Help! Same file, open in iMac and PC but the 100% view is smaller on the mac

[zealousli]

Hi All, I used to do my projects on Illustrator CS6 on a PC but now I have upgraded to an iMac with Illustrator CC 2018.

The same file that I open in my iMac, the save for web image at 100% size looked much smaller compared to the PC.

The PC view is larger than the iMac view. (See photos below)

Now I have a visual problem. I won't be able to tell if the image is too small or too big on my iMac.

How do I resolve this?

On a PC

On a Mac

[intelligent_neighborsFA21 · Accepted solution]

Hello Zealousli,

Have you consider the resolution (PPI) difference between your PC and your Mac, it could make the difference.

100% doesn't mean it will show you the physical size, it will show the pixel size.

On a PC is the non-4k screen: 96 ppi

On a Mac is that more or less (72 ppi) depending on the screen: 4K screen is that 225ppi for a Macbook pro.

That will make a big difference.

Good luck with it.

Patrick

PS: If you like this answer, define it as valuable. Thanks

[zealousli]

Thanks for your comments.

How then I can view them accurately on the Mac?

Coz when I save the vector, it looked pixelated but looked fine on the working file.

[intelligent_neighborsFA21]

Vector drawing saved as .ai or PDF always print and look better.

If you save as svg, you'll also maintain the vector information. But not all apps are compatible with it.

Good luck.

Patrick

[zealousli]

I'm actually having preview issues for the retina display. The artwork are in vector but yet when Save for Web, it is pixelated.

Whereas when view on my PC, it is clear.

I was wondering is there a setting that I can change in the Mac or to view it at 200%?

[tonyharmer]

There is such a setting and you'll find it in the bottom-left corner of the Save for Web dialog.

[zealousli]

I know about the % view. Just that on the PC, at 100%, I can tell that that is the actual size. But on the Mac, it is 2x smaller at 100%. So to make it similar to what I saw on the PC, I would need to change the preview to 200% because of the retina display. So I was wondering if that is the only solution when design on a Mac (retina display).