# Screen Resolution Changing, and Can't Get it Back!



## maddy (Oct 30, 2010)

I recently got a new (used) computer with Windows 7. The resolution that I came home with (1360x768) worked just fine with the monitor.

Twice now, the computer has automatically changed the screen resolution to 640x480 without my doing anything, causing everything to appear so large on the screen that I can see only a small portion of what I should be seeing. Each time this has happened, a message has appeared on the screen saying "Optimal Resolution Notification" and telling me that a resolution of 1360x768 is recommended. But that's what I had to begin with, and it was the computer that automatically changed it to something else!

I was able to bring up the Screen Resolution window, where there is a slider that you can set to whatever resolution you want. I moved the slider from 640x480 to 1360x768. But the button that was required to make the change "take" ("okay," "apply," or "save") was not visible on the screen because the text was so large. I tried pressing "Enter" on the keyboard, but nothing happened.

What can I do, with the limited visibility that I how have, to change the screen resolution since I cannot see the "okay," "apply" or "save" button? 
Why is this happening to begin with?

Thanks in advance for your help!


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## backwoodsman7 (Mar 22, 2007)

If you hold Alt, then click & hold anywhere on the window, you can drag it around the screen until you can see the button.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

Hold your CTRL button down and spin your mouse wheel Back towards you.
Forward = bigger 
backwards = smaller


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## maddy (Oct 30, 2010)

Thank you!


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## NRA_guy (Jun 9, 2015)

Download and run freeware called 'Desk Top Restore'.

It will restore your desktop to the resolution you had, and it will put your icons back where you had them.

You must save your existing desk top layout that you like in order to have one to go back to, of course.

http://www.midiox.com/index.htm?http://www.midiox.com/desktoprestore.htm


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

You can also hold down "control" and use the + or - keys to change the size.


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## backwoodsman7 (Mar 22, 2007)

Bearfootfarm said:


> You can also hold down "control" and use the + or - keys to change the size.


That zooms a browser window in or out, but doesn't affect the screen resolution.


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