SwitchResX for Mac
Monitor-resolution utility.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission
SwitchResX overview
SwitchResX gives you unparalleled control over your monitor's resolution.
Resolution Management:
- Monitor resolution
- Color depth
- Video mirroring
- Display rotation
- Display overscan
Features:
- Save your desktop layout, locking and maintaining icon and window positions for all of your open applications every time you start up your Mac. SwitchResX lets you instantly restore your desktop even after resolution-altering events like connecting or disconnecting your external monitor.
- Disable or deactivate a monitor without physically unplugging it, allowing you to use your MacBook in clamshell mode with an external monitor, keyboard and mouse
- Link your monitor settings with system events: Key shortcuts, Apple Scripts, Application launches and more.
- Take complete control over your display resolution: Advanced features let you create and enable new resolutions for your monitor, HDTV, Plasma or LCD screen or Video Projector.
What's new in version 4.14.2
- Solves an issue causing SwitchResX to continuously resave and update its own settings when no display is attached
- Solves an issue when using specific displays with no name ("") visible in macOS
- Solves an issue when trying to delete a Display Set used after another Display set
- Allows quitting the Dock when disabling a display on Apple Silicon Macs also (can solve issues with Finder wallpaper when a display would be disabled)
SwitchResX for Mac
$16.00
In English
Version 4.14.2
What users say about SwitchResX
Ease of use: 4.0
No easy step through wizard to create custom resolutions, but once you've done it once you'll be good to go. I found a YouTube tutorial at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtKNqoCbOaI which had a good basic explanation.
Features: 5.0
Does exactly what it claims to do. I am running the latest version of SwitchResX (4.13.1) on a new Mac Air 15", M2. I wanted to continue using my existing 5K 27" iMac as a monitor via Mac ScreenShare. Apple say it is impossible. But after creating a custom resolution of 5120x2880 (which will appear in your list of Current Resolutions as 2560x1440 HiDPI) I was able to share my Mac Air to my much larger iMac in 5K perfect clarity (even in Adaptive Mode quality it looks amazing). There is also less lag because the resolutions match perfectly.
Other user ratings:
Value | 5.0
Reliability | 5.0
Customer support | 5.0
Write a detailed review about SwitchResX
What customers like
What needs improvements
(143 Reviews of SwitchResX)
Comments
User Ratings
Aug 19, 2023
Version: 4.13.1
I'm running the latest SwitchResX (4.13.1) on a brand new Mac Air 15", M2. My old computer is a 5K 27" iMac. My goal was to use Mac ScreenShare to continue using my existing iMac as a large screen. Apple will tell you that their list of supported screen resolutions is all that is available. With SwitchResX I was able to create a custom resolution of 2560x1440 HiDPI on my Mac Air, which via ScreenShare appears on my iMac in 5K full screen clarity. There is almost no lag using Adaptive quality settings in ScreenShare because the resolutions match. Please note that in order to create the 2560x1440 HiDPI resolution you will need to create a custom resolution of 5120x2880. This will automatically be detected by SwitchResX as a HiDPI and it will appear in your list of Current Resolutions as 2560x1440 HiDPI. I have also installed EasyRes on my MacAir to be able to switch between resolutions when working directly on the MacAir when not in ScreenShare mode.
I highly recommend this app, which is extremely good value at the price.
For an instruction video on how to use it go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtKNqoCbOaI
Sep 11, 2021
Version: 4.11.2
The main feature I bought this tool for is the creation of a custom resolutions for an ultrawide monitor. This feature however isn't available for M1 based Macs, rendering the tool utterly useless. When asking the company for a refund after purchase, they were confrontational and not accommodating at all. Bad customer service.
May 29, 2021
Version: 4.11.1
This app itself is OK, but when it comes to updates it's just awful - there is a Check For Updates button, but all it does is tell you an update is available. It doesn't offer any ability to self-update (like just about everything else) nor does it provide you with a link to get the update. I have to go to MacUpdate every time, find the app, go to their website, download it and manually install it again. I have mentioned it to the developer but he has no interest in improving this.
Mar 31, 2021
Version: 4.11
SwitchResX didn't really work for me.
The extended resolutions worked perfectly but when I set the resolution higher than 1080 the cursor became VERY jumpy and sluggish, sometimes not responding until I moved it around the screen.
At one point I plugged in a plg-n-play wireless mouse to test and see if it was my Magic Trackpad but it was present with the mouse as well.
I reset the resolution to factory, restarted, and it seemed ok, at first, but the strange cursor behavior soon returned. I manually tracked down the pref panes and other parts (wasn't an uninstaller with the version I had, or I missed it), restarted my computer and everything was fine again.
I really wanted SwitchResX to work but for me it didn't.
Hate wasting money but maybe the developer will do more work on it and it may work for me in the future.
