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How To Change MacBook Resolution to Widescreen 16:9 (For Screen Recording)

How To Change MacBook Resolution to Widescreen 16:9 (For Screen Recording)

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In this article/video i will show you how you can change the Display Resolution on the newer MacBooks with M-Chips, who have the Notch, to a 16:9 Aspect Ration. Like for example 1920×1080. I wanted to create Screeen Recordings on DaVinci Resolve for my MasterClass and Youtube. But the native Aspect Ratio of my MacBook Pro (M2 Pro) is 16:10. Which means if you record like this you either lose something on the top or bottom when placing it into a traditional 16:9 widescreen video. Or if you zoom the entire screen to make it fit you will have these ugly black bars on the left and right.

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[Video] How To Change MacBook Resolution to Widescreen 16:9 (For Screen Recording)

Macbook’s don’t have a native (default) 16:9 Aspect Ratio

MacBook Pro Screen is a 16:10 aspect ratio and has the notch on top.
MacBook Pro Screen is a 16:10 aspect ratio and has the notch on top.

The Problem is that the MacBook Screen has a 16:10 Aspect Ratio and even if you look deep into the Resolution Settings on the MacOS you can’t find any 16:9 aspect ratio. Shame on you apple… this is why i had to find a different app the can help us solve this problem.

Solution 1: SwitchResX (But not the best)

First Software i found is SwitchResX.
First Software i found is SwitchResX.

When you search for a solution you will find in many forms that the App SwitchResX is recommended. So i tested this app first. And yes i was able to create a Custom Resolution for 16:9 (1920×1080). But when i recorded my screen something seemed off. The image quality was blur. Not sharp at all. Something was missing.

But the Problem with SwitchResX was that i did not have the option for High Resolution (HiDPI). And without all my recordings looked blur and washed out.
But the Problem with SwitchResX was that i did not have the option for High Resolution (HiDPI). And without all my recordings looked blur and washed out.

The newer screens used in modern MacBooks actually use a technique called High Resolution (HiDPI). Because the native screen resolution is almost 4k, HiDPI allows even for resolutions like 1920×1080 to create a 1920×1080 while still using all the pixels available.

Don’t ask me how this works, but it makes a difference in how sharp your image is. And i was not able to find an easy solution with SwitchResX to activate the HiDPI with my Custom Resolution.

Solution Number 2: BetterDisplay (easy and the best)

Second Software i found is called “BetterDisplay”.
Second Software i found is called “BetterDisplay”.

The other App that is recommended a lot is called BetterDisplay. And yes, this App makes it so much easier to change resolutions. Hide or activate the notch and even toggle on/off the High Resolution (HiDPI) setting that was missing in the first solution.

When BetterDisplay is installed you have this icon on the top where you can change alot about your Display just by pressing a button. Even the HiDPI Setting.
When BetterDisplay is installed you have this icon on the top where you can change alot about your Display just by pressing a button. Even the HiDPI Setting.
I created two favourites. One is the default MacBook Pro Resolution and i also added a 16:9 aspect ratio (1600x900) for screen recordings.
I created two favourites. One is the default MacBook Pro Resolution and i also added a 16:9 aspect ratio (1600×900) for screen recordings.

How to add custom resolutions like 1920×1080 (16:9) to BetterDisplay?

Go to the Settings of BetterDisplay.
Go to the Settings of BetterDisplay.
Toggle on “Allow native XDR upscaling”.
Toggle on “Allow native XDR upscaling”.
Scroll down and toggle on the “Custom scale resolutions”. Add these two resolutions: 1920x1080 and 1600x900. Both are 16:9 aspect ratios.
Scroll down and toggle on the “Custom scale resolutions”. Add these two resolutions: 1920×1080 and 1600×900. Both are 16:9 aspect ratios.

Info: The reason we add the 1600×900, this resolution is better for recording your screen and explaining a software. Because with 1920×1080 all my icons and my screen was looking so tiny. Why is it tiny? Because of the HiDPI Setting. So for recording your screen use the 1600×900.

With the two favourites i can easily swap between the default 16:10 (1512x982) with notch and the 16:9 (1600x900) without notch.
With the two favourites i can easily swap between the default 16:10 (1512×982) with notch and the 16:9 (1600×900) without notch.

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• Easy Sync Audio & Video in DaVinci Resolve iPad

 

Ciao Daniel 🙂

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