• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

TVsGuides

Ultimate guides on TVs

  • Tips & Tricks
  • Comparisons
  • Tweak & Repair
  • Cables & Connections
  • Stands and Mounts
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Televisions / Tweak & Repair / How to Fix Squeezed, Stretched, Cropped, or Zoomed TV Pictures

How to Fix Squeezed, Stretched, Cropped, or Zoomed TV Pictures

February 8, 2021 By Kenny

Have you ever watched television and noticed something was off with the picture? Perhaps the characters were pointing to an action or object, but it seemed to be just off-screen? Or maybe the proportions looked off with everything appearing squatty or squished?

The picture is stretched on a TV

This image distortion is a common problem, but straightforward solutions will get your show or movie back to looking its best.

Why Does This Happen?

Not all media filmed in the same format, and sometimes that format and your television conflict with how to display it.

Here are some quick examples:

  • Entertainment before the early 2000s filmed in 4:3 aspect ratio because TVs used to be square. Your modern flat screen is a rectangular 16:9 aspect ratio and will likely zoom the image to fill the screen or leave black bars along the sides.
  • A trick that motion picture companies used with their VHS and DVD releases years ago was automatically formatting the picture. You’ve likely seen the text, “We have modified the picture to fit this screen,” before the beginning of an older movie. The problem is that your television will likely also try to modify the picture, which creates problems.

Common Picture Problems

  • Squeezed – the actors and scenery look too tall and skinny.
  • Cropped – not all the picture is visible, and one side of the frame appears cut-out of view.
  • Stretched – the objects or people on the screen appear too short and wide.
  • Zoomed– the characters and text appear blurry, and not everything fits within the screen.

How to Fix It

If you suspect you’re experiencing one of these issues, there are a few ways to solve the problem.

Step 1: Locate your televisions remote control and press the menu or settings button.

Step 2: Go to the Display/Picture options and press enter.

Display/Picture options

Step 3: You should see an option to select the aspect ratio. For modern flat screens, you should choose 16:9.

16:9 aspect ratio

Another Possible Solution

Step 1: Follow steps 1 through 2 from the first solution, and you should be at the Display Settings Menu.

Step 2: Look for any picture adjustment option that may have selections like “zoom.”

Step 3: Make sure you select “none” or “normal” picture adjustment options.

Check Your Media Player

If neither of the above two solutions worked for you, there is hope. The problem could rest with your DVD, Blu-Ray, or streaming device. When first setting up your device, you likely went through a process to adjust the image size to your television.

If you’re like most people, you may have quickly skipped past this step. The default image size you selected with your media device may be off to the point it’s affecting the picture.

How to Fix the Issue on Your Media Player

Step 1: Go to the options menu of your Blu-ray or streaming player.

Step 2: Look for display settings (or advanced settings depending on the device).

Step 3: Look for an option that describes “screen size” or “format screen.”

If no option is present, you may have to go back through the setup process to adjust. You should have an option to “setup” the device and then carefully match your television screen size when prompted.

Filed Under: Tweak & Repair

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to TVsGuides!

Here, we hope to give helpful guides, resources, and up-to-date information on televisions and their accessories. Troubleshooting guides, features and technique explanation are also our focus. More about us

Popular posts

  • TV is Blank or Black Screen
    TV is Blank or Black Screen: Causes & Tips You Can Try to Repair
  • 10 Most Popular TV Screen Sizes
  • 65″ Vs 75″ TV: Is it Right or Too Big For You?
  • TV wifi connection failed
    Smart TV Keeps Losing Wifi – Problems and Ways to Fix
  • 55 vs 65 inch tv
    55″ vs 65″ TV Comparison – Things to Consider

More from TVsGuides

projector vs tv

Modern Projector Vs. TV: Comparative Guide on Their Advantages and Disadvantages

40 inch tv dementions

40-inch TV Dimensions and Viewing Distance

Connecting a TV to Wifi Without Remote

How To Connect TV To Wifi Without Remote

32-inch TV dementions

32-inch TV Dimensions and Viewing Distance

My TV Won’t Turn On – Problems and Fixes

Footer

TVsGuides.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
  • About TVsGuides
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Copyright © 2023 · TVsGuides.com