M24fwa is blurry when connected to macbook

[DL107]

I have an M24fwa monitor attached to my 2023 M3 Macbook Pro via an HDMI to HDMI cable. Whatever display settings I select on my macbook and the M24fwa, the display is very blurry.

Any advice on what settings I should be picking to get a sharp display? I've played with resolution, refresh rate and various image settings on the monitor, with no luck.

Any advice gratefully received!

[Raj_05]

Hi @DL107,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

Blurriness when connecting an external monitor like the HP M24fwa FHD Monitor to a MacBook Pro is often caused by macOS rendering text and UI elements optimized for Retina displays, which doesn't always look sharp on standard Full HD monitors. Here's how you can improve the display quality.

Check Display Resolution Settings

• Go to System Settings > Displays on your MacBook.
• Ensure the resolution is set to 1920 x 1080 (Default for Display). If macOS is scaling the resolution, text can appear blurry.
• Avoid "scaled" resolutions unless absolutely necessary.

Enable HiDPI Mode (if possible)

macOS sometimes scales non-Retina displays in a way that causes blur. You can try to enable HiDPI mode for your external monitor:

• Download a tool like SwitchResX or BetterDisplay.
• Use the tool to create a HiDPI 1920x1080 resolution. This can make the monitor's output much sharper.

Adjust Display Refresh Rate

• Go to System Settings > Displays and set the refresh rate to 60 Hz.
• The HP M24fwa supports a 60 Hz refresh rate, which provides smoother visuals and reduces blurriness.

Ensure Correct Aspect Ratio and Scaling

• On the monitor itself, access its OSD (On-Screen Display) menu.
• Navigate to Image Scaling or Aspect Ratio and ensure it's set to Full or 1:1.
• Avoid any "stretch" or "overscan" options.

Optimize Text Rendering

• Blurry text can sometimes be mitigated by tweaking font smoothing in macOS:
  • Open the Terminal and type the following command:
• defaults -currentHost write -globalDomain AppleFontSmoothing -int 1
  
  • Restart your MacBook after applying the change.

Check the HDMI Cable and Adapter

• Ensure your HDMI cable is high-quality and supports Full HD at 60 Hz.
• If you're using a dongle or adapter to connect, try using a USB-C to HDMI adapter or a USB-C to HDMI cable directly, as compatibility issues can sometimes cause signal degradation.

[Raj_05]

Consider Scaling Alternatives

If you need to use a scaled resolution for UI sizing, choose 1280x720 (HiDPI) or similar, as macOS scales these resolutions with better clarity than standard scaling.

Reset the Monitor Settings

• Reset the HP M24fwa monitor to its factory settings:
  • Access the monitor's OSD menu and select Reset Settings.
• Then, reconfigure it based on the steps above.

Test with Another Device or Monitor

• Test the HP M24fwa with a different device to confirm that the issue isn't specific to the monitor itself.
• Alternatively, try connecting another monitor to your MacBook to confirm that macOS settings are the issue.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

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Alden4

HP Support 

[DL107]

Hi there

Thanks very much for your detailed response and apologies for the slow reply!

I've tried all of the above to no avail, except for testing the monitor with another laptop which I can do next week.

One other question - you recommended setting Image Scaling to 'Full' on the monitor. That option is greyed out so I can't change it, but it's set to 'Fill to screen'. Is that what I need anyway?

Thanks very much again, appreciate your time.