Too small UI on 4K display!

[perrybrus]

Bought a new 4K display, all fine until I opened Adobe apps and to my great surprise the UI was super tiny. I can't read the menu text or the palettes. So I started searching for a size adjuster but there's no way to adjust the size of the type and the UI graphics. This is the same in Photoshop, XD, Illustrator. It's all over the place! Isn't Adobe prepared for 4K resolution?!! Do I have to DECREASE the whole system resolution so my 4K was a total waste of money? I actually tried that too but still had issues with the Adobe UI's.

[BobLevine]

There is a UI scaling option under your preferences. This of course assumes you're running a new version of the applications.

[Derek Cross]

Which version of InDesign and OS?

[perrybrus]

It's a brand new setup. Started with Windows 10 Anniversary Update (64-bit) - Version 1607 (build 10.0.14393) and then after installment I ran an update process to see if MS had any updates. All my CC apps are up to date. No available updates there.

[Derek Cross]

So it's InDesign 13.0.1?

[perrybrus]

There's no update for InDesign, Photoshop, Bridge, Dreamweaver or anything. The whole list is up to date. For IND it looks like November 2017 (13.0.1) release.

I have started to investigate this and I can see that this a huge issue for many. There's supposed to be a function where you can choose a percentage incremental of UI size but most people write it's either a choice between way too large type text or back to tiny again. I thought Adobe had a size slider or something to cater to 4K monitors.

[BobLevine]

First make sure Windows is at Build 1709. If not, do it. That's the Fall Creators Update.

Then make sure InDesign is up to date. Under Help, Ctrl+click about InDesign. Make sure you're at build 13.0.1.207.

That out of the way, check your display settings. You'll find a screen like this:

Note the scaling percentage.

Now go to InDesign and under edit>preferences you'll find a UI scaling option. Note that only 100, 150 and 200 percent are supported, so if you're O/S scaling is set to 125% you'll either have 100% at the smaller option or 150% at the larger.

[perrybrus]

Thanks for great response. I'm obviously on the updated versions cause I had the option of Ui scaling but no matter what I choose it doesn't reach the scale ratio I was used to before. It gets either too big (thus making 4K pointless) or way to tiny. I wish Adobe was better prepared for 4K as this is actually a solid step back for me. I actually think I need to go back to my 2560 × 1440 resolution on my former monitor now. Buying 4K was obviously premature as Adobe are not in correspondence with that if you ask me. Makes you wonder what they were thinking the past 3-4 years. Didn't they see this thing coming?!

[BobLevine]

Time out!

Don’t give up so quickly. What is the percentage that the O/S is scaling to?

[BobLevine]

BTW, I bought a 28” 4K monitor a little while back and it scaled InDesign perfectly. The problem was it was garbage as far as color went so I bought another 27” (I’ve got two now) 2560x1440 and everything’s fine.

[perrybrus]

But 2560x1140 is not Ultra HD 4K resolution. My display has a native resolution of 3840x2160. My OS is of course at max resolution to match my highres monitor, or else there would be no point in having it. As mentioned, if the Adobe UI doesn't scale to fit the same size proportion like I had on all my former non 4K displays it is useless.

[BobLevine]

Did you see the screenshot I posted earlier? Please go to your display settings in Windows and tell me what percentage the operating system is scaling that display to?

[perrybrus]

100%.

I just read a tutorial were the suggestion was to enter the registry of Windows and make some alterations but now were talking more than I have the rights to do on this work station. I'm just chocked tha Adobe hasn't found a proper solution to this. If it means talking to MS then I really think they should.

[BobLevine]

100%? With a 4K monitor? How big is this thing? The only way that should set to 100% is if it’s way larger than 30”

Just for kicks, though, change it to 150% and then set InDesign to the lower supported scaling percentage. If that’s not working for you, then try 125%.

BTW, you never answered my question about your Windows 10 build. Are you at 1709?

[Test Screen Name]

Please never assume you are "up to date". We so often ask people what version they are on and they say "latest" by which they mean they have installed all the updates they were offered. But a LOT of people don't get all their updates, and that is actually the problem that has to be solved. So please always check and get specific numbers.

[perrybrus]

Dell 27 Ultra HD 4K Monitor - P2715Q

Of course it's at 100%. Why should I set it to any different. It's a 27". All my monitors are at 100%, either it's this or my Eizo ColorEdge 27" without 4K res. No problems. All the articles I find on this topic shares the same conclusion: It's a messy business. Some change the OS type size, other try to work around the Windows registry etc. It doesn't change anything for me to alter the size to 150%, or 125%. The UI type size or Ui palettes doesn't match what I have on my 27" Eizo at 2560 x 1440 px. This latter resolution generates a perfect UI size in my mind.

Yes, OS versions is 1709.

[BobLevine]

Does it say 100% recommended? Doesn’t sound right.

I tried a 28” and it went to 125% which is what I asked you to try…did you do so along with the UI scaling settings in InDesign?

[perrybrus]

Yes, the alteration within IND doesn't make any difference. In PS however it's the same as I explained earlier with an increase of UI size making everything oversized and 100% very tiny. I switched to my Eizo ColoEdge 27" at 2560 x 1440 px and that is perfect. This is back again to the 4K issues that the internet is full of. I'm obviously not the only one shaking my head.

[Jim Davis Philly]

He's right. No matter what you do, Dreamweaver does not work correctly on 4k Monitors. When you hold down alt + click on an document to have the CSS come up, it always goes to the wrong resolution and it also displays screen size the percentage larger you enlarged windows. So mine is 175% larger and that made dreamweaver's document that.

Between the total choking of dreamweaver an crashing and now this with the 4K resolution, I think it's time for Adobe to rethink what they are doing or just give up. Year after year it's become more of a dog. If their push is to go all code, then why do we need a WYSIWYG? I'd rather go back to Hotdog in 1997 before Dreamweaver came out.

You hearing this Adobe? I just spent all night upgrading to Windows 10 thinking it was just Windows 7 being phased out but nope. It's you. You guys are the problem and you know it. Photoshop is fine but DW? Forget 4K montiors if you work on the web with DW.

I can't believe I spent the night thinking this problem was just Microsoft Again. You do know abate and switch is illegal and when you do it over state lines it's RICO and that means class action lawsuit of all adobe users vs you over this.

I'm filing and attorney general complaint just because I spent the night dealing with an upgrade and all the while, it's just you people sucking at your job and trying to get by until you had a real fix. Where is it? 

[BobLevine]

Feel better?

I'm not thrilled with the UI scaling either but your rant about Dreamweaver in an InDesign forum will get you nowhere. And throwing out insults won't help, either.

Good luck with that lawsuit. You won't find an attorney willing to take it on a contingency.

[perrybrus]

I'm not from the states but I know of several lawyers that would take on a group lawsuit in Europe. Especially against a rich company like Adobe. About time Adobe is taught that WE are the ones paying their bills. I agree with Jim and right now I'm tempted to call CC a fraud scheme. The product doesn't deliver but they charged me. So perhaps a mass refund would be the next natural step? Or the option to pay per product based on what Adobe can deliver as a fully qualified program and not just perpetual work in progress, release candidates or beta apps. Now I'm paying to be a crash test dummy and I never signed up for that. Loss of time. Loss of money. I call it robbery.

It's not just this topic in this thread but a multitude of issues across the line. Can't think of one product I'm paying for in the CC system that actually works 100%. Not one! It used to be stable back in the days of hard copy but Adobe wanted more cash so here we are.

[BobLevine]

People have been screaming about lawsuits since Adobe went to subscription. Again, good luck.

Even with successful class action type suits the only ones that make any money are the lawyers. Look, I agree there's a lot to be improved here, but a lawsuit? That's ridiculous in a non-monopoly situation. Find an alternative piece of software.

[perrybrus]

Ok. Let's see. Your conclusion is that all companies that are defined as market leaders should in some sort of screwed up manner be allowed to treat their customers bad and deliberately use them as paying crash test dummies AND be above the law - in all countries they operate in. Cause since there are no alternatives there are no penalties. Wow. Impressive. Do you know much about business? Wait, you don't have to answer that.

But you got me going with your philosophy sir, so let's see what alternatives there are:

The best alternative to PS would probably be Affinity Photo. As a matter of fact it's receiving fantastic reviews!

Best alternatives to XD would be Sketch for Mac users, or Figma, Studio, Axure, Protopie.

Best alternative to Illustrator perhaps Corel Draw.

Best alternatives to Premiere perhaps Final cut Pro, Avid Media Composer, Hit Film Express.

Best alternatives to Audition could be Cubase Pro, Ableton Live, PreSonus Studio One, Apple Logic Pro X, Audacity.

Hell, some of these are even free.

In the world of 3D Adobe doesn't even offer a pro tool so no competition there.  So that one is easy.  3ds Max, Cinema 4D, Maya or anything from Autodesk really.

Thanks man. You woke me up. The cloud has lifted - literally.

[Frans v.d. Geest]

Can we lock this discussion? It is getting ridiculous now. This is a rant from someone that can not deal with the fact things don’t always goes his way (the whining ego’s of people these days, geez!) or can not accept he needs reading glasses. If you want to sue because you can not bother to learn how to change the resolution of a display in the OS you daily use... I can not take that serious anymore. Lock this discussion, thanks.

[Dov Isaacs]

This thread is now locked!

          - Dov