Remote DPI scaling for Windows

With the release of Windows 2016 Microsoft changed the way users could change their DPI size in a Remote Desktop Session, it inherited the setting from the end point. This would be the Laptop/Desktop or Thin Client the users are using to connect to the Remote desktop. When users needed to had a larger text, they need to change it on the local device, as this works for dedicated workplaces, it’s not working for the user that changes to different workplaces throughout the week.

As you can image, they connect and see they have the wrong size, have to sign out, change it on the local device and have to connect again to their remote session. That’s not very user friendly.

Citrix Workspace App

Citrix added an option to their Workspace App to change the DPI size in the current setting, after you change it you need to resize your window and everything is bigger or smaller depending on your choice. But also this is a setting a users need to change every time they connect from another device.

Setting the DPI size within a session
Setting the DPI size within a session using the Workspace App

The downside of this is that you also need the have the correct setting within your Workspace App locally. within the Advanced PreferencesHigh DPIScale the session for high resolution, you need to set it to YES. This is also a device settings, which means that you have to set it on every device you connect to or need to have a GPO that sets this.

Text Size

To change the DPI size to a different size you just need to change a registry key, which is a per user setting. Below are the registry values:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\
DWORD: LogPixels (create if it doesn’t exist)
Value: see below in Decimal:
96   –   Smaller 100%
120   –  Medium 125%
144  –   Larger 150%
192   –   Extra Large 200%

This is nice for Admins or users that are familiar with the registry, and know how to change a value without breaking their user settings.

Text Size App

Because most users don’t know how to change the registry or the Admins don’t want users to open Regedit. I created an App (basically a script which runs like an App) that lets users change their DPI size and sets the correct registry value. After setting this, the users gets asked to Sign out and sign-in again to get the changes to work.

I created the app in Dutch and English (based on the system local), but if requested I can add different languages to the App.

Changing the DPI size using the Text Size app

You can download the app for free and use it everywhere you want. Please let me know if you have any questions or just let me know that you are using the app.