DPI scaling in Windows Client

[Dale Christian]

Two months ago, Jamie said this was a "top 5" issue for the product team.  When can we expect some communication about a fix?  It's increasingly challenging to support and explain this to users in light of other apps (except PowerPoint) working correctly on multi-monitor setups.  Skype is nearly unusable half the time for the mobile worker with a high-resolution laptop.

https://www.skypefeedback.com/forums/299913-generally-available/suggestions/10294605-improve-per-mon...

[#2 · Accepted solution]

From what I understand, the DPI scaling issues were fixed in 16.0.7326.1000, so if you are running a build that is equal to, or above this, it should now work. What version are you currently using?

Current Channel shows Version 1608 (Build 7341.2035), released on September 26, 2016.

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt592918.aspx

[#3]

That's fantastic news, thank you Bryce for the pointer.  We are on Current Channel and still have 16.0.7301.1019.  I'll dig up the latest build and try it out. 

[#4]

I have installed the Current Channel release of 7341 and the DPI problem remains.  However, there is some confusion about what version is really installed.  Although Office reports 7341, the apps themselves report 7301.  I have a ticket opened with Microsoft support and it's at Tier 3 now to try to figure out what version they are actually pushing with Current Channel.  I'll report back on the state of DPI scaling when I get a definitive answer. 

My apologies to Bryan for concatenating your name. Thanks again for the pointer to this fix.  It led me to this blog post, which is the best public communcation I've seen from Microsoft on the DPI scaling issue:  https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/askcore/2016/08/16/display-scaling-changes-for-the-windows-10-an...

[#5]

sweet!

[#6]

One more interesting article I've come across:  https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Office-apps-appear-the-wrong-size-or-blurry-on-external-mon...

This claims unequivically that PowerPoint scaling is fixed in the current release, which I have verified (hurray!).

However, it is not clear what they are claiming about the Skype for Business client.  I can't tell if they haven't been able to fix it yet, or if an interim fix is in place?  Working with support some more on it now.

Enable system scaling for Lync 2013, Skype for business 2015 (and Skype for Business 2016 as an interim solution) on Windows 10 version 1607. The components used for screen sharing had a limitation that prevented us from enabling system scaling, but Windows 10 version 1607 will provide new APIs that will allow us to enable system scaling without affecting screen sharing.

[#7]

Microsoft claims that this is now fixed in build 7341, which is the Current Channel release of Office 365. (The DPI issue is in fact fixed in PowerPoint in that version.) However, according to Microsoft support there is a bug in the O365 deployment that pushes an older version of the Skype for Business client, so we don't see the fix yet. I have an open ticket that has been escalated to get the right bits deployed for Skype. Fingers crossed that a fix is imminent.

[#8]

Hallelujah!  Just got O365 version 1609 pushed to us, and the DPI scaling issue appears fixed in the SfB client.  The build number is 16.0.7329.1017. 

[#9]

does anyone know when non o365 version will be fixed?

[#10]

Oh no!  Scaling appears to be broken again in 16.0.7571.7063.  Is anyone else seeing this, and is Microsoft aware of it?

[#11]

We have seen isolated cases where scaling stops working for individual users.  In all cases we have investigated, the problem is due to Windows forcing our app into “per-monitor awareness” that stops system scaling from working.  The condition can be verified by looking for an entry in the registry:

Key = HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers

Value Name = The full path of lync.exe (such as C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\lync.exe)

Value Content = HIGHDPIAWARE

If this value exists in the registry, system scaling will no longer work.  The user should delete this registry value to restore the functionality.  (assuming you are using Windows 10 Anniversary Edition or greater).

[#12]

That was exactly the case, and fixed it.  Thank you, Bryce for the fast and accruate response.  You rock!

[#13]

*Bryan*!