How to Change Screen Resolution Using a Keyboard Shortcut in Windows

Sometimes you may need to quickly change the screen resolution, whether to improve visibility of certain elements or to optimize performance with specific applications. While this can be done through the Windows settings menu, using a keyboard shortcut can make the process much faster.

Step 1: Access the "Display Settings" Menu

To begin, press the Win + I keys to open "Windows Settings." In the window that appears, select the "System" section, and then go to the "Display" tab.

Step 2: Choose the Screen Resolution

In the "Display Settings" section, scroll down to find the "Display resolution" option. Here, you can select the desired resolution from the drop-down list. Windows will automatically show a preview before applying the changes.

Keyboard Shortcuts Using Third-Party Tools

Unfortunately, Windows doesn’t provide a built-in keyboard shortcut for changing screen resolution directly. However, you can use third-party programs like NirCmd or Display Changer. These tools allow you to set up custom hotkeys for switching screen resolution with a single key press.

Setting Up Hotkeys with NirCmd

  1. Download and install NirCmd from the official website.
  2. Create a shortcut for NirCmd on your desktop with parameters to change the resolution, such as: nircmd.exe setdisplay 1920 1080 32.
  3. Assign a hotkey to the shortcut to quickly switch to your desired resolution.

This way, you can change the screen resolution using a keyboard shortcut in Windows with the help of a third-party utility.