Change screen density (icon/text sizes)

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For anyone who doesn't know, this is a neat and simple trick to make the items on your screen bigger or smaller:

EASY WAY (it will keep the setting until you do a hard reset-- holding the power down for 10 or so seconds until it powers off):

1. Download LCDDensity for Root (free) from Market

2. Change density based on your preferences (higher # = bigger items, lower resolution; lower # = smaller items, higher res)

MORE ADVANCED WAY (if you want the change to survive a hard reboot):

1. In root explorer, navigate to system/ and backup your build.prop file.

2. Set system to r/w

3. Hold down on the original file, and select open in text editor

4. Find the two entries where it says:

ro.sf.lcd_density.xdpi=169.33333
ro.sf.lcd_density.ydpi=169.33333

If you wanted your density to be 250, you'd change them to the following single line:

ro.sf.lcd_density=250

5. Save, reboot, and enjoy your NC's new look.

Here are a couple of my homescreens set at 250:





Now, jacking up your LCD density much above 200 will make your status bar look wonky and cut-off. One solution for this is to set it to 250, like above (by changing build. prop - I think the app I mentioned only allow multiples of 20), which will make it look clean (as long as wifi is on). The only problem there is that you'll lose your status bar clock and Notifications in portrait mode ...

... the solution for THIS is to get two apps: hellostatusbar, and quick launch. Set quick launch to open hellostatusbar on a home-button double press, and it will display your Notifications.

FYI the Galaxy Tab's default is 240

Can this be done w/LCD Density Changer (from market)?

Originally Posted by docfreed

Can this be done w/LCD Density Changer (from market)?

Yeah, I didn't mention it because it costs a buck. It is an easy, automated way to do it though.

Originally Posted by wvcachi

Yeah, I didn't mention it because it costs a buck. It is an easy, automated way to do it though.

There is also a free one.

Originally Posted by mob87

There is also a free one.

The free one, LCDDensity for Root, doesn't keep the change after doing a full (battery pull) reboot. To me, this is less than ideal, but if you don't mind changing it again, knock yourself out.

A battery pull reboot on a NOOKcolor? Don't you need a screwdriver for that?

Originally Posted by RoboRay

A battery pull rebooth on a NOOKcolor? Don't you need a screwdriver for that?

I believe he is using the phone example for reference. In the case of the NC, the free option should be a good alternative for those not wanting to modify scripts.

Anyway, thanks for providing the entries to change manually. It's a good tip.

Originally Posted by RoboRay

A battery pull reboot on a NOOKcolor? Don't you need a screwdriver for that?

Yeah, good point - not sure if a power-button-long-hold hard reset would be the equivalent on a Nook or not. If it is only a battery pull that would do it, then you would indeed need a screwdriver and a little bit of masochism for that to be a problem.

EDIT: the long power button hold reset DOES make the free app lose the setting

If anyone's interested in getting the density more like the Galaxy Tab's without having an ugly, cut-off looking status bar in portrait mode (with a couple sacrifices), here's a little work-around I came up with (if you're using softkeys mapped to double-tap of home button, this isn't for you):

1. Set density to 250 using the build.prop editing method. Reboot.

2. Get a market app called HelloStatusBar.

3. Get a market app called QuickLaunch. Open it and set home button double-tap to open HelloStatusBar.

You'll lose your status bar clock, and it'll look ugly with wifi off, but with wifi on, it'll be nice and clean like the pic below:



Your Notifications will be gone, but now you can double-tap home to bring them up: