Windows changes the screen resolution after every restart.

Turn on or restart your PC and see that the screen displays a strange resolution—too big, too small, or even stuck at 640x480… What's going on? It seems Windows changes the screen resolution after every restart for no apparent reason. This is a problem that needs fixing.

Windows sometimes doesn't remember the display settings correctly.Especially when there are issues with graphics drivers, system updates, or uncommon resolutions. In this article, we'll review the most common causes of these problems and how to fix them, so your screen works properly again and you don't have to manually change the resolution every time you restart.

Why does the screen resolution change after restarting in Windows?

When the screen resolution If it reverts to 640×480, 1024×768, or any other value that isn't the one you set, there's usually something behind it causing it. The most common causes are usually related to corrupted drivers, updates, or configurations.although hardware failures are also possible.

A very common reason is to have a corrupted, outdated, or incompatible graphics driverA simple GPU crash or a sudden shutdown can cause Windows to boot using a basic video mode, with very low resolution, to "make sure" that the screen is visible, even if it's fatal.

Another point to consider is the resolution you are trying to useIf you're working with an unusual or non-standard resolution (for example, 1360x736), Windows might not save it correctly, or the graphics card might not always display it at startup. In these cases, the system may revert to a safe value, requiring you to reconfigure it each time.

They also have an influence Windows updates and hardware changesWhen you install a new graphics card, change your monitor, or apply certain updates, Windows may regenerate your display settings or install a different driver, which ends up forcing a different resolution than the one you had.

We must not forget the customization programs and some third-party utilities These tools affect the desktop, taskbar, or display management. If they are not properly adapted to your version of Windows or your hardware, they can interfere with the resolution system and prevent changes from being saved after restarting.

In systems with multiple monitors or with both integrated and dedicated GPUs, it's easy to find... conflicts between the motherboard graphics card and the dedicated graphics cardThis conflict can affect the video mode at startup and cause Windows to choose a different configuration than the one you normally use.

How to change and set screen resolution in Windows

Before we get into complicated things, it's a good idea to check that You are using the resolution recommended by Windows. And the system lets you change it without any problem. It's all done through the Settings app.

The quickest way is to press Windows key + I To open Settings, go to "System" > "Display". Alternatively, right-click on an empty space on the desktop and select "Display settings". From there, you'll see the "Screen resolution" section with a drop-down menu.

In that drop-down menu, Windows displays a list of resolutions supported by your monitor and graphics card. The option marked as “(recommended)” is usually the ideal oneSince it's calculated based on the panel and GPU, it's usually best to leave it as is, unless you have a specific need (older games, specific applications, projectors, etc.).

If when you open the drop-down menu you see that The options appear in gray, you can't change anything, or the changes aren't applied. (they automatically revert to the previous one), that already indicates a fundamental problem: incorrectly installed drivers, unsupported resolution, or some software blockage.

In low-end or entry-level laptops, the maximum resolution is often 1366×768. If you try to force Full HD or 4K on a panel that physically does not support itYou won't achieve anything: at most, a black screen for a few seconds until Windows reverts the change. On a desktop computer, however, the maximum resolution depends heavily on the monitor and the type of connection used (HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI, etc.).

Windows changes screen resolution after every restart: common causes

One of the most annoying symptoms is that Each restart should restore the resolution to 640×480 or 800×600This can happen even if you manually increase the resolution to 1920x1080 or your monitor's native resolution. It can occur both when starting from a clean boot and when resuming from sleep or hibernation.

This behavior is usually due to a Windows-enabled basic video mode Or it could be due to an application that forces a minimum resolution without hardware acceleration. It could also be caused by a temporary driver glitch that, when in doubt, lowers the quality.

Another typical scenario is having the grayed-out and locked resolution optionYou can clearly see that the desktop is set to 1024x768, but the dropdown menu won't open. This indicates that Windows isn't correctly interpreting the monitor's EDID information or that a very limited, generic driver has been loaded.

Sometimes, The resolution change falls short: The home screen, lock screen, or Start menu retain the previous scaling until you restart. This was especially common in Windows 8 and 8.1.

Finally, there are cases in which The user changes the resolution to a mode that the monitor does not support, and upon logging back in, the screen remains black.The solution usually involves entering Safe Mode, where Windows uses a basic resolution, and from there reconfiguring or reinstalling the drivers.

Check and update your display drivers

Drivers are the cornerstone of everything related to the screen. If the graphics driver is corrupt, outdated, or incorrectly installedProblems with the resolution are almost guaranteed. Therefore, one of the first steps should always be to check and update the driver.

To do this from Windows, press Windows key + X Then select "Device Manager." Within that, expand "Display adapters," right-click on your graphics card, and select "Update driver." You can choose to have Windows automatically search for updated driver software.

If the system doesn't find anything, or you're already on the latest version and the problems persist, the issue might be that driver itself. In that case, it's a good idea to... Uninstall the driver and let Windows load a clean one.From the same context menu of the display adapter, choose "Uninstall device" and check the box for "Delete the driver software for this device" before accepting.

After restarting, Windows will attempt to install a generic driver or download a suitable one from Windows Update. However, it is highly recommended that you install it yourself. Download the latest driver from your GPU manufacturer's websiteNVIDIA, AMD, or Intel. These versions are usually more polished and offer better compatibility with modern resolutions and monitors.

If you use an NVIDIA graphics card, you have the application available. GeForce ExperienceFrom there, you can search for and install the latest driver in just a few clicks. For AMD, the equivalent tool is AMD Software (Adrenalin), while Intel offers its own utility for integrated graphics and the Intel Arc range.

Create and remember custom resolutions on NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel

When you work with non-standard resolutions (for example 1360×736, some ultrawide resolutions, or specific modes for projectors), Windows may "forget" about them after restarting. The most reliable way to set a custom resolution is to create it in the GPU control panel.instead of relying solely on Windows options.

• On NVIDIA cardsRight-click on the desktop and select "NVIDIA Control Panel." Go to "Display" > "Change Resolution" and click the "Customize" button. In the window that appears, enter your desired resolution and refresh rate. Save the settings and set this new custom resolution as the default for your display.
• At AMD You can do something similar from the AMD Radeon settings, usually in the Display section, where you can both create custom resolutions and enable GPU Scaling to adapt non-native modes to the panel.

If your computer uses Intel graphics, the equivalent is the Intel Graphics Command CenterFrom there, in the "Display" section, you will find the "Custom Resolutions" area, where you can define a new mode and apply it so that it is not lost after resuming or restarting.

Force the correct resolution from the boot configuration

There are situations where Windows insists on booting in a reduced video mode, even though the drivers are fine. In those cases, you can check the advanced boot settings. to make sure that a low-resolution mode is not being forced.

Press Windows key + R, writes msconfig and press Enter. In the System Configuration window, go to the "Boot" tab and click on "Advanced Options." Make sure that "Maximum Memory" and "Number of Processors" are not selected, as this sometimes indicates that something has been changed incorrectly.

Then, on that same startup tab, review the options related to the low resolution video modeThese messages usually appear if you've used the advanced startup menu. Ideally, this mode shouldn't be permanently enabled, but only used as a temporary option for diagnosing problems.

If you have ever enabled "base video" or a special startup feature that limits resolution, it's advisable to disable it and restart. That way, Windows will be able to load normal display mode with the full driver and it should respect the resolution you have set on the desktop.

Reset the display driver without restarting the PC

Sometimes the problem with the resolution comes from a GPU driver crashThe screen freezes, the monitor turns off, but you can still hear sound and the PC remains active. Instead of a full restart, Windows allows you to restart only the graphics driver.

To do this, press the combination Windows key + Ctrl + Shift + BYou'll hear a short beep and the screen will flicker a couple of times. That means Windows has restarted the graphics subsystem.

After this driver reset, the screen often returns to normal and the correct resolution is restored on its own. It's a quick way to regain control without having to turn off the computer. and without risk of further corrupting the system.

If after using this shortcut the resolution is still incorrect or changes again on the next restart, then it's not a one-off problem, but something related to the configuration and the drivers, and you'll have to continue with the rest of the solutions.

Enable GPU scaling and adjust desktop size

When the resolution is correct but the image looks stretched, with strange black bars or out of proportion, the problem is usually in the image scaling done by the GPU or the monitor itselfBoth AMD and NVIDIA offer specific controls for this.

On AMD graphics cards, within the AMD Radeon settings, in the Display section, you can enable the option GPU ScalingThis allows the graphics card to adapt the different resolutions to the panel, instead of leaving the work solely to the monitor.

In NVIDIA, the Control Panel offers two useful sections: "Change or create a new resolution" and "Adjust the size and position of the desk"The first one defines custom modes, while the second one lets you choose between "Full screen", "Aspect ratio" or "No scaling".

Playing with these options usually fixes cases where The resolution is applied but the image appears blurry or distorted.Choose "Aspect ratio" if you want the content to fit without distortion, or "Full screen" if you prefer it to stretch to the entire panel (useful with older games or 4:3 content on widescreen displays).

Remember that some monitors also have their own internal scaling settings. OSD menuIf you've been messing around with it, you might need to reset it to factory settings for it to work properly with your GPU settings.

System scan and corrupt file review in Windows

When resolution problems appear after a serious failure, sudden shutdowns, or malware infections, it's quite possible that some file of the operating system itself is corruptedIn these cases, it's worth running the System File Checker.

To do this, write cmd In the Start menu search bar, right-click on "Command Prompt" and choose "Run as administrator". Once the console opens, type the following command:

sfc /scannow

and press Enter. This process may take a while, so please be patient. The SFC command is responsible for checking system files and repairing any that are corrupted. or are missing, using cached copies that Windows saves.

When finished, SFC itself will indicate if it has found and repaired anything. If there were corrupted files related to the graphics subsystem, it is quite likely that The problems of resolution are reduced or disappear after restarting the PC.

If you continue to encounter problems, you can supplement this analysis with a thorough malware scan: a virus that affects the record or injecting code into system processes can end up affecting how the screen is managed.

Update or uninstall Windows updates

In many cases, strange resolution changes begin right after Windows has installed a large update. Sometimes these updates include new drivers or adjustments to the display management. that don't get along very well with your hardware.

The first thing to do is check for new patches that fix the problem. In the Start menu, search for "Windows Update" and go to update settings. Click on Check for updates and let the system check if there is anything pending.

If there are new updates, install them, restart your computer, and check if the resolution remains stable. Microsoft usually releases fixes as they go. when it detects that a previous update has caused problems on certain computers.

If the problem clearly started right after a specific update, you can also choose to uninstall itIn the same Windows Update area, go to "View installed updates", note the code of the last one (of the type KB1234567) and then click on "Uninstall updates".

In the list that opens, double-click on the one that matches the code you noted and confirm that you want to remove it. After uninstalling, restart and check if the resolution problems have disappearedIf everything goes back to normal, you'll know which update was giving you trouble.

Restore system to a previous point and check for viruses

When you've tried updating drivers, uninstalling programs, running SFC and nothing seems to work, you still have one important option left: System RestoreThis function allows you to return Windows to a previous state, preserving your documents but undoing deep changes to the system.

To use it, search for "Control Panel" in the Start menu and open it. In the small icons view, go to "System" and click on Advanced system settings On the right side. In the "System Protection" tab, click on "System Restore".

A wizard will open with a list of restore points created on different dates. Choose one prior to the time you started noticing resolution problemsClick "Next" and confirm the process. The computer will restart and restore the system files and settings to that point.

If you disabled system protection on your computer, you won't see restore points. Generally, it's not a good idea to leave it disabled, because It's a very useful lifeline for these types of failures. without having to format or reinstall from scratch.

In parallel, it's advisable to run a full malware scan. Use Windows Defender or your installed antivirus, but configure a Full system scan, including bootSome malware is dedicated to messing with the registry or manipulating drivers, which in the long run can end up affecting the resolution and overall stability.

Use of third-party tools to manage resolution

When even advanced Windows options and GPU panels fail to stabilize the resolution, you can resort to specialized programs. There are very established and reliable third-party utilities. These allow you to define custom modes and force their use. Here are some of the most recommended:

• Custom Resolution Utility (CRU)This program allows you to add resolution parameters directly at the monitor level, creating custom EDID entries. This lets you define exact modes that Windows and the graphics card will then recognize as if they were native to the monitor.
• Display Changer XDesigned for both individual users and environments with many screens (meeting rooms, home theaters, design studios, etc.), this tool allows you to apply specific screen configurations when launching a program and automatically revert to the original settings when closing it.

That's true, there are limitationsThese tools cannot modify certain internal driver settings (such as proprietary options from AMD, NVIDIA, or Intel), nor can they affect DPI scaling or HDR if Windows doesn't expose the API for it. Even so, they are a very reliable resource for pure resolution management.

Resolution and gaming: full screen, windowed, and performance

Many users find that The desktop looks fine, but when I open a game the resolution goes crazy or it's limited to just a few options. This has a lot to do with the display mode configured in the games themselves.

When you run a title in windowed or borderless window mode, the application relies on the resolution and refresh rate of the Windows desktop. To change the resolution in that mode, you have to change the desktop resolution itself.And that's not always what you want. If the game won't let you change any of its settings, it's probably "hijacking" those settings.

The solution is usually to put the game in Exclusive full-screen modeIn this mode, the graphics card takes direct control of the screen and can apply different resolutions than the desktop, usually with better performance and lower latency.

If you still can't change the game resolution in full screen, the driver might be causing problems. Reinstall or update your GPU driversAs we have seen before, it usually fixes most cases.

On the other hand, it is worth remembering that Increasing the resolution significantly has a direct impact on performanceMore pixels to draw means more work for the GPU and, in many cases, fewer FPS. Sometimes it's better to lower the resolution a bit or use upscaling (DLSS, AMD FSRetc.) to maintain fluency.

Check if the monitor actually supports the desired resolution

Although it may seem obvious, it's worth repeating: A monitor can only display resolutions up to its physical maximum.If the panel is Full HD (1920×1080), you can't expect it to display true 4K, no matter how many tricks you try.

If you try to force resolutions beyond what is supported, it is most likely that the screen appears black or with a distorted imageAfter a few seconds, Windows usually detects that something is wrong and returns to the previous mode, but sometimes it gets stuck in a strange intermediate state until you restart.

To clear up any doubts, look up the exact model of your monitor on the manufacturer's website and check the technical specifications. There you'll see the native resolution, supported resolutions, and maximum refresh rates for each type of connection (HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI, VGA, etc.).

As mentioned before, on budget laptops, 1366x768 is the standard maximum resolution. Even if you connect a better external monitor, the laptop's graphics card or video output might not support it. do not exceed that resolution or remain too limitedunless the team is prepared for it.

If you use an NVIDIA or AMD graphics card, there is also the option to activate technologies such as DSR (Dynamic Super Resolution)These renderers internally at a higher resolution and then upscale it to the monitor's native resolution with smoothing. This doesn't increase the panel's actual resolution, but it can slightly improve sharpness in some cases.

In any case, also make sure that the input of the monitor you are using (for example, HDMI 1 or DP 2) supports the resolution and refresh rate you are looking for. Some monitors have limited ports, while others have more.And if you connect the PC to the wrong port, you won't be able to access all the available modes.

Maintaining a stable resolution in Windows involves checking the hardware, ensuring drivers are up to date, avoiding conflicting programs, and, when necessary, using advanced tools and system restore. Once all these points have been checked, the screen should normally remain at the correct resolution after starting or restarting the computer.and that you can finally forget about changing the setting every time you turn on your PC.