MacOS High Sierra doesn't offer HiDPI scaling options

Question

Windows and Linux DE environments usually have HiDPI scaling, which means keeping the resolution native (4k, 2k...) but scaling up the graphics.

MacOS seems to have this feature as well in the display settings, but in High Sierra, latest update, I can't seem to find them.

Doing sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.windowserver.plist DisplayResolutionEnabled -bool true does not offer a solution.

Has anyone else run into this issue?

Solution 1

Solution:

1. Disable SIP

https://support.accountek.com/support/solutions/articles/6000101816-odb-1-61d-install-disabling-sip-system-integrity-protection-on-mac-os-el-capitan-10-11-

• Click the  menu.
• Select Restart...
• Hold down Command-R to boot into the Recovery System.
• Click the Utilities menu and select Terminal.
• Type csrutil disable and press return.
• Close the Terminal app.
• Click the  menu and select Restart

Then

2. Install RDM

https://github.com/avibrazil/RDM

It's free open source

3. Install https://github.com/syscl/Enable-HiDPI-OSX

This option gives more display options

Solution 2

I have not tried this on High Sierra, but on El Capitan the HiDPI options are hidden even after the command you mentioned. Your's may just be hidden as well.

By holding down option while clicking on the Scaled radio button you can reveal the hidden resolutions (including the HiDPI options)

Before alt-clicking on Scaled

After alt-clicking on Scaled

Comments

[Miao Liu]

Do you know what functionality of RDM or Enable-HiDPI-OSX is blocked by SIP? I'd like to selectively disable whatever those might be rather than disable SIP entirely. I assume file system protection? Anything else? Alternatively, if SIP only prevents the installation of these tools, would I be able to disable SIP, install the tools, and then re-enable SIP?

[yellowarchangel]

I'm not sure exactly what parts of SIP block displays settings. I know it blocks adding specific DPI configuration files on disk. Try giving RDM a go without disabled SIP, it might work