Resize Photo

Chalky_Lady

Set photo for desktop background (windows 10) but has cut heads off?? can anyone help with simple step solution please!

fenlander_uk

You need to crop your photo to the same aspect ratio as your screen (probably 16:9). You can do this in any photo editor, including the Windows 10 Photos app.

Alternatively, right click on the desktop, choose 'Personalize' and choose 'Centre' as the fit option for your background image. If your photo is 4:3 and your screen is 16:9 that will leave you with black bars on either side, so it's better to crop if possible.

Chalky_Lady

Even with black lines either side at least I get all of the photo Thank you - Screen size 15.6 - how do I crop the photo? appreciate your help

fenlander_uk

There are half a hundred ways of doing this and they all take much longer to explain than to do. I'll pick a quick way.

First, you need to know the aspect ratio of your screen. If you have a recent laptop it will almost certainly be 16:9. In pixels that's probably 1366x768. If you have an older pc it may be a squarer screen, typically 4:3. Let's assume a standard 1366x768 screen for this description.

Rather than using an image processing program or app, let's do this using a web service. Use your browser to go to www.resizeimage.net. Click the 'Upload an image' button and locate the image you want to use on your system. It will upload and appear lower down.

In section 2, check the 'Fixed aspect ratio' option and enter 16 and 9 in the next 2 boxes. Now, move your cursor on to the picture, click the point that you would like to be the top left corner of your cropped image and drag the selection box down and to the right. You can move the selection box around and change its size using the handles on the edges. When it is as you want it, click the 'Crop' button.

The picture is now in the aspect ratio you need. You can take a further step and resize the image to the exact pixel size of your screen. Assuming you have determined that your screen is indeed 1366x768 pixels, go to section 4. Make sure that the 'Keep aspect ratio' box is checked and enter 1366 into the middle of the three boxes for desired size. The third box should automatically adjust to 768 or something very close. Go to the bottom, after section 7, and click 'Resize image', then 'Download image' to get the cropped and resized picture back on to your system. Use this for your wallpaper.

Obviously, if your screen is something other than 1366x768 pixels, you will need to adjust all the instructions above according to its actual dimensions.

If you find this fun, you could crop/resize a few more images in the same way, save them all into the same empty folder, and then use this as a slide show instead of having a single fixed image for your desktop.

Chalky_Lady

Good Morning
Thank you so much for taking the time to help - my laptop is only 2 months old - I will try and have a go but might be too tech for a 50+ novice, but am happy to have the complete photo in view even with black lines either side if I struggle to resize it. Thank goodness for kind people like yourself to troubleshoot, Windows 10 is a nightmare (Windows 7 before) had to leave a number of things as can't understand 'how to' - to return kindness if you go on holiday to France I can offer discount 'Gite'

fenlander_uk

Fiona_Perkin wrote: »

...I will try and have a go but might be too tech for a 50+ novice.

Fiona
I'm 2 decades older than you and I've just 'upgraded' 3 Windows 7/8.1 machines to 10. It's not a life-changing experience.

Start by installing Classic Shell and get a menu back that's both familiar and useful. The Windows 10 menu is all about tablets, apps and marketing: you haven't got a tablet and the apps are pretty much useless anyway. Never mind the EU referendum, take back control of your PC first.