Fix macOS Ultrawide Scaling with BetterDisplay

34” ultrawide monitors at 3440x1440 make text and UI elements too small on macOS. Apple reserves HiDPI scaling for displays above 220 PPI, and your ultrawide sits at ~109 PPI. BetterDisplay fixes this.

Step 1: Install BetterDisplay

Install via Homebrew. If you don’t have Homebrew installed, follow the Homebrew installation guide first.

brew install --cask betterdisplay

Or download directly from GitHub releases.

Step 2: Grant Permissions

Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility. Add BetterDisplay to the list.

Step 3: Enable System Configuration

Click BetterDisplay menu bar icon → Settings (gear icon) → Select your monitor. Toggle “Edit the system configuration of this display model” and click the red Apply button. Enter your password and reboot.

Step 4: Enable HiDPI Scaling

After reboot, two options:

Pro Version ($21.99)

Enable “Flexible scaling” in the display settings. A slider appears in the menu bar for smooth resolution adjustment.

Free Version

Add custom HiDPI resolutions manually in the same settings panel. Create 2752x1152 as an HiDPI resolution.

Step 5: Select HiDPI Resolution

Click BetterDisplay menu bar icon → Expand Features → Select “High resolution (HiDPI)”. Choose 2752x1152 HiDPI for 125% scaling on 34” 3440x1440 monitors.

Effective Resolution	Scaling	Use Case
2150x900	160%	Maximum readability
2580x1080	133%	Balanced
2752x1152	125%	More screen space

Free vs Pro

Feature	Free	Pro ($21.99)
Custom HiDPI resolutions	Yes	Yes
Flexible scaling slider	No	Yes
DDC brightness control	Yes	Yes
Virtual displays	No	Yes

The free version solves the scaling problem. Pro adds convenience through the slider.

Important Notes

• 144Hz support: Works with DisplayPort or USB-C to DisplayPort cables
• Apple Silicon: Full compatibility with M1/M2/M3/M4 Macs
• Revert changes: Delete /Library/Displays/Contents/Resources/Overrides folder if needed
• macOS Sequoia: BetterDisplay supports the latest macOS versions