Multi-monitor/high DPI UI scaling issue for Lightroom CC and Classic on Windows 10 (1903)

[Simon-M]

I'm finding that UI scaling on both Lightroom products (CC & Classic) does not work on the lastest Windows 10 build (May 2019 release 1903, Insider Slow). I have a Surface Pro 6 and HP LP2475w external monitor. I'm seeing menu bars and other elements scaled too large on the external monitor for both apps. Dragging app windows to the Surface Pro screen then results in Classic scaling correctly and CC scaling too small. Logging out and in with the external monitor connected doesn't fix this. I've tried a few Windows settings to see if I can improve compatibility, particularly the "Change high DPI settings" on the Compatibility properties of the app shortcut. However, if I find a setting that works in the multi-monitor config [i.e. setting "Override high DPI scaling behaviour. Scaling performed by: " to "System (enhanced)"], it don't work when I disconnect the external monitor and I get scaling and visual artefacts in the Classic Develop module. As a sidebar, Photoshop CC scales correctly on my setup. Interested if others are seeing this or if there's a config I've missed.

[Ian Lyons]

This forum is primarily intended for customer to customer support. As such, Adobe engineering or QE very seldom monitor or even visit. Best you resubmit your post in the forum they do monitor Lightroom Classic | Photoshop Family Customer Community  It's also worth noting that since 1903 is effectively still a pre release product then it's unlikely that your particular issue will have been observed by the majority of Adobe Lightroom users.

[BartonGarrett256]

If the engineers are not reading this forum there is no hope for the product. I used to spend thousands of dollars to send engineers to meetings where they could meet customers.  This is a sliver platter compared  that.

[Ian Lyons]

  wrote

If the engineers are not reading this forum there is no hope for the product. I used to spend thousands of dollars to send engineers to meetings where they could meet customers.  This is a sliver platter compared  that.

As I explained above, this forum is primarily for customer to customer support. If you need to communicate with engineering and/or QE then best place is on the forum provided for that purpose Lightroom Classic | Photoshop Family Customer Community

[Simon G E Garrett]

Is the behaviour you are seeing specific to 1903, or have you seen it on the current release (1809) build?

I have 1903 releasse candidate (or whatever it's called) on one machine, but don't have LR on that.  I do notice that on 1809, LR doesn't play well with two monitors with markedly different DPI (I mean pixel dot size, not the resolution in terms of number of dots on the screen).

LR claims to be "Per -Monitor Aware", that is it not only takes account of the DPI resolution of the monitor, but if there are multiple monitors it supposedly takes account of the different dpi on each monitor (rather than assuming all monitors have the same dpi).  However, it doesn't seem to do that.  It seems to scale the UI for the dpi on display 1, and if display 2 has much larger or smallerr pixel size then have a nice day. 

What you describe for 1903 sounds to be the same, if I've understood you correctly.  In which case, it's not a Windows issue, it's an LR issue.  Adobe needs to spend a bit of time correctly scaling the display for the actual dpi on each monitor. However, there are a number of bugs in the way LR works on multiple monitors, some having been around for several years, so don't hold your breath on this.

[513_steinway]

July 2020 , still having this problem. Was there ever any solution to this , discovered or reported  in these forums?

[Lisa130]

Hi, I went back to look at my post, and found a post further down that I
hadn't seen. I tried what they suggested in the link, and it worked!!! I am
so pleased.
Here is the link suggested in the forum:
https://www.lightroomqueen.com/community/threads/display-issues-with-external-monitors.34038/
I rt-clicked on Adobe Lr Classic in the Windows start menu, and went to
"More", then rt-clicked again and went to file location, then rt-clicked
and a menu popped up with "Properties" at the bottom. I clicked on that,
and "Lightroom Properties" menu popped up. I chose the "Compatibility" tab,
then clicked on the DPI scaling box, then checked the box beside "Override
high DPI scaling behaviour, Scaling performed by: , and then clicked on the
arrow in the box below so that I could sel
ect "System(Enhanced) option. Clicked on OK,, then OK, exited out.
I opened Lr Classic, and voila, it is finally the right size type on my
external monitor, no lines of half-invisible type, either. Also, because
the type at the top of the screen isn't giant anymore, there is more space
to look at photos.
Thanks so much for asking about this, as I had given up on ever finding a
solution. Good luck!

[mirco.w]

That does increase the text size but introduces new issues.

• LR is really slow having to render every new window on the fly for the adjusted scaling settings
• Every text label in the program noch has display errors

Windows 11 with LrC 11

[Lisa130]

I'm still on Windows 10. It did solve all my issues with Lightroom.

[mirco.w]

It wasn't a problem in Windows 10 for me either. But Windows 11 did change a few things and brought this issue back. So I guess Adobe didn't change anything and it was all Microsoft mitigating the scaling issue in the first place.

[Lisa130]

Oh no. I'm sorry you're back to having this issue. It was a real pain in
the neck, and something I filled out in all their surveys that popped up
when I logged into lightroom. I still don't understand how come it has
never been a problem in photoshop, but was such a big problem in lightroom.
If you ever do find a solution, could you please post it for the rest of us?
Thanks.

[BartonGarrett256]

I have just this problem. I have a Windows 10 system and when I scale my 4K monitor at 150% so I can read the text Lightroom only displays my keyword list to “p”. I can’t see or access any keywords past that.  And the top menu bar is still in tiny font too.  Bad form Adobe, these are bugs which should have been found in testing, many of us will have at least one 4K and one 1080p monitor.

I had have to go back to 100% scaling or keywording, which is the feature I use most in Lr, is unusable. when I do that the font is so tiny that it’s unusable regardless.  If I could move the window, like Adobe allows in the programs that don’t have to sit at the kid’s table, or even reorder based on ascending or descending, maybe I could fashion a work around, but as usual Lr is out in the cold. 

What‘s the line from the Eagles song:  “Call someplace paradise (Classic is the software equivalent), kiss it goodbye”.

[Lisa130]

I have the same problem. I have a Dell xps 13 and an older 1080p monitor. The only solution I have found is to go into settings on the Dell, and change the Dell display resolution to 1080p as well. The catch is, it is best to do that before you start Lightroom, as you have to restart the computer to effect the change in resolution. When I use Lightroom, I open it on my external monitor, and use it there. 

I don't understand how come it works fine in Photoshop, and not in Lightroom.

[mujakob · Accepted solution]

For everyone else who lands here from google:

https://www.lightroomqueen.com/community/threads/display-issues-with-external-monitors.34038/

provides a solution for this

[Landin5FE6]

This solution now causes a new issue in lightroom classic 10. I supposed the patched the original issue now.

[Lisa130]

I haven't noticed new issues in Lightroom 10 yet. What have you noticed?