Why do colours look different on each screen?

This article is currently being written. It will explain this topic in detail with practical, easy-to-follow tips.

We are preparing a complete guide about wallpapers on this subject. Please check back soon or browse the other guides in the blog.

Understanding how wallpapers are displayed

Every time you apply a wallpaper, your system has to combine several parameters: the resolution of the file, the aspect ratio of your screen, the scaling mode you chose in the settings and the physical characteristics of the panel. This is why the very same image can look sharp on one device and slightly blurry or stretched on another.

Resolution, aspect ratio and scaling

If the image is smaller than your screen, the operating system needs to upscale it. Upscaling always means inventing intermediate pixels, which slightly reduces sharpness. When the aspect ratio is different, the system may crop or stretch the image to make it fill the screen, which can also distort shapes and details.

• Always prefer a wallpaper that is at least as large as your screen resolution.
• Match the aspect ratio (16:9, 21:9, 4:3, vertical smartphone formats, etc.).
• Avoid zooming manually inside the image when setting it as a wallpaper.

Compression and source quality

Even with the correct resolution, a wallpaper downloaded from a social network or compressed many times can lose a lot of detail. For the best results, use files coming from dedicated wallpaper sources instead of screenshots or tiny thumbnails.

Practical recap

If you take the habit of checking resolution, ratio and file quality before applying a wallpaper, most common issues (blur, pixelation, visible artifacts) will disappear. This simple routine dramatically improves the way your desktop or home screen looks on a daily basis.