way to increase text size on the Start menu.

Funnily enough when you use the WIN+X key / right mouse click on start button the text sizes in that list are fine --it's just the standard start menu when you click the windows start button.

I'm not sure what it is with I.T developers but it seems every time you get a decent improvement in the graphics on a computer the text sizes usually become so tiny as to be unreadable --I suppose it's difficult for a bank of developers all to work with 60 inch screens !!!!! but surely some of them must be able to test stuff out on decent bits of kit.

Hooked up to a large 4K external display the first time I needed a Magnifying glass to see any text at all -- rather ironic - having a great screen but using really old technology to view anything on it (a Magnifying glass) !!!!.

Running Windows 10 pro X-64 -- graphics driver Intel HD 520 latest version. W10 latest updates applied.

Cheers
jimbo

:)

 

close lid causes resize

No external monitors.

Resolution is 1920 x 1080. Size is 14 inch.

Yes, resizing happens to every window, e.g. Windows Explorer, Chrome browser, Evernote, etc.

Thanks,

Lee

 

Has "Change only the text size" been removed in Creators Update?

I am not even visually impaired. It's just that the present generation of high dpi screens REQUIRES finetuning of text size. Some laptops have a 1080p full HD screen, some even have a 4K screen. Most of them are 15 inch, which means REALLY small text sizes
which are not readable if you take more then 40 cm distance. Not a exotic scenario, because that's what happens if you connect a secondary monitor to a laptop and set the laptop to the side. It's not for nothing that the text sizes on for example an iPad are
optimized for a perfect readable size. Microsoft still seems to have to discover high DPI... Not even to talk about visually impaired people. Sigh.

 

Sometimes I think I'm going blind here! Need to pull out a magnifying glass for text smaller then a driving test! How's it been by the way?

The DPI setting can be a help or hinderance at times with this as well as changing the style of text. The item of interest for you however is going into the Settings>System, Display, etc. there and opening up the Advanced display options where you then scroll down on the left side there to the "Advanced sizing of text and other items. Once you click on that the screen in the Control Panel then appears as seen in the snipping here.

*Sad If able to be fixed that can be passed along from grandmother to one of the grandsons since they keep borrowing and toying with the parent(s)'s laptops and ... "another mess Henry! better get.. to look at it again!" *Roflmao2

 

Interesting that this seemed to have been (sort of) addressed in Win 8 (if I understand it correctly) but not (apparently) in Win 10:
How To Customize Font Size Of Everything In Windows 8 Screen | Windows 8 Freeware


(14" screen with 1920x1080.. you must have good eyesight- my new 15.6" has that resolution... and it really is a lot better.. don't like the keyboard layout though (delete, arrow keys) ).

 

Setting the Start Menu to use full screen is a little bigger but, aside from raising the DPI, I don't think there is anything else you can do.

 

Hi there

Same problem in Outlook 2016 -- can decently change size of everything EXCEPT incoming mail - then for each email you have to individually zoom. !!!!!!!

What's with Windows developers (actually similar problem in Linux too for some things) that they just can't design apps to use adjustable fonts / scaling -- decent graphics these days should make all that a cinch - Fixed pixel size settings should be OUTLAWED. Pixels have different sizes on different bits of kit as any serious digital photographer will know -- a Pro DSLR might have less mega pixels than a modern smartphone - but the picture quality is totally different !!!!.


@dalchina

the 1080p (1080 X 1920) on a 14 inch laptop is fine when you set the display @150%. It's just some individual bits in applications that are the problems.

The video card can also drive a decent 4K monitor too - so I'm more than happy with the laptop. ( 3840 X 2160 - without fiddling Fonts are so small that the text just looks like tiny Bars !!!!!!). Driving a 4K monitor at 1920 X 1080 seems a waste !!!!


Cheers
jimbo

 

There is one other option yet to be mentioned of course. This however will likely pass over like a lead balloon! "look out belowwwww...!!!""crash!" It's called "Magnifier" and found in the "Start>Settings<Ease of Access" being a Windows accessories since time began practically. Instead of holding a physical glass up against the screen you have the magnifier option you can call up possibly "jumping in your face" the first time you go to try it out! *Eek "look out!"

 

Hi there

Thanks for the suggestion !! - just as bad of course !!!

However for Ultra HD Movies (a few around) the 60 inch screen is unbelievable -- now if only Chromecast could handle 4K movies !!!
I suspect that with these TV's and monitors now flying off the shelves -- much cheaper now -- Windows will shortly address these video shortcomings.

Cheers
jimbo

 

Well if you look closely at all these new tvs both led and lcd you will find just about all of them can act a dual role as a pc monitor as well as your tv screen!

Since I put on a larger second lcd here I still haven't connected the HDMI cable the cable company store clerk simply handed to me when I went to get one. I might end using that to replace the 75ohm coming up from the cable/DVR combo box however since a slightest vibration will tend to see the screen get a little fuzzy despite having the connector on good and tight there! The HDMI would of course also allow for the HD on a smaller screen however.