PC text looks blurry on a TV over HDMI

A TV can upscale a lower-resolution desktop to fill the screen, making small text look soft even though video appears acceptable from the sofa. Sony advises selecting a resolution supported by the TV and checking the model manual; LG likewise recommends the computer’s recommended resolution for its connected TVs. For a 4K TV used as a desktop display, verify that the operating system is actually sending the resolution and refresh rate you expect, rather than assuming the HDMI cable or screen size proves it.

1. Open the computer’s display settings and check the resolution reported for the TV; choose the option marked recommended/native when it is available and supported by the TV manual.

   At the TV’s native resolution, desktop text should be represented without the TV needing to enlarge a smaller desktop frame.

   If that does not help: If the native mode is absent, check the computer’s graphics driver, dock/adapter, cable, and TV port capabilities using their documentation.

2. Check the computer’s refresh rate and scale setting, changing only a documented supported value if the picture is still unclear.

   A supported mode can restore a sharp desktop without altering the TV’s picture processing for other sources.

   If that does not help: If text size is comfortable but blurry, restore the prior setting and continue with the TV input mode rather than reducing the resolution.

Some TVs offer a PC input label or graphics/PC mode that changes how the HDMI signal is handled. LG documents setting an input to PC on particular products and years, while Sony’s computer-connection guidance lists model-specific PC display settings. Such a mode may improve desktop rendering, but its location and effect are not universal. Do not copy a 2016 or older-TV menu path to a current model without verifying it.

1. Check the exact TV manual for PC mode, Graphics scene, or an input-device label option for the HDMI port used by the computer.

   If the model supports the option, selecting it may enable PC-specific display handling for that input.

   If that does not help: If there is no PC mode for the model, leave the input as configured and avoid service-menu settings.

2. Compare the desktop’s menus and text after changing the documented input mode, keeping resolution and scaling unchanged.

   If clarity improves, note that it applies to this HDMI input; the TV may store picture settings per source.

   If that does not help: Restore the prior label/mode if color, range, or picture quality becomes worse.

Windows and macOS can scale interface elements so text appears larger on a high-resolution screen. Scaling changes the size of menus and text; it is not the same as lowering the TV’s native resolution. If letters look fuzzy, confirm that the TV is set to the computer’s recommended resolution first. Then use the operating system’s scaling controls to choose a comfortable size. A scaling value of 100% is not automatically correct for every screen size and viewing distance.

1. Check that the display is extended or duplicated as intended and that the TV is selected as an active display.

   A correctly selected display prevents the computer from sending the wrong desktop mode to the TV.

   If that does not help: Use the computer maker’s help for display-mode controls; shortcuts vary by operating system and hardware.

2. Compare a text document or system menu with a video and a sharp static test image from the computer, without magnifying the browser page.

   If only one app is blurry, investigate that app’s zoom or rendering; if all desktop text is soft, revisit output resolution and TV PC mode.

   If that does not help: Do not use online test images as proof of panel failure; the browser, scaling, and source can affect their appearance.

A laptop dock or USB-C-to-HDMI adapter can limit available resolutions or refresh rates. A cable can also cause intermittent or unstable display behavior, but replacing it will not make an unsupported computer, adapter, TV port, or mode compatible. If the expected native resolution is missing or the picture flickers when selected, connect directly to the TV if possible and check each intermediate device’s specifications.

1. Test the computer directly on a TV HDMI input, bypassing a dock or receiver if possible.

   If the direct path is sharp and stable, the intermediary’s mode support or configuration is the next check.

   If that does not help: If direct HDMI is still blurry, compare the TV input mode and operating-system output settings.

2. Try a cable rated for the needed resolution/refresh mode, changing no other part of the setup.

   A change limited to the cable test suggests the original cable or connector path may be involved.

   If that does not help: If another cable has no effect, do not keep buying cables; record the mode and check the remaining specifications.

Ask the TV maker whether the model supports the selected PC resolution and input mode. Ask the computer or dock maker why the TV’s native mode is unavailable if it does not appear in display settings. Include the TV model, computer GPU/adapter, selected resolution/refresh rate, input label, and whether direct connection changes the result. This evidence separates a display-setting issue from a link that cannot negotiate the desired mode.

• Sony computer connected to TV HDMI: display resolution and troubleshooting — checked 2026-10-24
• LG TV poor video quality when connected to a PC — checked 2026-10-24
• LG monitor/TV HDMI PC input mode guidance — checked 2026-10-24

Why is my computer text blurry on a 4K TV?

The computer may be sending a lower-than-native resolution or scaling the desktop, or the TV may process the input as video. Check the active resolution and the model’s PC input guidance.

Should I set the TV HDMI input to PC?

Only if that exact TV model supports a PC input mode or label. Manufacturers vary, and some documented paths apply only to certain years/models.

Should I set display scaling to 100%?

Not automatically. First use the supported native resolution, then choose an operating-system scale that makes text readable at your viewing distance. Scaling affects UI size, not the TV’s underlying resolution.