Display Scale down

Description: Scale down Display/Resolution in X11-based Linux Desktops

This guide provides methods to scale the desktop display or individual applications while keeping the screen resolution unchanged. It focuses on manual configurations using the Xorg X11 system for desktops such as KDE, Gnome, and XFCE. The goal is to scale desktop environments or applications without altering the actual screen resolution.

Scaling Applications

Scaling the Desktop with Xorg X11

Xrandr Scaling

Xrandr, an Xorg extension, can scale the desktop, making it suitable for HiDPI displays without altering the actual screen resolution.

Get the Screen Name:

Use the following command to identify the connected screen:

xrandr | grep connected | grep -v disconnected | awk '{print $1}'
 

Scale Down the Desktop (Zoom-In):

xrandr --output screen-name --scale 0.8x0.8
 

Scale Up the Desktop (Zoom-Out):

xrandr --output screen-name --scale 1.2x1.2
 

Reset Scaling:

xrandr --output screen-name --scale 1x1
 

Simulate Higher Resolutions

You can simulate higher resolutions by combining --mode, --panning, and --scale options in xrandr.

Example for Simulated Resolution:

1. Get the current screen resolution:

   xdpyinfo | grep -B 2 resolution
    

2. Calculate the new scaled resolution. For example, for a 1366x768 screen:

   • Scale factor: 1.2
   • New resolution: 1640x922

3. Apply the changes:

   xrandr --output screen-name --mode 1366x768 --panning 1640x922 --scale 1.2x1.2
    

Reset to Default:

xrandr --output screen-name --mode 1366x768 --panning 1366x768 --scale 1x1
 

Making Xrandr Changes Persistent

You can make xrandr changes persistent by adding the xrandr commands to an autostart script.

Example script in ~/.config/autostart:

# Script to apply xrandr settings at startup
xrandr --output eDP1 --mode 1366x768 --panning 1574x886 --scale 1.15x1.15
 

Wayland as an Alternative

While Xrandr works well for X11, Wayland is recommended for better scaling, especially with fractional scaling. Unlike X11, Wayland allows different scales per monitor and better rendering for HiDPI displays.

Enabling Wayland:

1. Install plasma-wayland-session or plasma-workspace-wayland for KDE.
2. During login, switch from "Plasma (X11)" to "Plasma (Wayland)".

References:

• https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/596887/how-to-scale-the-resolution-display-of-the-desktop-and-or-applications (opens in a new tab)
• KDE Settings: systemsettings5 > display, kcmshell5 xserver, kinfocenter
• Useful Commands: gsettings, xdpyinfo, xrandr

For more detailed information, refer to Xorg Documentation (opens in a new tab) or the respective desktop environment's documentation.