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FeedbackCommunityMember
Inspiring
May 2, 2014

P: Introducing scale the UI 200% for high-density displays for Windows

  • May 2, 2014
  • 339 replies
  • 4329 views

The Photoshop team welcomes your feedback on this experimental feature. Let us know what you think!
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Photoshop user interface controls may appear small and hard-to-read on high-density displays. Also, on touch-enabled screens, you may have trouble clicking the smaller controls. 200% scaling solves this issue by doubling the size of the user interface.

Since the user interface elements increase in size by 200%, depending on the size and resolution of your display, you may need to adjust the layout of existing workspaces. For example, on a 1080 px screen at 200%, the Tools panel extends off the bottom of the screen. You can change to double-column orientation in order to fit the panel on the screen.

Note: This feature is only for Windows users. HiDPI on Mac has been available for high-density Retina displays since Photoshop CS6.

Caveats

You may encounter some cosmetic issues while using this feature. While many Photoshop dialogs have been reworked so that they fit on the screen at 1080 px, viewing some dialogs (such as Smart Sharpen) completely may require you to collapse sections.

Disable 200% UI scaling

If you need to return to the default 100% scaling, do the following:

1. Select Preferences > Experimental Features.
2. Deselect Scale UI 200% For High-Density Displays (Windows Only).
3. Restart Photoshop.

    339 replies

    Show previous replies
    ssprengel
    ssprengel
    Inspiring
    April 9, 2015
    Brian's issue is different. CS6 is not going to be updated as it is a full 2 versions of Photoshop behind the current PS-CC 2014. Upgrade to the current CC versions or use a lower-res monitor forever, unless MS has some pixel-doubling mode that can be selectively turned on for an app.
    D
    DaveWarrenPictureteam
    Known Participant
    April 9, 2015
    join the long list of people complaining Brian, the issue was only raised ten months ago ;-(
    F
    FeedbackCommunityMemberAuthor
    Inspiring
    April 9, 2015
    I have just bought a Dell XPS 15 with 3840x2160 and am trying to use my CS6. InDesign works OK but not PS,AI or Bridge. There is no experimental features in preferences to adjust the scaling. What can I do other than return my Dell XPS15?
    So annoying and frustrating to spend all this money on a top spec laptop and unable to use industry standard software.
    Who's job is it to put it right, Dell, Microsoft or Adobe?? What a fiasco.
    L
    LarryBrad
    Participating Frequently
    April 9, 2015
    On a Dell XPS 15 with 3840x2160 resolution, the adjustment scaling @200% works well. Scaling could easily go up to 250% for a perfect font size. Without at least 200%, Photoshop CC would not be usable on a 4k screen.
    F
    FeedbackCommunityMemberAuthor
    Inspiring
    April 6, 2015
    I just got a Dell XPS and I now have a 1920 x 1080 resolution screen. The experimental 200% scaling is way too big... the window for the photo that I would edit has gotten extremely small, but I can read the menu very well. I didn't get the 3200 x 1800 resolution screen because of the problems I would encounter with programs adapting to this scaling problem. I agree with the 150% scaling for Photoshop... I think that may be just the right size.
    F
    FeedbackCommunityMemberAuthor
    Inspiring
    April 2, 2015
    Again, we are continuing to work with Microsoft to address the OS issues necessary to allow more flexible UI scaling on Windows. Getting even 200% scaling working on Windows required a lot of effort from Adobe and Microsoft.
    M
    Mervyn_Edwards
    Participating Frequently
    April 2, 2015
    It would be more useful if it was possible to make an option to set a variable enlargement factor say between 100% and 200% depending on the resolution of the monitor. I find the 200% factor almost too much.
    F
    FeedbackCommunityMemberAuthor
    Inspiring
    April 1, 2015
    If possible, please add a command line switch for 100% and 200%.

    That way we can choose which to run depending on our setup by creating different shortcuts.

    I often go from Surface display at school to docking station and widescreen monitor at home.

    Would make switching back and forth much easier. Thanks!
    F
    FeedbackCommunityMemberAuthor
    Inspiring
    April 1, 2015
    Great, wonderful, awesome! Unless you turn it on with a laptop. I understand the instructions for turning it off, however I can untick the checkbox, but I cannot cursor over to the the OK button. When I restart Ps the box is still checked. I need help!
    M
    Mervyn_Edwards
    Participating Frequently
    March 25, 2015
    OK - I got there in the end. I was under the simple impression that when you update Photoshop CC it gets updated to the latest version. I did not appreciate that in the meantime a newer version of Photoshop (CC 2014 15.x) had been installed in the programmes of my computer. I did not know it was there!

    Whilst the 200%UI goes some way to alleviating the problem, if anything it is now too large. A scalable option would be great.
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