VirtualBox resolution is too low (Windows 10 guest)

hirre34 · Aug 1, 2026

VirtualBox 7.2.14
Host: Linux Mint 22.3
Guest: Windows 10 version 2004
Guest Additions 7.2.14 - seems that the install worked as I see this version of Guest Additions mentioned in the log.

I am having a tough time getting the display to a good, workable settings.

Right now, the Virtualbox windows takes up the whole screen except for the very bottom. So far, so good.

Within Windows 10 guest screen, it's not good.
1- the icons are very large.
2- the "strip" at the bottom where the start menu is is very large.

My main complaint is #2, because that will interfere with program windows. For example, when I am using Google Chrome, there will be a lot of screen space that is not used.

I see that there are VirtualBox display settings, which I can adjust. This shows a list of different resolutions that I can choose.

Within Windows 10, I can right click on the desktop and then edit display settings.

I have tried to play around with the 2 sets of settings. But, I have not had any luck in improving the situation. For example, at one point, after changing something, I had to scroll to see the lower part of the desktop and the start menu.

Edit:
here are some lines from VBox.log. I am not sure if this is relevant at all.
00:00:03.001723 VMMDev: Guest Additions information report: Version 7.2.14 r174565 '7.2.14'
00:00:03.001745 VMMDev: Guest Additions information report: Interface = 0x00010004 osType = 0x0003B100 (Windows 10, 64-bit)
00:00:03.002294 VMMDev: Guest Additions capability report: (0x0 -> 0x0) seamless: no, hostWindowMapping: no, graphics: no
00:00:03.002347 GUI: UISession::sltAdditionsChange: GA state doesn't really changed, still notifying listeners.

MisterEd · Aug 1, 2026

VirtualBox 7.2.14
Guest Additions 7.2.14
Host: Windows 11 Pro 25H2
Guest: Windows 10 Pro 24H2

I can't help you with the Linux Mint part because I am running Windows 11 Pro. I have no problems with Windows 10 in VirtualBox. What resolution do you have Windows 10 set at? I have Windows 10 set to 1920x1080 which is the same as the resolution in Windows 11.
Note to switch in and out of full screen I have to use Right-Ctrl + F keys. When I am not at full screen the resolution is 1920x983.

LeLibran · Aug 1, 2026

@hirre34

Have you checked the Scale Factor setting (VirtualBox Manager - Screen Tab)? It may need adjusting to get the best fit for your Screen)

hirre34 · Aug 1, 2026

MisterEd said:
I have no problems with Windows 10 in VirtualBox. What resolution do you have Windows 10 set at? I have Windows 10 set to 1920x1080 which is the same as the resolution in Windows 11.
Note to switch in and out of full screen I have to use Right-Ctrl + F keys. When I am not at full screen the resolution is 1920x983.

Thank you for the idea to go full screen. That might help my situation. Then again, I lose access to Linux software by doing that. Still, I could see it being worth the "sacrifice."
At least part of my problem was that in Windows, I had a scaling factor set. This is actually within the Windows operating system, not in Virtualbox software. This was set at 150 (means 150%). Right next to the setting, Microsoft says that they recommend 100. So, I changed it to 100. Now things look more reasonable. Now, i want to say that I am on a 20 inch monitor (I think it's 20 inch). In the list of options in Windows, the highest that it lets me set the resolution is 1333 x 750. Also, there is a setting "change the size of text, apps, and other items." That is set to 125%. That one is greyed out. Also, above all of these settings, it says, "A custom scaling factor is set."

LeLibran said:
@hirre34

Have you checked the Scale Factor setting (VirtualBox Manager - Screen Tab)? It may need adjusting to get the best fit for your Screen)

Thank you for the idea. That helped me. See above.

In VirtualBox, when I go to Settings -> Expert -> Display, it show scaling factor @ 100%.

Edit: fixed typo

MisterEd · Aug 1, 2026

I think you misunderstand going full screen. You hit Right-Ctrl + F key to go full screen. To go back you hit Right-Ctrl + F again. I could go back and forth from Windows 10 and Windows 11 easily.

I don't understand how the scaling factor got changed. Whenever I installed Windows the scaling factor automatically got set to the recommended. I checked my desktop which has a 27" 2560x1440 display. In the Windows 10 VM in Virtual Box I changed it to full screen and the resolution to 2560x1440. The scaling factor was 100% as expected. I tried changing it to 125% and 150% but quickly went back to 100%. I can now see why you didn't like it.

Here is a screenshot I took of the the Windows 10 VM running Virtual Box on my desktop. Like I said full screen was no problem because I could easily switch out of it.

hirre34 · Aug 1, 2026

MisterEd said:
I think you misunderstand going full screen. You hit Right-Ctrl + F key to go full screen. To go back you hit Right-Ctrl + F again. I could go back and forth from Windows 10 and Windows 11 easily.

I don't understand how the scaling factor got changed. Whenever I installed Windows the scaling factor automatically got set to the recommended. I checked my desktop which has a 27" 2560x1440 display. In the Windows 10 VM in Virtual Box I changed it to full screen and the resolution to 2560x1440. The scaling factor was 100% as expected. I tried changing it to 125% and 150% but quickly went back to 100%. I can now see why you didn't like it.

Sometimes I want to use 2 pieces of software at the same time (going back and forth between the two). The full screen is not ideal for that. But, it's a bit off topic so we don't need to discuss if you don't want to.

I must have changed the scaling factor a while back when I was connected to a larger monitor. Also, sometimes I like text being big so it's more readable.

I am surprised that you have much higher resolutions available to you vs what I have. I know that you do have better specs on your computer. Like I said, the highest resolution available to me is 1333 x 750. It also doesn't seem like a common number that you hear of much.

XxXxX · Aug 2, 2026

if you are using Linux have you considered Gnome Boxes as an alternative to Virtual Box
i always preferred Gnome Boxes over Virtual Box when running Windows in VM

just a thought
best of luck Steve ..

jimbo45 · Aug 2, 2026

hirre34 said:
VirtualBox 7.2.14
Host: Linux Mint 22.3
Guest: Windows 10 version 2004
Guest Additions 7.2.14 - seems that the install worked as I see this version of Guest Additions mentioned in the log.

I am having a tough time getting the display to a good, workable settings.

Right now, the Virtualbox windows takes up the whole screen except for the very bottom. So far, so good.

Within Windows 10 guest screen, it's not good.
1- the icons are very large.
2- the "strip" at the bottom where the start menu is is very large.

My main complaint is #2, because that will interfere with program windows. For example, when I am using Google Chrome, there will be a lot of screen space that is not used.

I see that there are VirtualBox display settings, which I can adjust. This shows a list of different resolutions that I can choose.

Within Windows 10, I can right click on the desktop and then edit display settings.

I have tried to play around with the 2 sets of settings. But, I have not had any luck in improving the situation. For example, at one point, after changing something, I had to scroll to see the lower part of the desktop and the start menu.

Edit:
here are some lines from VBox.log. I am not sure if this is relevant at all.
00:00:03.001723 VMMDev: Guest Additions information report: Version 7.2.14 r174565 '7.2.14'
00:00:03.001745 VMMDev: Guest Additions information report: Interface = 0x00010004 osType = 0x0003B100 (Windows 10, 64-bit)
00:00:03.002294 VMMDev: Guest Additions capability report: (0x0 -> 0x0) seamless: no, hostWindowMapping: no, graphics: no
00:00:03.002347 GUI: UISession::sltAdditionsChange: GA state doesn't really changed, still notifying listeners.

Try this from a Linux Host

Download the Windows virtio drivers from the Fedora site (iso).

Install on your VM --

Actually if running Windows VM's from a Linux Host it makes infinitely better sense to install these with the Linux Native Hypervisor - use KVM/QEMU instead of Vbox. Very efficient now especially if you have Linux kernel 7.2

My W11 VM's run almost as fast as Native !!! including things like Photoshop and VLC multi-media if I'm using Windows to play sounds / stream video etc.

Cheers
jimbo

kelper · Aug 2, 2026

Post a screenshot of the contents of the Guest additions CD - this is mine.

I run VBoxWindowsAdditions.exe

You should run the Linux command

Once I do this, the display options seem to work. I know there is another way to innstall the Guest Additions but it does seem not to work sometimes!

hirre34 · Aug 2, 2026

kelper said:
I run VBoxWindowsAdditions.exe

You should run the Linux command

Once I do this, the display options seem to work. I know there is another way to innstall the Guest Additions but it does seem not to work sometimes!

You: "I run VBoxWindowsAdditions.exe"
Once I had Windows 10 virtual machine booted, I chose "upgrade Virtualbox guest additions" from the Virtualbox menu. The GUI then gave the appearance that that did indeed work. Also, at the bottom of my original post, I posted part of the Virtualbox log. I did not label or explain that well. But, I did that because it might be further evidence that Virtualbox guest additions did upgrade from 6.1.x to 7.2.14.

You: "You should run the Linux command"
From what I understand, installing VirtualBox Guest additions takes place within the virtual machine. So, you might be mistaken here. Maybe there is a linux command in order to get the shared folder working? I guess I will research once I get to that point.

hirre34 · Aug 2, 2026

jimbo45 said:
Actually if running Windows VM's from a Linux Host it makes infinitely better sense to install these with the Linux Native Hypervisor - use KVM/QEMU instead of Vbox. Very efficient now especially if you have Linux kernel 7.2

From what I read, KVM is a type 1 hypervisor. I think that means a drastically different experience outside of the guests. In other words, wont look anything like Linux Mint 22.3. I am just used to Linux Mint Cinnamon. Though I will say that I am not in love with Linux Mint Cinnamon. It's just that the learning curve/ time commitment is very steep for me to jump ship and I can't spare the time. Maybe I am misunderstanding and KVM/QEMU works in combination to be a type 2 hypervisor?

As an aside, Linux Mint 22.3 is on the 7.0 kernel right now. I think that Linux Mint is based on 2 versions behind current of Ubuntu.

jimbo45 · Aug 2, 2026

hirre34 said:
From what I read, KVM is a type 1 hypervisor. I think that means a drastically different experience outside of the guests. In other words, wont look anything like Linux Mint 22.3. I am just used to Linux Mint Cinnamon. Though I will say that I am not in love with Linux Mint Cinnamon. It's just that the learning curve/ time commitment is very steep for me to jump ship and I can't spare the time. Maybe I am misunderstanding and KVM/QEMU works in combination to be a type 2 hypervisor?

As an aside, Linux Mint 22.3 is on the 7.0 kernel right now. I think that Linux Mint is based on 2 versions behind current of Ubuntu.

No -- you can run the GUI (Virtual Machine Manager) from any sort of Linux desktop with a GUI e/g Linux Mint, Gnome,KDE etc

The GUI looks something like this :

Cheers
jimbo

hirre34 · Aug 2, 2026

jimbo45 said:
No -- you can run the GUI (Virtual Machine Manager) from any sort of Linux desktop with a GUI e/g Linux Mint, Gnome,KDE etc

View attachment 178352

Ok.
Here is some discussion about how KVM is classified and why.

https://www.reddit.com/r/linux4noobs/comments/10jeyo3/why_kvm_is_considered_as_type1_hypervisor

jimbo45 · Aug 3, 2026

hirre34 said:
Ok.
Here is some discussion about how KVM is classified and why.

https://www.reddit.com/r/linux4noobs/comments/10jeyo3/why_kvm_is_considered_as_type1_hypervisor

I'm sure readers of this thread are aware of that already - it doesn't add anything to the discussion as to whether KVM /QEMU has a GUI or not !!!!!!

Cheers
jimbo

VirtualBox resolution is too low (Windows 10 guest)

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