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User profile for user: SeanMcNally98
SeanMcNally98 Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

How to fix blurry text on an external display from Macbook Pro?

Experiencing fuzzy-looking text and details on an external display when plugged in via HDMI. Found some solutions, including forcing RGB mode and just leaving the clamshell open.


While leaving the clamshell open and "optimizing for built-in retina display" does work to fix the blurry text and images, it restricts the display to my MBP's native aspect ratio, which lessens the amount of usable space on my 16:9 monitor. Forcing RGB mode did not help in my specific case.


This article seems to suggest I should just get a different monitor. My specific monitor is 117.49 PPI, whereas my 2015 Macbook Pro is 220 PPI. But, there has to be some sort of software solution here, especially considering that optimizing for the retina display solves the fuzziness issues. Any ideas? Thanks.

MacBook Pro

Posted on Dec 17, 2021 4:00 PM

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User profile for user: SeanMcNally98
SeanMcNally98 Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

Posted on Dec 19, 2021 1:11 PM

So, your comment provided a bit of insight for me, but ultimately didn't solve it. My monitor is a Dell U2515H, and the native resolution is 2560 x 1440. I checked, and things actually look pretty good at this resolution. But, of course, everything is way too small for a 25" monitor, so I changed the scaling to 1920x1080. When I do that, things start to look fuzzy. Of course, MacOS isn't *actually* outputting at that resolution, right? It should just be scaling things accordingly?

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User profile for user: SeanMcNally98
SeanMcNally98 Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

Dec 19, 2021 1:11 PM in response to Sonicray

So, your comment provided a bit of insight for me, but ultimately didn't solve it. My monitor is a Dell U2515H, and the native resolution is 2560 x 1440. I checked, and things actually look pretty good at this resolution. But, of course, everything is way too small for a 25" monitor, so I changed the scaling to 1920x1080. When I do that, things start to look fuzzy. Of course, MacOS isn't *actually* outputting at that resolution, right? It should just be scaling things accordingly?

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User profile for user: Sonicray
Sonicray
User level: Level 5
4,556 points

Dec 17, 2021 4:27 PM in response to SeanMcNally98

🧐Oh Wait, it is a 2015 Mac?

I misread it as a M1🤣

Have you tried to change the display resolution via the settings on the Mac?

https://support.apple.com/en-ca/guide/mac-help/mh40768/mac

I know it says built-in but the external display will also have a screen like this one… sometimes the default res. Is not the best option. So, you can scale it for better viewing experience…


this might help too:


https://osxdaily.com/2018/09/26/fix-blurry-thin-fonts-text-macos-mojave/

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How to fix blurry text on an external display from Macbook Pro?

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