Windows 11 doesn’t have one button that resets all display settings. To get back to the defaults, open Settings > System > Display and choose the options marked (Recommended) for Scale and Display resolution, set Display orientation to Landscape, and turn off Night light and HDR if you turned them on. Microsoft explains each of these options in its screen resolution and layout guide.
How to Reset Display Settings in Windows 11
- Press Windows key + I to open Settings.
- Select System, then Display.
- If you have more than one monitor, select the screen you want to fix at the top of the page.
- Under Scale & layout, open the Scale menu and choose the option marked (Recommended).
- Open the Display resolution menu and choose the option marked (Recommended). Select Keep changes when Windows asks.
- Set Display orientation to Landscape (or Portrait for a screen you’ve physically turned sideways). Select Keep changes if it looks right, or Revert if it doesn’t. Auto-rotation on a 2-in-1 is a separate setting.
If you are unsure which setting is causing the problem, use the screen resolution and scaling guide to distinguish blurry pixels from small text, check the selected monitor, and confirm a usable resolution before keeping it.
If you set a custom scaling percentage earlier, select the Scale arrow and choose Turn off custom scaling and sign out first, then pick the recommended option. Custom scaling accepts 100% to 500%, but Microsoft’s visibility guide recommends the preset options.
Reset Color and Brightness Changes
- Turn off Night light on the Display page if the screen looks too warm or orange.
- Turn off HDR if colors look washed out. Select the HDR screen, open HDR, and turn off Use HDR. If the option is missing, that display doesn’t support HDR. Microsoft’s HDR settings guide lists the requirements.
- Under Color profile, choose the default profile for your screen.
- If you used a color filter, open Settings > Accessibility > Color filters and turn it off.
Reset Text Size
- Open Settings > Accessibility > Text size.
- Drag the slider back to 100%.
- Select Apply.
Text size is separate from Scale, so check both. Microsoft covers the difference in Change the size of text in Windows.
If the Screen Is Black or Unreadable
- If you just changed the resolution, wait about 15 seconds without touching anything. Windows reverts the change if you don’t select Keep changes.
- If the screen stays black, press Windows key + Ctrl + Shift + B to restart the graphics driver.
- If that does not work, use Shift + Restart when the Power menu is usable, or follow the Windows recovery entry and media instructions. Do not interrupt an update or firmware installation to force recovery.
- Choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart, then press 3 for Enable low-resolution video. Fix the settings once Windows starts.
Reset the Display Driver
If the settings above don’t fix a stretched, blurry, or flickering screen, reinstall the display driver.
- Right-click Start and select Device Manager.
- Expand Display adapters.
- Right-click your graphics adapter and select Uninstall device.
- Restart the PC. Windows reinstalls a basic driver on startup.
- Get the latest driver from your PC or graphics card maker.
Graphics apps such as Intel Graphics Command Center, NVIDIA Control Panel, and AMD Software also have a Restore defaults option for their own color and scaling settings.
Reset Multiple Monitors
- Press Windows key + P.
- Choose Extend to use each screen separately, Duplicate to show the same thing on both, or Second screen only to turn off the main screen. Microsoft explains each mode in its multiple monitors guide.
- In Settings > System > Display, select Identify, then drag the screen boxes to match how your monitors sit on the desk. If a monitor doesn’t show up, check its cable and input, then select Multiple displays > Detect.
If a monitor’s picture is still off, use the monitor’s own menu buttons to run its factory reset.
If the picture has turned sideways or upside down, see how to fix an upside-down screen in Windows 11. If the screen flickers, see how to fix screen flickering in Windows 11.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my display settings changing on their own?
A graphics driver update or connecting a different monitor can change resolution and scale. Update the graphics driver from your PC or graphics card maker if it keeps happening.
Will resetting display settings delete anything?
No. It only changes how things look on screen. If text is still too small afterward, see how to increase text size in Windows 11, or change the icon size on the desktop.
Is there a reset for Windows 10?
The steps are nearly the same. See how to get your screen back to normal size on Windows 10.
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are checked step by step against the device or app maker’s own documentation and tested on his own devices whenever he has the hardware or software, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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