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Photoshop Interface is too small for my screen size [2017]

Forum|Forum|9 years ago
January 14, 2017
18 replies
98822 views

Hi

I have a Photoshop CS6 edition and just started it for the first time. Sadly I can hardly see any of the elements of the user interface. The Menu bar, the Panels - everything is way too small. I have a Laptop with a high resolution screen, so probably the size of the user interface is meant to be used on a larger screen. I did change Windows 10 settings to scale up all the elements of other software I use - so all Icons and user interface elements of other software does indeed scale up, but Photoshop does not react to any changes there. Also I tried to increase the setting in the Photoshop settings (preferences/user interface/font size), but it is already set to "large" and there is no numeric value or additional options I could find. Here is a picture to compare the size of a regular window I use and the Photoshop Window - the font size seems to be about half and the elements are really hard to click.
Thanks for helping.

Windows

Correct answer Derek Cross

You need to upgrade to Photoshop CC2015/17 as these versions have been designed to work on hi-definition screens.

K

kapil36030821eicn

Participant

I found a way out. Below Solution is Windows 10, NVidia Graphic Card

1. Right Click Photoshop.exe

2. Click on Properties

3. Click on Compatibility

4. Click on "Change High DPI settings"

5. Enable Check box under Program DPI - Use this setting to fix scaling problems

6. Next under "Use the DPI thats set for my main display" - I open this program

7. Enable check box Override high DPI scaling behaviour

8.Select System enhanced

Photo attached.

Blacknest

Known Participant

I know this is a really old post, but if anyone else is having this problem and doesn't want to upgrade, here is a fix that worked for me: (taken from an old Windows8 forum)

"Navigate to where the actual application file (.exe) is, right-click it and select properties, choose the compatibility tab and select "Change high dpi settings" under the settings section, in the next window, select the checkbox that says "High DPI scaling override", and choose "System" from the drop-down. Hit ok to save the changes, and then re-open Photoshop.

I saw this answer on another website. I applied these changes to the shortcut for Photoshop that I have on my Desktop, I selected "System (Enhanced)" from the drop-down menu and it worked perfectly. Now I do not need to squint or use the magnifier or memorize location for using a menu or a tool"

Blacknest

Known Participant

Please ignore my previous post. As others have commented, it's simply throwing away screen resolution.

M

Martyn28812452xxwr

Participant

Hi,

Rather late but I was having the same problems. There is an easy fix.

1. Right click the destop icon for Photoshop CS6

2. Go to Properties

3. Go to the Compatability tab

4. Go to Change high DPI settings

5. Go to High DPI scale override and tick the box

6. Open pop out box below that and choose System (Enhanced)

7. Click OK then Apply and OK

8. Open Photoshop

This setting will not alter the Desktop and only applies to Photoshop when it is open.

We are all getting older and at 75 I don't want to be tied to a rolling payment to Adobe. I use a Benq 3840x2160 monitor.

D Fosse

Community Expert

I use a Benq 3840x2160 monitor.

By @Martyn28812452xxwr

Just so you know, what you did turns it into a 1920 x 1080 standarad HD monitor. One image pixel is now represented by four screen pixels. So that's a lot of wasted money.

What you need for a 4K monitor is to scale up the UI, but not the image. The image needs to be displayed at full screen resolution. This became possible with Photoshop CC 2014 and onwards. There is no way you can get Photoshop CS6 to do that.

Tashka

Participating Frequently

I found a way to fix my DPI scalng of old Adobe apps on Win11 (maybe Win10 too)

I find the problem is primarily with earlier Adobe apps like CS6 on current OS's.

Later versions like current PS 20xx scale correctly on high res monitors.

My 27" monitor has a native resolution of 3840 x 2160.

I suspect this works in Win10 but does, for sure, in Win11.

Steps ....

Find each app's EXE in Windows Explorer (not its shortcut).

To make that easier, Rt-Click on a shortcut like on Taskbar.

Choose [Open File Location]

That often leads to another shortcut so repeat [Open File Location]

Once you fnd the true EXE, Rt-Click and choose [Properties]

Then select the [Compatibility] tab

Near bottom, choose [High DPI Settings]

On that panel check [X] Use this setting to fix scaling problems

At bottom of same panel also check [X] Override high DPI settings

That enables the dropdown [App/System/System Enhanced] under it.

Select [System] as the executor of the action

I find [System Enhanced] scales the fonts unevenly.

Feel free to try it.

Close [Properties].

Open App. Voila - should be nicely readable.

I cannot speak to Win7 or Win8. They are long gone.

Hope that helps - Dr. Tom

U

utkxyuta

Participant

Thanks a lot buddy.

S

sw65652670

Participant

I have had the same problem with an even older version of Photoshop (CS4) on a higher resolution laptop monitor. (3840 X 2160).

To get the interface to be normal-sized, change screen reslution settings to something less than maximum (e.g., 1920 X 1280), open Photoshop and see if the UI is sized at a usable level. If it is, change screen resolution back to high settings and, in my experience, the UI remains at the usable size.

I

iamgregor

Participating Frequently

Easier solution. Replying to most people since the official answer is incorrect.

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop/photoshop-interface-is-too-small-for-my-screen-size/m-p/12068242#M546743

J

jamesrussell2020

Participant

are you saying that the older version will not work on the newer computer screens?

I

iamgregor

Participating Frequently

Ignore him. He's wrong: https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop/photoshop-interface-is-too-small-for-my-screen-size/m-p/12068242#M546743

R

realistic_practice1587

Participant

http://hackymchackerson.blogspot.com/2018/06/adobe-photoshop-cs6-how-to-increase.html I just did it and it works

I

iamgregor

Participating Frequently

This was a great solution though it didn't work for me (2021), but it turns out it's actually very easy in the new Windows: https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop/photoshop-interface-is-too-small-for-my-screen-size/m-p/12068242#M546743

williamp37355817

Participant

HERE IS THE FIX. Credit to davidw83878403

Works the same for Photoshop elements... just locate that file.

1) For the desktop "Adobe Photoshop" shortcut:

-right click on the shortcut icon

-left click on Properties

-open the Compatibility tab

-in the Settings area on the compatibility tab, ensure the box beside the "Override high DPI scaling behaviour." box is checked, and in the drop-down box directly below "Scaling performed By:", set to System.

Doing the above WILL NOT CHANGE the way PS opens if you ask it to open via a right click on the photo in question (that is, right click on photo > Open With > Photoshop (Editor)).

You therefore also have to perform the above steps for the PhotoShop .EXE file. On my computer, this is located at: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS6 (64 Bit)

Locate the Photoshop.exe file, right click on it and:

-left click on Properties

-open the Compatibility tab

-in the Settings area on the compatibility tab, ensure the box beside the "Override high DPI scaling behaviour." box is checked, and in the drop-down box directly below "Scaling Performed By:" set to System. [or Try System (Enhanced)]

ramona1727

Participant

Does this work for Photoshop CC?

When I try this (right click the shortcut) ALL the options under settings in compatibility are greyed out.....

Obviously I am NOT a computer expert.

davescm

Community Expert

If you are using Photoshop CC then just update to the latest version and the scaling will be sorted by Photoshop based on your system settings. No need for any workarounds

Dave

M

Mariam Balhass

Participant

Dear I have the same problem as u and i have find the solution without updating or changing the program. all what u have to do is the following:

right click on the disktop

display setting

text 100% and not 200

then click advanced display setting (u can find it at the bottom)

finally choose resolution 1280*768

Apply--> ok

and u will see that all ur problems will be solved

try it and u will see

D

davidw83878403

Participant

I found myself on this page facing the exact same issue as the original poster when I upgraded my computer from a Dell Windows 7 machine to a Microsoft Windows Surface Pro a month or two ago. It's running Widows 10 Pro with 8 GB RAM

I am not a professional Adobe Photoshop user, and I use it only a few times a week to put together "photo-essays" for my clients. (I'm a veterinarian, and I handout photo-essays for some of the procedures I do.) Being the frugal type by nature, it's against my better inclination to just run out and drop a bunch of hard-eared cash on a new program, when I *knew* I could make this one work.

I am using Photoshop Elements 7.0

The Surface's Display settings are set to the following:

-Scale 200%

-Resolution 2736 X 1824 (recommended)

and I like the way the whole computer works at these settings.

BUT:

if I have a photo to edit, as I do over and over for my clients, I will open it up in Photoshop (PS), and I had exactly the same issue as the original poster.

It didn't seem to matter if I opened PS directly from the .exe file, or from a desktop shortcut, or from the right-click menu available at the photo itself... it always opens with a very small interface.

After playing for a while with a few things I found a very simple work-around. The reason I am here, incidentally, is that I discovered how to get PS to open up "properly" (with a workable interface) from a desktop short cut, but it would still open up with the very small interface from the photo's right-click menu. (that is, right click on photo > Open With > Adobe Photoshop Elements (Editor))

Here's what I did:

1) For the desktop "Adobe Photoshop" shortcut:

-right click on the shortcut icon

-left click on Properties

-open the Compatibility tab

-in the Settings area on the compatibility tab, ensure the box beside the "Override high DPI scaling behaviour." box is checked, and in the drop-down box directly below "Scaling performed By:", set to System.

Doing the above WILL NOT CHANGE the way PS opens if you ask it to open via a right click on the photo in question (that is, right click on photo > Open With > Adobe Photoshop Elements (Editor)).

You therefore also have to perform the above steps for the AdobePhotoShopElementsEditor .EXE file. On my computer, this is located at: C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Photoshop Elements 7.0.

Locate the PhotoshopElementsEditor.exe file, right click on it and:

-left click on Properties

-open the Compatibility tab

-in the Settings area on the compatibility tab, ensure the box beside the "Override high DPI scaling behaviour." box is checked, and in the drop-down box directly below "Scaling Performed By:" set to System.

This works perfectly for me, without having to change any other settings I hope it does for you, too.

BTW, if it is not obvious and readily apparent, I am NOT an expert computer user. I hope that I haven't made any glaring errors or omissions or assumptions. I just wanted to share my thoughts on the issue at hand.

Derek Cross

Community Expert

Please post in the Photoshop Elements forum: Photoshop Elements

A

alexw64626903

Participant

Hello

I have been using the whole adobe suite with two large monitors for the past few weeks but today wanted to work solely on my Windows laptop. I also have the isue of mega small text and menues. The OS is set to 125% scaling and anything bigger is just stupid and same with the Adobe programs, scaling to 100% or 200% is also stupidly big...

Whats the best option to just have it working at a normal size?

Thanks

R

ronaldc2362

Participant

Alex: My own situation was similar with the following characteristics: have an older laptop which uses CS6 in Win7 32 bit, and just bought a new Lenovo with Win10 in 64 bit.

I loaded another copy of CS6 32 bit onto the Lenovo and ran into the problem you are now facing. It has little-nothing to do with scale of 100% or 125%. The key for me was screen resolution...the new Lenovo can go as high as 3840 x 2160 which is way too high and results in tiny,tiny type. Changed resolution down to 1280 x 768 and everything fits.

However, CS6 was running dreadfully slow as 32 bit on the new Lenovo. When I had downloaded CS6 from Adobe, it came in a 64 bit version as well as a routine part of the download, so I completely uninstalled 32 bit CS6 and installed the 64 bit version on the Lenovo.I kept my older laptop using 32 bit and did not change any display settings at all. Had to futz around with the resolution a bit with 64 now on the Lenovo but ended up finding a combination that works OK. Remember, the higher the res, the smaller the type will be, so drop it down. Forgot to mention that I am using an external keyboard and new 27" monitor on the Lenovo. I did not check to see how the actual Lenovo screen was affected by changes in resolution//I do all my work on the big monitor and that is what I needed to fit properly. Nonetheless, I think laptop's resolution settings are the key. Hope this helps. Ron

On ‎Friday‎, ‎December‎ ‎22‎, ‎2017‎ ‎04‎:‎30‎:‎01‎ ‎PM‎ ‎MST, alexw64626903 <forums_noreply@adobe.com> wrote:

Photoshop Interface is too small for my screen size

created by alexw64626903 in Photoshop General Discussion - View the full discussion

Hello

I have been using the whole adobe suite with two large monitors for the past few weeks but today wanted to work solely on my Windows laptop. I also have the isue of mega small text and menues. The OS is set to 125% scaling and anything bigger is just stupid and same with the Adobe programs, scaling to 100% or 200% is also stupidly big...

Whats the best option to just have it working at a normal size?

Thanks

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