I run Windows in Parallels on an external monitor in native resolution (1920x1080). Every time I suspend the VM and start it back on again, it starts on the main MacBook display in full screen. I have to exit the full screen, move it back to the external display and then enter full screen again. Worse off - it switches to a lower resolution and I have to manually get it back to 1920x1080 through Windows settings. Is it possible to specify somewhere that I want 1920x1080 virtual screen no matter where it runs? Also it would be nice to restore the VM on the same external monitor.
Can't keep full screen resolution
- Thread starter AlekseyM2
- Start date
When I connect and disconnect my 15" Macbook Pro Retina from my Thunderbolt display, I don't even have the native resolution available in the Windows Display Setting > Advance Display Settings > Resolution list until I reboot. I end up rebooting frequently during the day to handle this and need a workaround that doesn't interrupt my work so much.
Yep. If you boot virtual machine on your 15" Macbook Pro Retina (same as mine), you might not see native resolution for your external display. You need to boot it while on the external display so that Parallels recognize the resolution. But this is a secondary problem. I usually boot up once and then just suspend my Windows VM.
Hi AleskseyM2, please follow the steps mentioned below to fix the issue
1.Turn off the option "Displays have separate Spaces" in System Preferences -> Mission Control. Please note that this would affect all programs on Mac OS.
2.Turn off the option "Use Mac OS X Full Screen" in the Actions (or Virtual Machine menu in Parallels Desktop 9) -> Configuration -> Options -> Full Screen.
3.Log out and then log back into your Mac user account
4.Start Parallels Desktop and check the issue
I do not want to mess with OS X settings. Apart from some minor issues, I am quite happy with the way it handles multiple screens and desktops.
I found a way how I can restore the screen on an external monitor without loosing the resolution. I go to Mission Control (three fingers up or hot corner) and drag the VM from build-in monitor to the external one while in full screen mode. This way it does not switch resolution.
I found a way how I can restore the screen on an external monitor without loosing the resolution. I go to Mission Control (three fingers up or hot corner) and drag the VM from build-in monitor to the external one while in full screen mode. This way it does not switch resolution.
Dhana@Parallels
Parallels Support
Hi AleskseyM2,
Glad that you have found a work around. Let us know if we can be of any help further.
Thanks, Dhana
I had a similar issue and the fix ended up being that in Windows 10, I had to also make sure that the Display was set to 100%. For some reason it had changed to 125% and that would cause resolution issues on certain monitors. (I have 3 including the laptop). Control Panel --> Adjust Screen Resolution --> Make text and other items larger or smaller --> This opens up the System/Display settings, Verify that the slider is set to 100%.
Sasti@Parallels
Parallels Support
Hello @oobe77,
Thank you for sharing your solution with us. We hope to see your contribution in the future as well.
Raj@Parallels
Guest
Try changing Scale to fit screen drop-down list choose Keep ratio follow this KB article and check how it works.
Why can't Parallels just tell the Win 10 VM the true native resolution for my machine, and have Win10 apply a user-selected scaling on top of that native resolution? Parallels is changing the Win10 native resolution as a function of my "MacOS - System Preferences - Display - Display - Select Scaled" setting. I've fiddled with the entangled settings and workarounds below endlessly to try to control the MacOS scaling and Win10 scaling independently, on top of the native resolution, without success.
The native resolution of my 2016 15" MacBook Pro is 2800 x 1800. I'd like my Win10 VM to recognize that as the native resolution (i.e. under Win10 VM - Display Settings - Advanced display settings, default to 2800x1800 and mark that as "Recommended") and then I'll apply a scaling under Win 10 VM - Display Settings - Change the size... . Applying a scaling on top of Win10 recognizing the native resolution makes the scaled text crispest.
As I count it there are three sets of entangled settings and workarounds:
1) MacOS - System Preferences - Display - Display - Select Scaled, Select 100%. (For me, this makes Win10 treat 2800x1800 as the default resolution, which is good, but it makes my MacOS apps too big so I end up switching back and forth as I switch between my VM and MacOS).
2) Parallels - Hardware - Graphics - Resolution. I have 'Best for external displays' selected. This makes switching from the laptop's display to an external display easiest. I found that in a Parallels KB article, but I do not really understand what each of these does.
3) Workaround: "Try changing Scale to fit screen drop-downlist choose Keep ratio follow thisKB articleand check how it works" from Raj above. I tried that but the MacOS scaling still impacts what the Win10 VM thinks is the native resolution.
I bought a Mac so that I could stop fiddling with settings and have stuff just work. I bought a Retina MacBook Pro so that the display was awesome. It feels like Parallels is fighting me by changing the Win10 native resolution as a function of my "MacOS - System Preferences - Display - Display - Select Scaled" setting.
The native resolution of my 2016 15" MacBook Pro is 2800 x 1800. I'd like my Win10 VM to recognize that as the native resolution (i.e. under Win10 VM - Display Settings - Advanced display settings, default to 2800x1800 and mark that as "Recommended") and then I'll apply a scaling under Win 10 VM - Display Settings - Change the size... . Applying a scaling on top of Win10 recognizing the native resolution makes the scaled text crispest.
As I count it there are three sets of entangled settings and workarounds:
1) MacOS - System Preferences - Display - Display - Select Scaled, Select 100%. (For me, this makes Win10 treat 2800x1800 as the default resolution, which is good, but it makes my MacOS apps too big so I end up switching back and forth as I switch between my VM and MacOS).
2) Parallels - Hardware - Graphics - Resolution. I have 'Best for external displays' selected. This makes switching from the laptop's display to an external display easiest. I found that in a Parallels KB article, but I do not really understand what each of these does.
3) Workaround: "Try changing Scale to fit screen drop-downlist choose Keep ratio follow thisKB articleand check how it works" from Raj above. I tried that but the MacOS scaling still impacts what the Win10 VM thinks is the native resolution.
I bought a Mac so that I could stop fiddling with settings and have stuff just work. I bought a Retina MacBook Pro so that the display was awesome. It feels like Parallels is fighting me by changing the Win10 native resolution as a function of my "MacOS - System Preferences - Display - Display - Select Scaled" setting.