[TIP] Change DPI without rooting - Xiaomi Redmi 2 Guides, News, & Discussion

I know a common complaint about this phone is that the resolution on this phone isn't big enough, so it's hard to fit much on the phone. You can actually change the DPI without rooting, allowing you to fit more on the phone: http://android.wonderhowto.com/how-to/change-your-androids-screen-resolution-without-root-access-0160439/ I have found that 220 is a good improvement over stock's 240, and you can use 200 if you want to fit even more stuff.

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Changed Density to 190

Been playing with the Bionic for a day now, (came from LG G2X) and it's pretty amazing. Have it all rooted and such.
Used "Root Explorer" and decided to changed the density from 240 to 190. Looks very nice on that big screen. Everything seems to be working normally, except the lock screen is a little funky. But I didn't mind.
I've never done or heard of changing the pixel density before. What does it do and how did you do it please?
art0605 said:
Been playing with the Bionic for a day now, (came from LG G2X) and it's pretty amazing. Have it all rooted and such.
Used "Root Explorer" and decided to changed the density from 240 to 190. Looks very nice on that big screen. Everything seems to be working normally, except the lock screen is a little funky. But I didn't mind.
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Ohhhhh. If you have used ROMS for other phones, for me it was the X, then you would know about that. Like "Liberty toolbox" and not other "Tool-boxes" let you turn screen settings up or down. To the thread starter, any way to get a pic of "Before" and "After"?
mikecheat04 said:
I've never done or heard of changing the pixel density before. What does it do and how did you do it please?
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It's an effect you put on the framebuffer to give the illusion of having a higher resolution on your phone. If you lower the pixel density value, it will make everything more spaced out and smaller in general, giving the illusion of the phone having a higher resolution. It adds nothing besides a placebo affect and breaks certain things, such as the lockscreen and the background image for the pull-down bar. If you don't care about those things, you can try it out and test it for yourself. I recommend a value of 200.
Check out lcd density in the market, it is free and there are some screen shots. I have mine set at 200. Make sure to get spare parts from the market and turn off compatibility mode to make some of the troublesome apps fill the screen.
200/220 seems to be the nicest with the pentile display and century gothic as the new stock font, anything lower and you really really see the pixels...bleh

How can I change DPI?

So, since the Samsung Galaxy Note has an almost ludicrously large sized screen at 5.3 inches diagonally in size, it is only natural that I want to make the most of this high-resolution screen. From what I have presently read, changing the DPI seems to be the way to fit more items onto my screen, but how will this effect general usage of the device? Firstly, will it ruin any particular apps that come pre-installed on the phone such as the S-Memo, S-Note or S-Planner apps and do the Contacts, Phone, plus Messaging applications for actual phone usage all work regardless of DPI? Also, if I were to change to a lower DPI, would this allow me to access a tablet mode within either Touchwiz or any different launchers? Unfortunately, I have yet to root my device for fear of screwing it up, as this is my first true Android device (minus an old second-hand HTC Desire which had no storage and didn't perform too well) and I am only 14 so far from the most experienced with technology. So, what would rooting involve? I am running a stock Samsung ICS ROM, which is affected by the brick bug, and should hopefully receive my Sandisk UHS-1 Micro-SD soon with a lovely 32GB of storage should rooting require external storage.
EDIT 1: I read somewhere that setting the DPI to 213 brings out a full tablet mode, whilst keeping everything readable. Is this true and, if not, what DPI settings do people recommend that still keep the screen readable but with the most information possible on it?
EDIT 1
I read somewhere that setting the DPI to 213 brings out a full tablet mode, whilst keeping everything readable. Is this true and, if not, what DPI settings do people recommend that still keep the screen readable but with the most information possible on it?
Any help would be appreciated.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.innodroid.dpichanger&hl=en
Brad387 said:
So, since the Samsung Galaxy Note has an almost ludicrously large sized screen at 5.3 inches diagonally in size, it is only natural that I want to make the most of this high-resolution screen. From what I have presently read, changing the DPI seems to be the way to fit more items onto my screen, but how will this effect general usage of the device? Firstly, will it ruin any particular apps that come pre-installed on the phone such as the S-Memo, S-Note or S-Planner apps and do the Contacts, Phone, plus Messaging applications for actual phone usage all work regardless of DPI? Also, if I were to change to a lower DPI, would this allow me to access a tablet mode within either Touchwiz or any different launchers? Unfortunately, I have yet to root my device for fear of screwing it up, as this is my first true Android device (minus an old second-hand HTC Desire which had no storage and didn't perform too well) and I am only 14 so far from the most experienced with technology. So, what would rooting involve? I am running a stock Samsung ICS ROM, which is affected by the brick bug, and should hopefully receive my Sandisk UHS-1 Micro-SD soon with a lovely 32GB of storage should rooting require external storage.
EDIT 1: I read somewhere that setting the DPI to 213 brings out a full tablet mode, whilst keeping everything readable. Is this true and, if not, what DPI settings do people recommend that still keep the screen readable but with the most information possible on it?
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Hi there , you can change the Display Pixel Intensity(DPI) with many apps , you can find them on play store . DPI changer is one such app. Now coming to the other half of your querry. reducing your DPI to 213 or lower makes things look pretty small on your phone , its readable only if you have sharp eyes . And if you are on rooted stock ics or gingerbread rom or any rom which is based on stock rom from samsung then it wont change your phone UI( User Interface ) to tablet mode .
Cheer up, there are few roms with which you can change the UI to tablet mode by reducing the DPI , to be particular AOKP rom . You will get one in the development section . If you dont want all such complication , download Paranoid android latest version and quench your thirst . With a single tick of check box you can switch between phone and tablet yi
Well, thanks.
DPI can also be considered as Dots Per Inch Stock . DPI for galaxy note is 320 , lower the dpi, smaller the icons and text , tablets generally have DPI somewhere around 172 to 190 or even upto 200+, but it depends on the screen size and the display resolution too . Well if you think 320 is too much for you and if you cant take it , then reduce it to 285 which is the actual (Physical) DPI of the screen on your phone .
Here is how you calculate DPI of your screen :
The resolution of Galaxy note is 1280 *800. i.e there are 1280 pixels from top to bottom of your screen and 800 pixels from left to right
Screen diagonal length = 5.3 inch
DPI = [sqrt of ( sq of(1280) + sq of (800) ) ] / 5.3
= 285 (approximately)
Hope you can understand all this and figure out yourself what is best suited for your screen :angel:

[How to] Change Screen Size

Hi Guys,
If you wanna be normaly screen size (not original screen size of Htc Desire 510) than download this apk to your phone:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nomone.resolution_changer&hl=hu
NOMone Resolution Changer (its free)
Open the app and you see
"Width" "Height" "DPI"
Change Width to 720
Change Height to 1280
Change DPI to 312
and click on apply
Or second way:
Open the app
Click on "Select device template"
and choose Motorola Moto X or Htc One X
Click on apply and you done
If you dont like this sizes,dont worry,apk will restore stock sizes after 10 sec and after 1 minutes too.
I hope its helped to some people.
Good Luck to all.
Use this all the time (different app, same effect) but it can seriously eat ram depending how far up you go. While it makes stuff look prettier, it can slow down your device.
Also our aspect ratio is weird. 720x1280 causes a border effect. Use 768x1366 at 300dpi. Looks great and uses the same amount of ram.
I don't know if it's just me or not but everything seems tiny on my screen, including the HTC home,back, and recent apps button.
this does not work on my 510.
any idea why?
do i have to be rooted?
hlebleh said:
this does not work on my 510.
any idea why?
do i have to be rooted?
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Yes.
I've done this with a different app, but now my widgets & some other stuff seem rather disproportional.
Any way to fix this?
Other than this, however. The 720P looks much better on this phone. Thanks for the tip.
---
UPDATE: The biggest problem so far that I'm experiencing is that I cannot use my favorite keyboard. The buttons are out of place. Too big, can't fit the space allocated. SwiftKey & TouchPal are both out.
All the resolutions dont suit it they are all too big
After changing resolution, reboot your phone. The resolution will stick but everything else will resize to normal. If it doesn't, lower your DPI. All issues regarding "stuff size" should be resolved by lower DPI. Experiment, you'll find what works for you.
But again, RAM is an issue. I've asked pattyboi to adapt Swap into his kernel so I can test out RamExpander. With Swap enabled we should see a bit of a performance boost, but it can be risky if you don't know what your doing. Until we have a Swap capable kernel (and it actually works) were stcuk with what we got. From what I've read up on it, Swap seems like a viable solution to many performance issues with the 510
Okay so I'm really puzzled about how you can just change the resolution, how does it work??? Does the screen have a resolution more than the stock 480-800? I dont understand
So, that changing resolution? Is that works at all?

[Q] Looking for a ROM with the capabilities of SlimKat/SlimLP?

I purchased the Nexus 4, 5, and 6 as each has come out. I love the devices, as well as the toolkit.
My issue is this, all of the roms available operate in 'Phone mode' which is useless to me, as the games and apps I use need to run in TABLET mode. I didn't even know there was a difference until I tried numerous other ROMS and had no luck.
Only Slimkat and SlimLP (to my knowledge) run applications in tablet mode, allowing for a much, much better viewing experience.
Without going through all of the methods described in previous threads about the 'XPosed Framework', is there a custom ROM that offers tablet mode functionality like the SlimRoms?
I would prefer to just stick to SlimLP, but it is extremely buggy, and causes me many problems on a daily basis, especially with phone calls, and this is the phone i use for work, and I cannot afford to keep having issues such as the ones with SlimLP until the bugs are worked out.
Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!
flash any rom then change the dpi to set it into "tablet" mode. thats how slim did it, its not a special mode. by default, the n6 dpi is 560, lower it to below 400, like 390 or something. and you have a nexus, it doesnt need a toolkit, as it easier to do things the right way. learn the right way to do things.
simms22 said:
flash any rom then change the dpi to set it into "tablet" mode. thats how slim did it, its not a special mode. by default, the n6 dpi is 560, lower it to below 400, like 390 or something. and you have a nexus, it doesnt need a toolkit, as it easier to do things the right way. learn the right way to do things.
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OK, so learn the right way to do things. Again, I Googled this already, and was driven to installing something called the XPosed Framework, which I do not want to deal with. So the 'right way' according to some pretty exhaustive Googling comes up with nothing about DPI or it's built in functionality, which is what I am asking for.
Is there any simple way to do what I need to do. If not then that is fine, but changing DPI is not available in any of the ROMs I am aware of, and if it is, please let me know which ones there may be.
I am not an android developer or debugger, I am simply an end user looking to enjoy my phone. I don't know what 'it doesn't need a toolkit' means, but I do know I had to root using Wugfresh's toolkit.
Doesn't changing the DPI affect the amount of pixels I am able to see? Or does it only affect applications?
SidedX said:
OK, so learn the right way to do things. Again, I Googled this already, and was driven to installing something called the XPosed Framework, which I do not want to deal with. So the 'right way' according to some pretty exhaustive Googling comes up with nothing about DPI or it's built in functionality, which is what I am asking for.
Is there any simple way to do what I need to do. If not then that is fine, but changing DPI is not available in any of the ROMs I am aware of, and if it is, please let me know which ones there may be.
I am not an android developer or debugger, I am simply an end user looking to enjoy my phone. I don't know what 'it doesn't need a toolkit' means, but I do know I had to root using Wugfresh's toolkit.
Doesn't changing the DPI affect the amount of pixels I am able to see? Or does it only affect applications?
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many, if not most custom roms, have an option to change the dpi in that roms settings. im using terminus, and it has an option to change the dpi. also, you can change the dpi in your build.prop(then reboot to have it take affect). there are also apps that you can use to change your dpi.
simms22 said:
many, if not most custom roms, have an option to change the dpi in that roms settings. im using terminus, and it has an option to change the dpi. also, you can change the dpi in your build.prop(then reboot to have it take affect). there are also apps that you can use to change your dpi.
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Click to collapse
Thanks, I'll do a full backup, and I will mess around. I honestly wish I had asked sooner, as SlimLP has been disastrous.
Thank you again.
SidedX said:
OK, so learn the right way to do things. Again, I Googled this already, and was driven to installing something called the XPosed Framework, which I do not want to deal with. So the 'right way' according to some pretty exhaustive Googling comes up with nothing about DPI or it's built in functionality, which is what I am asking for.
Is there any simple way to do what I need to do. If not then that is fine, but changing DPI is not available in any of the ROMs I am aware of, and if it is, please let me know which ones there may be.
I am not an android developer or debugger, I am simply an end user looking to enjoy my phone. I don't know what 'it doesn't need a toolkit' means, but I do know I had to root using Wugfresh's toolkit.
Doesn't changing the DPI affect the amount of pixels I am able to see? Or does it only affect applications?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK so although some ROMs add "DPI" options in settings, it is not needed. DPI as always is changed in /system/build.prop under LCD density.
As for pixels, that's PPI not DPI. DPI is not related to pixels in any way. DPI is a scaling method.
Think of it this way, if you have a 5".display with 1080 pixels by 1920 pixels, you have a HD display with a very specific amount of pixels. If you have a 10" tablet with the same amount of pixels, each pixel would be bigger. Therefore, everything on a screen would be bigger. This means a tablet would have everything too big and you wouldn't take advantage of a bigger screen. So android use something called DPI to scale objects on the screen. Smaller DPI makes everything smaller on screen. This way, you take advantage of more screen real estate. Apps etc can use lower DPI to identify a phone from a tablet and they will act differently if those apps have a tablet "mode".
There are no real links between pixels. Just the bigger the screen and lower resolution, the lower the DPI needs to be and the smaller the screen with a higher resolution, the higher the DPI should be.
rootSU said:
As for pixels, that's PPI not DPI. DPI is not related to pixels in any way. DPI is a scaling method.
Think of it this way, if you have a 5".display with 1080 pixels by 1920 pixels, you have a HD display with a very specific amount of pixels. If you have a 10" tablet with the same amount of pixels, each pixel would be bigger. Therefore, everything on a screen would be bigger. This means a tablet would have everything too big and you wouldn't take advantage of a bigger screen. So android use something called DPI to scale objects on the screen. Smaller DPI makes everything smaller on screen. This way, you take advantage of more screen real estate. Apps etc can use lower DPI to identify a phone from a tablet and they will act differently if those apps have a tablet "mode".
There are no real links between pixels. Just the bigger the screen and lower resolution, the lower the DPI needs to be and the smaller the screen with a higher resolution, the higher the DPI should be.
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Wow, OK. I always thought I would be turning my 1440p QHD display into a 1080p. Never knew there was a difference.
Thank you. This forum has been the most helpful, and I honestly should have come here first instead of spending over a month on my own fighting with this device.
SidedX said:
Wow, OK. I always thought I would be turning my 1440p QHD display into a 1080p. Never knew there was a difference.
Thank you. This forum has been the most helpful, and I honestly should have come here first instead of spending over a month on my own fighting with this device.
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Yeah completely different. You don't lose any resolution or image quality by lowering the DPI. I set mine at 400. Not for "tablet" or anything. I just like the look of everything at that size instead of the giant size of 563 or whatever it is by default.
But yeah, you're welcome

Display size 331

I just want to ask. At this low dpi am i stressing my cpu more? I don't play any games. Mostly use my device for multimedia, social, forums and whatsapp. So is it fine if i keep this dpi. or its better I change it to normal like 493??
Im on N dp3
akholicc said:
I just want to ask. At this low dpi am i stressing my cpu more? I don't play any games. Mostly use my device for multimedia, social, forums and whatsapp. So is it fine if i keep this dpi. or its better I change it to normal like 493??
Im on N dp3
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normal dpi is 560, not 493.
While setting the DPI lower doesn't affect the CPU or GPU, changing the DPI is of little benefit unless your eyesight is bad. I'd set the DPI back to stock and forget it.
I know. I was talking about small screen size in android n which is around 490. And i have it at custom 331. Is it ok? Or is it bad for performance. And cpu is doing more work?
Strephon Alkhalikoi said:
While setting the DPI lower doesn't affect the CPU or GPU, changing the DPI is of little benefit unless your eyesight is bad. I'd set the DPI back to stock and forget it.
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I see. Thank-you. Stock is just a little too big for me. Thanks again.
akholicc said:
I just want to ask. At this low dpi am i stressing my cpu more? I don't play any games. Mostly use my device for multimedia, social, forums and whatsapp. So is it fine if i keep this dpi. or its better I change it to normal like 493??
Im on N dp3
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Click to collapse
The native resolution of the N6 display is 493.
Google's default is 560 that's not logically on a display of 1440 x 2560 pixels. The capabilities of the display are not fully used with Google 's idiot 560 dpi.
A dpi value of 384 or less, puts the N6 in tablet mode (2 columns in Settings menu). And the icons are smaller and more rows and columns are available.
I've used several dpi values and did not notice less battery life. Or cpu stress.
My favorite is 384.
I disagree with the sentiment that the display isn't fully or properly utilized at the DPI Google set. Naturally you're entitled to your opinion, but the Nexus 6 isn't a tablet. The tablet interface is a matter of user choice, not a design flaw. If it were a design flaw, then any 5.5" - 6" device with a QHD screen should be in tablet mode by default.
Strephon Alkhalikoi said:
I..... If it were a design flaw, then any 5.5" - 6" device with a QHD screen should be in tablet mode by default.
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Most 5-6" recent smartphones have a display with 1080x1920 pixels (FullHD). Phones with qhd display cannot be compared with the N6 because of the lower resolution (960x540 pixels).
The N6 is one of the few with 1440x2560 pixels (WQHD)
The default dpi of 560 that Google used does not fit the native resolution of the N6 display.
You're right. I used the wrong acronym to refer to the screen, thus I will restate my point: this is not a design flaw. If it were, any device in the 5.5" - 6" range with a resolution identical to the Nexus should be in tablet mode by default. They are NOT. Even devices that have the same screen size but a lower resolution are not in tablet mode by default. This is because these devices are not tablets, even if they can be used as such.
DPI is device independent, if I recall Google's documents on the matter correctly. That number does not have to equal the device PPI of 493, thus what Google chose to use is just as valid as any other number.
Strephon Alkhalikoi said:
DPI is device independent, if I recall Google's documents on the matter correctly. That number does not have to equal the device PPI of 493, thus what Google chose to use is just as valid as any other number.
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Click to collapse
That's correct, but I don't agree with Google.
The default DPI 560 means in practice larger icons and titles. Too large imo. I want more and smaller icons on the main screen and in the launcher.
The tablet mode is a different thing. I think it nice to have a 2 column settings menu. That's personal. In Android N preview it doesn't work anymore.
I don't see the larger icons and titles as a problem, and Google likely doesn't see it as a problem either. I know Samsung doesn't see it as a problem, as on the Galaxy S4 they did the same thing. That device's 5" display had a PPI of 441, but a DPI of 480. Fortunately, the S4 could be rooted and the DPI changed. Something I'm sure you've done here with the Nexus 6.

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