How To Get Your Computer Screen To Fit On An Ultrawide Monitor

To get your computer screen to fit on an ultrawide monitor, set the display to its native resolution and refresh rate in your operating system's display settings. This corrects a stretched image, cropping, or the black bars that appear when a non-native 16:9 resolution is sent to a 21:9 or 32:9 panel, a mismatch you'll also encounter when trying to get YouTube videos to play on an ultrawide monitor without pillarboxing.

Why your computer screen doesn't fit on an ultrawide monitor

When your computer outputs a standard 16:9 resolution to a 21:9 or 32:9 ultrawide panel, the monitor receives an image that does not match its physical pixel grid. The result is either a stretched image that fills the whole screen but appears distorted, or black bars on the sides (and sometimes top and bottom) where the image does not cover the full panel. The direct solution is to set your operating system to output the monitor's native resolution, which is the exact number of horizontal and vertical pixels the panel contains. Once your display is properly configured, you may also need to get sound from my LG ultrawide monitor if the built-in speakers remain silent.

Set the native resolution in Windows

1. Open Settings from the Start menu and click System, then Display.
2. Scroll to the Scale and layout section and select your ultrawide monitor if you have multiple displays.
3. Under Display resolution, choose the option labeled Recommended. This is the native resolution of your monitor, such as 3440x1440 or 2560x1080.
4. Click Keep changes when prompted. The screen should now fill the monitor correctly without stretching or black bars.

Set the native resolution in macOS

1. Open the Apple menu and choose System Settings.
2. Click Displays in the sidebar, then select your ultrawide monitor.
3. Under Resolution, choose the option that matches your monitor's native resolution. If you see a list of scaled options, select Default for display to use the native resolution automatically.
4. The display will adjust immediately. If you want to use an ultrawide monitor with a Mac, this step ensures the image fits the panel perfectly without letterboxing.

Check your display cable

The cable connecting your computer to the monitor must have enough bandwidth to carry the native resolution and refresh rate. DisplayPort or USB-C to DisplayPort cables are generally recommended over HDMI for optimal ultrawide resolutions. DisplayPort 1.4 supports ultrawide resolutions like 5120x2160 (5K2K) at 60 Hz, while DisplayPort 2.1 offers higher bandwidth for more demanding ultrawide modes and refresh rates. A USB-C to DisplayPort cable is often the most reliable choice for connecting a laptop to an ultrawide monitor.

Adjust scaling and aspect ratio in your GPU control panel

If the native resolution is not available in your operating system settings, check your graphics card control panel for additional display options or to create a custom resolution. The steps vary by manufacturer.

1. Open the NVIDIA Control Panel, AMD Radeon Software, or Intel Graphics Command Center.
2. Navigate to the display or scaling section. For Intel users, the Intel Graphics Command Center requires a 6th Gen Intel Core or newer processor and Windows 10 version 1709 or later, or Windows 11 version 21H2 or later.
3. Set the scaling mode to Maintain Aspect Ratio, No Scaling, or a similar option that prevents stretching. This tells the GPU to send the correct image shape to the monitor.
4. If your native resolution is missing from the list, look for a custom resolution option and enter the exact horizontal and vertical pixel count of your ultrawide monitor.

Configure your monitor's on-screen display (OSD) settings

Your monitor itself has settings that can override the signal from your computer. Use the physical buttons on the monitor to open the on-screen display menu.

1. Navigate to the aspect ratio, picture, or image adjustment section.
2. Look for options such as Original, 1:1, Aspect, or Full. Select Original, 1:1, or Aspect to force the monitor to display the image without stretching it to fill the panel.
3. Save the setting and exit the menu. This corrects the image if the monitor was set to stretch a non-native resolution.

Update your graphics drivers

Outdated drivers can prevent your operating system from detecting the native resolution of your ultrawide monitor or cause scaling issues.

1. Identify your graphics card by opening Device Manager in Windows or checking About This Mac in macOS.
2. Visit the website of your GPU manufacturer (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel) and download the latest driver for your specific model and operating system.
3. Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions. Restart your computer after installation to ensure the driver is fully applied.

Fine-tune scaling and DPI in your OS

After setting the native resolution, text and icons may appear too small or too large on a high-resolution ultrawide screen. Adjust the scaling setting to make them comfortable to read.

1. In Windows, go to Settings > System > Display and find the Scale and layout section.
2. In macOS, open System Settings > Displays and look for the scaling options. Select a scaled resolution that makes text and icons appear the size you prefer.
3. Apply the change and sign out or restart if prompted. The display will remain at its native resolution while the OS scales the interface elements.

Adjust application-specific settings

Some content, such as certain games, videos, or application menus, is designed for a 16:9 aspect ratio and does not natively support ultrawide displays. Black bars may appear in these applications even when your desktop fits perfectly.

1. In web browsers, adjust the zoom level using Ctrl and the plus or minus keys, or use the browser's zoom setting in the menu. Press F11 to enter full-screen mode, which removes browser toolbars and expands the content area.
2. In games, check the graphics or video settings for an aspect ratio option and select your monitor's native ultrawide resolution. If the game does not support ultrawide, look for community-created fixes or mods.
3. For productivity, use window management tools to snap and resize application windows to specific areas of the screen. This helps you utilize the full width of the ultrawide monitor even when individual programs are not designed for it.