Running Articulate Storyline on HD computer screen

Hi Cory and Elma,

Storyline requires Microsoft Windows to be configured with 96 DPI (dots per inch). On some systems, such as those with a very high resolution it can make it appear very small - but setting it to something other than 96 DPI could cause issues within Storyline itself as described here.

I know a few other users have submitted feature requests for a set up that would allow for an easier operation on an high resolution screen, so please feel free to share your thoughts there as well. Those go directly to our product development team for review and that's the best way to ensure they're kept up to date with what you need/want to see in future versions and updates of Articulate Software.

Hi- does anyone know if this issue was fixed in Storyline 2?

Hi Victoria!

We still recommend 96 DPI if that's what you are asking.

I've encountered the same issue and have returned two new laptops because I can't work in Storyline (I'm using version 1). I encountered this same issue with Adobe, especially with PhotoShop. After MUCH research, I discovered that when Apple released their Retina display Adobe updated their software to accommodate high definition displays. I just purchased a MacBook Pro yesterday and to my delight, the PhotoShop issue is resolved, but I still cannot work in SL1. Given the last post is four months old, I am wondering if there have been any updates? I downloaded SL1 and installed it on a virtual Windows 7 machine and have the same problem as I did with the two Microsoft Windows 8.1 machines (one had 4k resolution, the other optimized at 1920x1080). Most of us design/develop graphics and animations for our online training, so it only stands to reason that Articulate would address this issue and soon. UHD and 4K are becoming the standard.

Hi Christine,

We've shared threads such as this one with our QA and product development team in regards to monitors with a hi resolution and our current set up in regards to DPI settings. I don't have additional information to share at this point, but I'll share your comments here with them as well. You're also welcome to send your thoughts in directly by submitting a feature request. 

i just purchased SL2 and put it on a surface pro 3 with high resolution and have the same problems. Someone asked if it was fixed in SL2, the answer is no.

Hi Elizabeth,

Sorry you've run into the same issue, and as mentioned we have shared this with our QA team so we'll keep folks posted here with any updates. 

Any updates?

Hi Kayla,

Thanks for reaching out here. This is still with our team and is currently a feature request to support HD monitors and displays. You're welcome to share your thoughts here with our team directly. 

I just sent in a feature request as well. I could barely see the ribbon interface already on a low resolution screen. And now I'm about to get a 4K :-)

Thanks for sharing Paul :)

Hey everyone. Fixing the tiny appearance of the Storyline UI on ultra high-def monitors is possible, BUT it creates a much more serious issues when you do.

Adobe products experience similar UI shrinkage, and I was able to easily fix it on those products and in Storyline by following the instructions to create a custome MANIFEST file found here. http://www.danantonielli.com/adobe-app-scaling-on-high-dpi-displays-fix/ and the video version here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4GCfugE0xQ

The problem is that when I try to either Preview or Publish, Storyline gives me the "Storyline needs to close" dialog. I'll keep messing with it, and will post some updates. Obviously, the next product from Articulate will need to be able to accommodate these new monitors as they are becoming much more common, especially in the mobile space.

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your patience and for continuing to share your experiences using Storyline on a high resolution display.

As a few of the staff here have mentioned previously, it’s something that we’ve continued to discuss with our Quality Assurance team. I wanted to offer a bit more insight into what’s happening and what our team is working on.

When Storyline was initially developed, we wanted to create a product powerful enough to enable rich new kinds of e-learning courses to be created. We realized early on that to create the user experience we wanted – from rendering the stage itself to our various panels and dialogs – much of the user interface code would have to be custom written to look and function in a specific way.

The landscape has changed considerably Since Storyline 2 was released in 2014. Microsoft started supporting scaling for high resolution displays in Windows 8.1, and increasing numbers of high definition laptops and external monitors are now available.

Our team is currently evaluating a number of different approaches that would allow Storyline 2 to scale gracefully on high resolution displays. Because of the amount of custom user interface and rendering code within Storyline, supporting these new devices is not as simple as flicking a switch. The changes required would be broad and impact all the elements of Storyline’s interface, so we feel it’s important to take a considered approach and make sure our proposed solution doesn’t introduce any unintended breakdowns. Although I don’t have a specific timeline today, I will share further information here once we’re further down the road.

In the meantime, please keep the feedback coming. You are the ones we’re working so hard for. The staff who monitor the forums are here to advocate for your needs, so rest assured that our product managers and quality assurance team are aware of this issue and are working to address the concerns you’ve raised.

Thank you for the comments on this topic.  I wish I had looked at this before I just got a high res. notebook, part of which was to run Storyline.  This is a big issue that I hope you will resolve sooner than later.

I am LIVID about this! How can they make a product that does not work on modern computers? Perhaps I should run out and buy a Commodore 64.

In the past five days I have spent $4500 on a new laptop, Storyline 2, the Platinum support plan (which also does not work, cannot access any 24/7 support) and the Yukon virtual training, which starts tomorrow. It is too late to get my money back. I was about to buy Adobe Captivate as well but according to the reply above in the chain that will have the same problem. How do you not warn people of this when they are paying you $1400??

I tried the solution Articulate offered above for Windows 10. It did not solve the problem, it just made everything on my screen too small to read.

Learning and using this software affects my chances for employment as I apply for training positions in the fall. THIS was the time I had set aside for training and practicing with this software. 

If this is not fixed immediately I expect Articulate to fully reimburse me not only for the software and the platinum plan but the $1195 for the Yukon training as well.

Hi Rob,

Thank you for reaching out here, and I do see that you were able to get into the PMP live chat with Jonathan which is accessible 24/5, Monday - Friday (24 hours per day, U.S. Eastern Time), our general support email and contact form here is accessible and monitored 24/7. 

I also see that Jonathan sent your case along to our Sales Support team so they'll be in touch with you shortly as well. Please feel free to let us know here or as a part of your case if you need any additional assistance. 

Jonathan at tech support was able to find a stop-gap solution. One must lower the resolution on their screen to under 2000.  The solution mentioned above by Articulate for Windows 10 does not work. It just makes everything on your PC too small to read.

I was able to get Storyline big enough by going to 1440 x 900 on my new laptop. The 1600s did not get it big enough and anything lower was too blurry. You should experiment with your device to determine what setting works best.

But this is important: After you change the screen resolution (see screenshot below) you have to restart your computer to trigger the changes in Storyline. Also, you will lose some screen width of your desktop. The working desktop space on my new 15 inch screen is now the size of my old 13 inch laptop screen, which rather defeats the purpose of buying it. So I urge Articulate to continue to work on a solution to this problem (and offer a free upgrade for it) as I doubt companies will be selling many low res laptops from here on.

Articulate Customer Care was very responsive and offered to reimburse me for the software as well as the training if I found this solution unworkable. I have decided to make do and keep it. Admittedly, it was a brighter morning than the night before.

What a waste to see two years after I first posted about the problem Articulate still have not corrected it. I have had only headache after headache with Articulate in this regard, for two years now. Very disappointed. 

Rob, thanks for coming back to this forum discussion to share the update and interim workaround you're able to use. I'm glad that Jonathan and Ann were able to assist and please feel free to let us know if you need anything else. 

Is there any update on when there might be a solution for this? Otherwise I have wasted a huge amount of money on a laptop that none of my files work on and I'm really stuck - I can't get any files to display properly and am really stuck!

Hi Tom!

I do not have an update to provide outside of what you see here. Did you check out the details that Rob shared above from our support team?

Thanks - I did see the reply, but I just haven't managed to get it to work on my Surface Book and it is a big issue for me. Also with most devices now supporting the higher resolution, it must be a problem for potential customers. I've recommended Articulate to a couple of major organisations in the UK, but they had similar issues and have gone with a rival product, which is a shame because Storyline is great otherwise. This seems to have been an issue for some time and is rising as screen resolutions improve and creating and update that resolves this would surely be vital to not risk loss of future customers?
I would really appreciate any feedback on whether an update that can resolve this is underway and when it might be released?
Thank you
Tom

Sent from my iPhone

Hi Tom,

Thanks for reaching out here. I'm not sure if you've seen some of my previous responses about this issue, but there is one earlier in this discussion. I don't have an update to share yet, or a timeline to offer - but I hope to have some additional information to share with you soon. As I mentioned earlier our team was evaluating a few different approaches and we are continuing to do so after receiving some feedback from a few targeted users and internal staff. So we continue to keep the ball rolling on our side...just not a lot more to share publicly yet. 

I've tried all the solutions above and although the visibility of the screen is fine, when I open all my existing files the text and graphics are all over the place and positioning of all objects is messed up. I'm not worried about how small things look in editing, but I need to work on my files without all positioning of objects being messed up. Please can someone offer a possible to solution as I'm really stuck. Like I said, I've tried the solutions above and other than making toolbars easier to read on an HD screen, they don't solve the main problem.