Develop Bugs

[INFO][HOWTO] Official Galaxy Nexus LCD Density Modding Thread

***REQUIRES ROOT***
This thread will serve as a discussion for modifying the LCD Density of the Samsung Glaxy Nexus. Stock density is 320 dpi, and the preferred modded density is 240 dpi. Please feel free to discuss lcd density, and notify me of anything you want added to the list.
Why modify the lcd density of your phone? Simple answer: more screen real estate.
1. How to modify you lcd density
Note: You can always go back to 320 dpi at any time by following these same steps and putting 320 back in for 240!
240 dpi is the recommended modded dpi for the Galaxy Nexus. You can however set it to whatever you want. Just know that many dpi's will cause the on screen buttons to disappear, and even possibly cause the launcher to crash. In both cases you can use the adb method to restore to 240 or 320.
241 dpi is also a good number to try. It fixes the problems some apps have when running at 240 dpi. Credit goes to g33k3r. However it will cause market incompatibilities. Read #6 to fix this.
246 will fix the contact widget, and quick contact, but it will use the old style contact info which shows a large contact image above their info, not small and to the side. Credit goes to maddler.
250 dpi OR 260 dpi OR 280 dpi are also good values if you would like a smaller than stock value, but 240 is too small for you.
Method 1 (Using an app):
Download LCD Density Modder (Free) / LCD Density Modder Pro from market. Set density to 240 or 241, apply, then reboot. There are multiple different apps that can change your dpi, but this app is guaranteed to work on the Galaxy Nexus.
Method 2 (Modify a file):
Using Root File Explorer or a similar program, modify /system/build.prop file (must mount /system as r/w).
Replace:
ro.sf.lcd_density=320
With:
ro.sf.lcd_density=240
Save and reboot.
Method 3 (Using adb):
adb pull /system/build.prop C:/build.prop
In build.prop, replace:
ro.sf.lcd_density=320
With:
ro.sf.lcd_density=240
adb remount
adb push C:/build.prop /system/build.prop
Reboot phone.
2. Apps where UI is different on 240 dpi (for better or worse, ui elements have been rearranged, but none are broken)
Launcher: Home screen icons are still 4x4 and squished into the center of the screen. App drawer and Widget drawer do not fill. There is a mod that fixes this in this thread: FIX HERE
Market: Now has 2 columns instead of one when listing apps.
Gmail: Quick access icons have been romved from the bottom and placed on the top. Only first two icons are visible, other are collapsed into the drop down menu.
People: Contact info now has a two column layout: a small icon of contact on left (static) with all of the contact info as a scrolling pane on the right (no visible divider). Favorite contact icons are much smaller.
3. Apps where UI is broken, but still useable
Sports Tracker: Some interface items dont stretch to fill the screen.
ADW /ADW Ex Launcher: There is a blue line and a menu icon above the homescreen at all times.
Speedtest.net: App shows up centered on screen, not filling whole screen.
Kindle: It still works but the text is now centered in the middle and there is a large amount of paddling around it.
4. Apps where UI is completely broken
Music: App displays incorrectly at 240 dpi. Run at 241 to fix this
5. Android UI glitches
Sometimes when selecting text the menu bar on the top of the screen will have a weird blue streak across it.
Stock ICS keyboard the popup when you press a key seems like it gets clipped off a little on the bottom.
Clicking the picture of a contact either from the people app, or from a 1x1 contact widget you no longer get the quick access popup, instead it is now the person's contact picture blown up to full screen and half cut off on the right side.
6. Market apps incompatable with device (according to market)
None that I know of. Since 240 dpi is a standard dpi for most android phones, I don't envision very many apps being incompabile. If you find an app that the market say is incompatible, you can try setting your density back to 320 temporarily in order to download it.
For those with market issues on a non-standard dpi (241, 250, 260, 280 etc.), try this:
1. Boot your phone into 320 or 240 dpi mode (depending on which kind of compatibility you want).
2. Find the Market app under manage apps. Click uninstall updates, clear data, clear cache.
3. Find Market Updater under manage apps and click Disable.
4. Open Market and accept terms of service.
5. Change dpi back to 241 and reboot.
Alternatively, LCD Density Modder Pro has the ability to download and install a modded market apk to fix market compatibility issues.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
7. Apps that crash (with possible workarounds)
Youtube: Will crash on start. Open from landscape mode! Youtube will not crash if openened in landscape mode. You can also open youtube links from the browser and other apps just fine.
8. Before and After Photos (320 dpi on left, 240 dpi on right):
***CLICK ANY SCREENSHOT TO VIEW FULL SIZE!***
Settings:
People:
Contact Info (note that the bottom bar has merged into the top bar):
Android Market:

***RESERVED***

can you provide a screenshot?
like a before/after pic.

I think this is crazy.
The stock DPI is amazing.
Get an SGSII if you want an old-school resolution or have bad eyes.
My stock DPI is absolutely beautiful...

ericshmerick said:
I think this is crazy.
The stock DPI is amazing.
Get an SGSII if you want an old-school resolution or have bad eyes.
My stock DPI is absolutely beautiful...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are completely missing the point. On Android when you change the DPI, you are essentially telling android the size at which to "scale" all objects on the screen. Notice how the Galaxy Nexus has a 720p screen yet you can only fit 4x4 icons on the desktop like the Galaxy S2? Well that is because the 320 dpi is telling android to scale those things bigger. Setting it to 240 dpi will make everything smaller and give you more screen "real estate". The resolution is still 720p.
You mention having bad eyes, but when you lower the dpi you actually need GOOD eyes because everything is smaller and harder to read if you have bad eyes.
paOol said:
can you provide a screenshot?
like a before/after pic.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am going to post some screenshots later today.

YouTube crashes on launch for me when set to 240 DPI. I have not performed a wipe, though I have tried wiping the settings and cache for the app.

LadFromWales85 said:
YouTube crashes on launch for me when set to 240 DPI. I have not performed a wipe, though I have tried wiping the settings and cache for the app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah yes, thanks for reminding me. YT crashes for me as well, however if you have the widget you can click one of the videos and it will open that video. You can search for videos from there, but you cant access the home page for some reason.
EDIT: It turns out if you open youtube in landscape mode it will work!

Well thx for the Tip with the density. But however...When I start DPI Changer I get an error "Unable to read configuration file"
Any ideas?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using My Thumb...

Kizura said:
Well thx for the Tip with the density. But however...When I start DPI Changer I get an error "Unable to read configuration file"
Any ideas?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using My Thumb...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you rooted? This requires root.

for sure iam rooted...it was the first thing i have done... and i have ARHD Custom rom installed.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

Kizura said:
for sure iam rooted...it was the first thing i have done... and i have ARHD Custom rom installed.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you have Root File Explorer? You can use the second method i listed to change the build.prop file. You can also use adb to pull the file locally, edit it, and push it back to the phone.

Oh ok then I will do it manually
I will report back soon ...I hope xD
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus
Edit: Ok this is more awesome as it was on my DHD !!!
Really thank you for that great Tip and the Help

Kizura said:
Oh ok then I will do it manually
I will report back soon ...I hope xD
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus
Edit: Ok this is more awesome as it was on my DHD !!!
Really thank you for that great Tip and the Help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome. Make sure to check out my modified home screen launcher to get the full effect:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1390935
Also, if you find any apps that don't display properly or something else is wrong with them (when running in 240 dpi), please post back in this thread to help inform others.

Mhh I use adb launcher... but on top of the screen is now a blue horizontal line with the three dots for options on the right side....
Will your mod take care of this? I hope you know what I mean...
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

Kizura said:
Mhh I use adb launcher... but on top of the screen is now a blue horizontal line with the three dots for options on the right side....
Will your mod take care of this? I hope you know what I mean...
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have ADW Ex launcher and i see that as well. It is the default titlebar and menu system for apps in ICS. Did you experience this when in 320 dpi as well or only in 240? I haven't tested it in 320.
And no, my mod only affects the stock launcher so it will not fix your problem.

No with 320 dpi that line doesn't appear its there since I have 240 Dpi...
Tested your Launcher replacement...
Great Work
But as you said it will not fix this "line affect" in adw
Maybe in a future update in adw launcher it will be fixed.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

I added photos to the main post now. Click on any photo to view the original size image!

Awesome, really cool. Trying it out today to see if I like it.
Another noticed bug - if you have a contact on your home screen (single icon version), which normally pops up the quick box for the contact, this now just seems to pop up their display picture and nothing else.

I see what you mean about the contact. It also happens when in the people app and you click their picture. I added it to the first post. thanks.

I thought changing the DPI would enable the ICS for tablets UI?

[How-To/Guide] Change your LCD Density Setting For More Screen Real Estate

I posted a similar guide for my Galaxy SII, so I figured I would share the love here. Hopefully this helps out a few folks who want to better utilize the amazing screen on the GSIII. I am manually copying this from my post in the now closed combined GSIII forums. Please feel free to comment and make suggestions and please "thank" if you appreciate the post!
General Info for Beginners:
The Galaxy SIII comes with a gorgeous 4.8 inch, 1280 x 720 (albeit pentile) screen. As great as the screen looks, I couldn't help but feel that there is a lot of "wasted space" at the existing resolution. The best example of this fact is the app drawers default 4 x 5 layout. In my opinion, things look much better when the the icons are a bit smaller and more tightly grouped. For those that feel the same way, there is a simple build.prop edit you can do to "trick" you phone to thinking it is set to a higher resolution
How-To Change the Density Setting:
To accomplish this, all you have to do is change the build.prop setting for "ro.sf.lcd_density". There are multiple programs out there that makes this much easier but I have found the best results with "ROM Toolbox". Feel free to buy the full version to support the dev but if all you are looking to do is change the density setting, the lite version will do just fine.
1. download and install "ROM Toolbox" from the Google Play Store
2. go to the "Performance" tab
3. click "build.prop tweaks"
4. change the "LCD Density" slider to whatever DPI you like
5. reboot
As mentioned, there are multiple programs out there but based on my personal experiences, DO NOT USE "LCD DENSITY MODDER" from the play store. This app is known to cause soft-bricks/bootloops. However, I have been told that LCD Density Modder CAN still help with the Play Store app issue, but you will have to buy the pro version for that feature. Thanks uber_mike! (more on that later)
What Setting to Choose:
This is matter of personal opinion so try out different setups and see what you like best. Remember, the lower you set the number, the smaller your icons/text will appear but will also give you more screen real estate. I suggest starting from about 280 or so and working your way down and find something you like.
You may also notice that text and icons appear less sharp when messing with these settings. Keep in mind that because you are not truly changing your screen resolution, the translation will not be perfect. Personally, given the natural sharpness of AMOLED screens, I think most people while not be bothered by this or even notice.
"Phone Mode" vs "Tablet Mode"
As some posters have reported, going to 240 dpi or below will result in Android thinking your device is a tablet. I have been running 240 for a few days now and I'm loving it. In my opinion, may apps look a lot better in Tablet mode but if there are certain phone only apps you MUST have, please keep this in mind.
Potential Issues and Workarounds:
You will inevitably run into some compatibility issues so here are few final thoughts
Which ROM to use?
TouchWiz-based Roms: All roms based on stock Samsung TW for the GSIII were written with only the native resolution in mind. This means that certain apps and aspects of the OS will not scale well with a higher resolution::
- TouchWiz UX Launcher: If you are dead-set on using the default TW launcher, this mod may not be for you. The proportions will look way off and because you cannot edit things like margin or grid layout, it is not fixable. Aftermarket launchers like Apex handle the conversion much better (more on that later)
- The Phone Dialer: The dialer looks like small box that fills up only a portion of the screen. To resolve, you can use an aftermarket dialer app like "exDialer" from the Play Store
- TW E-mail App: The TW e-mail app (not gmail) also doesn't scale well. You can flash the AOSP version of e-mail as a workaround
- Stock Camera App: You will notice some of the border coloring and margins doesn't scale very well but the functionality is still perfect
- Notification Bar: I have noticed the little lines in the pull-down become off-center after you adjust the dpi. Again, a minor annoyance which doesn't effect functionality
- Twitter:*You may have profile pictures show up in 2 different sizes (Thanks Msilvame!)
Some additional feedback from other posters(thanks mhtruth!) but note that I personally do not have all of these issues
*status bar quick toggles DON'T scroll (stuck with just the 1st 5)
*status bar "remove all (X)" missing (swiping still works)
* in call speaker boost doesn't work...(only stops you from hearing not the person on the other end)
* some apps go into tablet mode (ex. HBO GO)
AOSP ROMs: CM9 and AOKP handle the conversion a bit better. You won't run into the dialer or e-mail issue like with TW ROMs but there are still some bugs.
- Certain pictures of contacts may appear too zoomed in, i.e. messaging notification pictures or the favorites tab
- Other aspects of the OS may become hard to read when scaled down so much, i.e. lock screen add-on buttons, notification pull down buttons
- I recently had a chance to mess with some JB ROMs and found that the lockscreen slider/phone answer slider does not scale well and is oriented towards the right of the screen. Boo
The Play Store Doesn't Show All Apps? - This is the biggest pain in the a$$ when you mess with the lcd density settings. There is a bug in the play store that prevents you from seeing certain apps when you change the lcd settings away from default.
I have seen a few "hacked" versions of the vending.apk out there that makes the play store think you are always set to a stock dpi but for some reason, this only works for a little while. LCD Density Modder Pro has a feature where it can install a "fixed" Play Store app that can help with this issue also, but there is also a workaround.
Here are the steps to get the market working again:
1. Change LCD Density back to stock (320)
2. Reboot to take effect
3. Clear the data for the Google Play Store AND Google Services Framework
4. Open the Play Store app and you should see everything again
5. Change LCD density back to whatever you like.
6. Reboot
I know this is a bit cumbersome but it's the best solution for now. I haven't quite nailed down what triggers the market to "break" but hopefully you won't have to do this fix too often. In opinion, this small annoyance is worth it.
Also, one thing I noticed when using Rom Toolbox is that after you set your dpi to a lower setting using the "build.prop tweaks" menu, if you go back and try to set it to the stock 320, it will max out at 280 or so. Not sure why this is the case but to do this manually, go to "build.prop editor" instead and change the "ro.sf.lcd_density" to 320.
I have been told that setting your dpi to 240 will also help with Play Store issues, since 240 is a stock resolution on other devices (GSII comes to mind). Feel free to try this out, but the size of icons and fonts may be a bit too small for some tastes (thanks DutchDogg54 and chakra!)
Everything Looks Too "Stretched Out"? - Having an aftermarket launcher will help with this tremendously, as the TW launcher does not scale well at all. I personally use Apex Launcher and there are some settings you can change to make the proportions look better
1. Homescreen Settings: Change the Vertical and Horizontal margins to medium or large
2. Dock Settings: Same as above.
You may also want to mess with different homescreen grid configurations now that you have extra room. I have bumped up mine to 5 x 5 and it looks great.
Bumping up the font size can also help even things out. At 240 dpi, I put mine to "normal", but at stock I used "tiny" (thanks falconator!)
List of all the ICS compatible launchers that will work for this mod:
- Apex Launcher (my fave)
- Nova Launcher
- Go Launcher
- Atom Launcher (new!)
- Holo Launcher (new!)
And that's it. I hope this will help you out so that you won't have to go through all the trial and error I did. I promise you, after you do this, it will be impossible for you to go back to the stock resolution (everything looks HUGE)
Update: I have added some of my and mhtruth's screenshots for those who are interested. I also added a screenshot of HBO GO in tablet mode
My setup:
- 240 dpi (Tablet Mode)
- AOKP M6 R3, Black Exodus Theme
- Apex Launcher
- Homescreen: 6 x 5 grid, Horizontal Margin: Medium, Vertical Margin: Large
- Dock: Horizontal Margin: Large, Vertical Margin: Medium
- Font Size: "Normal"
Feel free to show off your own homescreen screenshots! I will update OP and add yours too!

I was just complaining about this to myself this morning. Thank you for sharing this. I'm definitely going to try messing with this.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app

I find that ROM toolbox is kind of buggy on the GS3.

There use to be an app o the market that did this and it stuck on boot. I hate messing with build prop myself. Someone should whip up a new app.
-me being lazy lol
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app

Update:
Since 8/10 I have been running the AMAZING Paranoid Android ROM and I am in love with this. For anyone who liked the LCD Density Mod posted above, you should definitely check out this ROM. I got to experience it just a bit with my GSII and continue to be impressed with my GSIII.
I suggest you try "Phablet" Mode at first. The advantage to this ROM is that it allows you to individually adjust the density of each app separately as well as prevents market incompatibility issues. This is a MUST for people who like things at a setting other than 240.
Hope this helps!

Stuck in boot
after 3 hours of getting it rooted, i got the density app, i may of gotten the lcd density modder , i didnt know there was 2 kinds. but i put it to 200, rebooted and now i try to turn on and it goes to samsung logo but then just turns off again, what do i do?

Well, if it didnt back up your build.prop then the easiest thing would be to flash a rom.
Or if you have a nandroid restore just the system part.
Otherwise plug up to your computer and oull your build.prop, set it back to default and push it back to system.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app

I'm running AOKP milestone 1 on my SGSIII, when I change my density I get screen flashes. Is this the incompatibility your talking about? I've tried different DPIs with the same result. I've used the density changer built into ROM control, as well as ROM toolbox, both with the same results. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

Let me make a few notes:
First, stock ics touchwiz ROMs do not like anything lower than 240. This means any ROM that is touchwiz based off stock ics will result in boot loops.. trust me been there -.-
Secondly, don't waste your money on the LCD density mod app to fix the market. I've already fixed the market. Just flash my zip found [MOD][APP][UPDATE 3.10.10] 320DPI GoogleServicesFramework and google play and you should be golden. Don't have a custom recovery, then extract the files from the zip and use a root file browser to copy them to the system/app directory.
Oh and 240 isn't tablet mode. I'm currently at 210 and it's not tablet mode.. I don't remember what it was.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

So..... Any recommendations on the screen flashing after changing the density?

elterible said:
I posted a similar guide for my Galaxy SII, so I figured I would share the love here. Hopefully this helps out a few folks who want to better utilize the amazing screen on the GSIII. I am manually copying this from my post in the now closed combined GSIII forums. Please feel free to comment and make suggestions and please "thank" if you appreciate the post!
General Info for Beginners:
The Galaxy SIII comes with a gorgeous 4.8 inch, 1280 x 720 (albeit pentile) screen. As great as the screen looks, I couldn't help but feel that there is a lot of "wasted space" at the existing resolution. The best example of this fact is the app drawers default 4 x 5 layout. In my opinion, things look much better when the the icons are a bit smaller and more tightly grouped. For those that feel the same way, there is a simple build.prop edit you can do to "trick" you phone to thinking it is set to a higher resolution
How-To Change the Density Setting:
To accomplish this, all you have to do is change the build.prop setting for "ro.sf.lcd_density". There are multiple programs out there that makes this much easier but I have found the best results with "ROM Toolbox". Feel free to buy the full version to support the dev but if all you are looking to do is change the density setting, the lite version will do just fine.
1. download and install "ROM Toolbox" from the Google Play Store
2. go to the "Performance" tab
3. click "build.prop tweaks"
4. change the "LCD Density" slider to whatever DPI you like
5. reboot
As mentioned, there are multiple programs out there but based on my personal experiences, DO NOT USE "LCD DENSITY MODDER" from the play store. This app is known to cause soft-bricks/bootloops. However, I have been told that LCD Density Modder CAN still help with the Play Store app issue, but you will have to buy the pro version for that feature. Thanks uber_mike! (more on that later)
What Setting to Choose:
This is matter of personal opinion so try out different setups and see what you like best. Remember, the lower you set the number, the smaller your icons/text will appear but will also give you more screen real estate. I suggest starting from about 280 or so and working your way down and find something you like.
You may also notice that text and icons appear less sharp when messing with these settings. Keep in mind that because you are not truly changing your screen resolution, the translation will not be perfect. Personally, given the natural sharpness of AMOLED screens, I think most people while not be bothered by this or even notice.
"Phone Mode" vs "Tablet Mode"
As some posters have reported, going to 240 dpi or below will result in Android thinking your device is a tablet. I have been running 240 for a few days now and I'm loving it. In my opinion, may apps look a lot better in Tablet mode but if there are certain phone only apps you MUST have, please keep this in mind.
Potential Issues and Workarounds:
You will inevitably run into some compatibility issues so here are few final thoughts
Which ROM to use?
TouchWiz-based Roms: All roms based on stock Samsung TW for the GSIII were written with only the native resolution in mind. This means that certain apps and aspects of the OS will not scale well with a higher resolution::
- TouchWiz UX Launcher: If you are dead-set on using the default TW launcher, this mod may not be for you. The proportions will look way off and because you cannot edit things like margin or grid layout, it is not fixable. Aftermarket launchers like Apex handle the conversion much better (more on that later)
- The Phone Dialer: The dialer looks like small box that fills up only a portion of the screen. To resolve, you can use an aftermarket dialer app like "exDialer" from the Play Store
- TW E-mail App: The TW e-mail app (not gmail) also doesn't scale well. You can flash the AOSP version of e-mail as a workaround
- Stock Camera App: You will notice some of the border coloring and margins doesn't scale very well but the functionality is still perfect
- Notification Bar: I have noticed the little lines in the pull-down become off-center after you adjust the dpi. Again, a minor annoyance which doesn't effect functionality
- Twitter:*You may have profile pictures show up in 2 different sizes (Thanks Msilvame!)
Some additional feedback from other posters(thanks mhtruth!) but note that I personally do not have all of these issues
*status bar quick toggles DON'T scroll (stuck with just the 1st 5)
*status bar "remove all (X)" missing (swiping still works)
* in call speaker boost doesn't work...(only stops you from hearing not the person on the other end)
* some apps go into tablet mode (ex. HBO GO)
AOSP ROMs: CM9 and AOKP handle the conversion a bit better. You won't run into the dialer or e-mail issue like with TW ROMs but there are still some bugs.
- Certain pictures of contacts may appear too zoomed in, i.e. messaging notification pictures or the favorites tab
- Other aspects of the OS may become hard to read when scaled down so much, i.e. lock screen add-on buttons, notification pull down buttons
- I recently had a chance to mess with some JB ROMs and found that the lockscreen slider/phone answer slider does not scale well and is oriented towards the right of the screen. Boo
The Play Store Doesn't Show All Apps? - This is the biggest pain in the a$$ when you mess with the lcd density settings. There is a bug in the play store that prevents you from seeing certain apps when you change the lcd settings away from default.
I have seen a few "hacked" versions of the vending.apk out there that makes the play store think you are always set to a stock dpi but for some reason, this only works for a little while. LCD Density Modder Pro has a feature where it can install a "fixed" Play Store app that can help with this issue also, but there is also a workaround.
Here are the steps to get the market working again:
1. Change LCD Density back to stock (320)
2. Reboot to take effect
3. Clear the data for the Google Play Store AND Google Services Framework
4. Open the Play Store app and you should see everything again
5. Change LCD density back to whatever you like.
6. Reboot
I know this is a bit cumbersome but it's the best solution for now. I haven't quite nailed down what triggers the market to "break" but hopefully you won't have to do this fix too often. In opinion, this small annoyance is worth it.
Also, one thing I noticed when using Rom Toolbox is that after you set your dpi to a lower setting using the "build.prop tweaks" menu, if you go back and try to set it to the stock 320, it will max out at 280 or so. Not sure why this is the case but to do this manually, go to "build.prop editor" instead and change the "ro.sf.lcd_density" to 320.
I have been told that setting your dpi to 240 will also help with Play Store issues, since 240 is a stock resolution on other devices (GSII comes to mind). Feel free to try this out, but the size of icons and fonts may be a bit too small for some tastes (thanks DutchDogg54 and chakra!)
Everything Looks Too "Stretched Out"? - Having an aftermarket launcher will help with this tremendously, as the TW launcher does not scale well at all. I personally use Apex Launcher and there are some settings you can change to make the proportions look better
1. Homescreen Settings: Change the Vertical and Horizontal margins to medium or large
2. Dock Settings: Same as above.
You may also want to mess with different homescreen grid configurations now that you have extra room. I have bumped up mine to 5 x 5 and it looks great.
Bumping up the font size can also help even things out. At 240 dpi, I put mine to "normal", but at stock I used "tiny" (thanks falconator!)
List of all the ICS compatible launchers that will work for this mod:
- Apex Launcher (my fave)
- Nova Launcher
- Go Launcher
- Atom Launcher (new!)
- Holo Launcher (new!)
And that's it. I hope this will help you out so that you won't have to go through all the trial and error I did. I promise you, after you do this, it will be impossible for you to go back to the stock resolution (everything looks HUGE)
Update: I have added some of my and mhtruth's screenshots for those who are interested. I also added a screenshot of HBO GO in tablet mode
My setup:
- 240 dpi (Tablet Mode)
- AOKP M6 R3, Black Exodus Theme
- Apex Launcher
- Homescreen: 6 x 5 grid, Horizontal Margin: Medium, Vertical Margin: Large
- Dock: Horizontal Margin: Large, Vertical Margin: Medium
- Font Size: "Normal"
Feel free to show off your own homescreen screenshots! I will update OP and add yours too!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im running a stock rom on a Chinese phone (W9208) and i dont have LCD density...apps dont work either...is there hope for me?

rndm said:
Im running a stock rom on a Chinese phone (W9208) and i dont have LCD density...apps dont work either...is there hope for me?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not too familiar with that model. pardon me if this is a stupid question but i'm assuming you mean "stock android"?
if so, then you're fine. download an app that will let you change the LCD density manually in the buildprop (i.e. Rom Toolbox). find the line "ro.sf.lcd_density" and change to whatever you like.
The tricky part here is to find the right number. I wrote this guide a while back for my Galaxy S3, which ran 320 dpi natively at it's 720p resolution. To achieve tablet mode (and retain compatibility with the Google Playstore), I changed it to 240. My current device (nexus 5) runs 1080p which has a stock dpi of 480. To achieve tablet mode, i changed to 320. Does this make sense? Again, it's tricky b/c i'm not sure what resolution your phone is
Well, i hope this helps, good luck!

elterible said:
I'm not too familiar with that model. pardon me if this is a stupid question but i'm assuming you mean "stock android"?
if so, then you're fine. download an app that will let you change the LCD density manually in the buildprop (i.e. Rom Toolbox). find the line "ro.sf.lcd_density" and change to whatever you like.
The tricky part here is to find the right number. I wrote this guide a while back for my Galaxy S3, which ran 320 dpi natively at it's 720p resolution. To achieve tablet mode (and retain compatibility with the Google Playstore), I changed it to 240. My current device (nexus 5) runs 1080p which has a stock dpi of 480. To achieve tablet mode, i changed to 320. Does this make sense? Again, it's tricky b/c i'm not sure what resolution your phone is
Well, i hope this helps, good luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wish it was stock android:crying:
Star's (Chinese manufacturer) manipulation of android to copy Samsung's touchwiz.
my device is 720p and has a 6.4 inch screen...hence me wanting to change the dpi...not sure what the dpi currently is but the drop-down status bar toggles labels are squashed.
I rooted and installed loads of dpi apps and none worked. Then I looked for "ro.sf.lcd_density" and realised I don't have one in my build prop. Know any fixes?

rndm said:
I wish it was stock android:crying:
Star's (Chinese manufacturer) manipulation of android to copy Samsung's touchwiz.
my device is 720p and has a 6.4 inch screen...hence me wanting to change the dpi...not sure what the dpi currently is but the drop-down status bar toggles labels are squashed.
I rooted and installed loads of dpi apps and none worked. Then I looked for "ro.sf.lcd_density" and realised I don't have one in my build prop. Know any fixes?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you should be able to manually add in the line yourself.
but a word of warning, given that i have no experience with "Star" and no idea what version of android is on there, I would proceed with caution if you do that
since you have it rooted, is there any way you can flash a completely stock custom version of android on there? is there any development support for it here on XDA?

rndm said:
I wish it was stock android:crying:
Star's (Chinese manufacturer) manipulation of android to copy Samsung's touchwiz.
my device is 720p and has a 6.4 inch screen...hence me wanting to change the dpi...not sure what the dpi currently is but the drop-down status bar toggles labels are squashed.
I rooted and installed loads of dpi apps and none worked. Then I looked for "ro.sf.lcd_density" and realised I don't have one in my build prop. Know any fixes?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can use "Build.prop Editor" app and add that entry yourself. That's least painful way.

Perseus71 said:
You can use "Build.prop Editor" app and add that entry yourself. That's least painful way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great didn't know I could do that, however i might leave it now...
I installed texdroider and I couldn't type any numbers in the dpi change box (probably because it directly edits the lcd density registry, which i didn't have)
Then after that I installed LCD density modder app which put my phone into a bootloop after setting 300dpi
So I assume even after adding the entry I wont have much room to play with anyway?
---------- Post added at 10:37 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:35 AM ----------
elterible said:
you should be able to manually add in the line yourself.
but a word of warning, given that i have no experience with "Star" and no idea what version of android is on there, I would proceed with caution if you do that
since you have it rooted, is there any way you can flash a completely stock custom version of android on there? is there any development support for it here on XDA?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tried searching Mediatek LCD desnsity change but to no avail. Thanks anyway.

rockyhas said:
after 3 hours of getting it rooted, i got the density app, i may of gotten the lcd density modder , i didnt know there was 2 kinds. but i put it to 200, rebooted and now i try to turn on and it goes to samsung logo but then just turns off again, what do i do?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As mentioned, there are multiple programs out there but based on my personal experiences, DO NOT USE "LCD DENSITY MODDER" from the play store. This app is known to cause soft-bricks/bootloops. However, I have been told that LCD Density Modder CAN still help with the Play Store app issue, but you will have to buy the pro version for that feature. Thanks uber_mike! (more on that later)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're screwed. Do a reset.

I did the LCD changes through playstore i ddint see this thread and now my phone logo comes but black screen after hard rest nothing working help HTc Sensation xl

[Q] Changing LCD density and customizing the quick launch buttons

I have two questions for you guys about the G Pad 8.3:
1. The default LCD density on this thing is 320 which puts the UI into phone vs. tablet mode (no dual-pane view for Gmail, Email, etc.). The physical density is 273, though, which should activate the tablet (actually phablet) UI. I'm rooted and I've tried changing ro.sf.lcd_density through BuildProp Editor, but on each reboot it reverts to 320. Has anyone else successfully done this? What process (and LCD density value) did you use?
2. Is it possible to customize the quick launch buttons that are activated when you swipe up from the navigation bar? The default ones are Google, Voice Mate, and Quick Memo, and I'd like to change those last two if possible. I can't find anywhere in settings to change those, though.
Thanks much!

The screen density should be easily possible with apps like LCD Density, free on the Play Store (survives one reboot). Alternatively you can also change the dpi for every individual app, by installing the xposed module App Settings.
I don't know a way the quick launch shortcuts can be changed, although there are also apps in the Play Store as well that allow modifications to some extent.

True, I changed the density in build.prop, with editor, restart the tablet has gone a bit 'in bootloop, I rebooted again and everything is restored.
I tried to put 240.

Palux said:
True, I changed the density in build.prop, with editor, restart the tablet has gone a bit 'in bootloop, I rebooted again and everything is restored.
I tried to put 240.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, this tablet seems pretty resistant to changing the LCD density for some reason. Thanks for confirming!

Changing DPI to 540

If you like a tighter crisp viewing experience, I can confirm that adjusting DPI down to 540 is stable.
I use Texdroider DPI, works with 5.1 :good:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.texdroider.texdroider_dpi
WARNING: Be careful, setting too low can bootloop your phone
It's your phone, your responsibility.

Could you maybe upload some screenshots to see how it looks. Im a little worried about getting a bootloop
Sent from my VS986 using XDA Free mobile app

Screenshots
I am experiencing no side effect or lag with DPI change.
On a side note-
There are several Nandroid backup options available, I use online Nandroid Backup w Nandroid Manager

Does this require root>?

wrichards2009 said:
Does this require root>?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes.

By stable, do you mean LG camera works too!? I tried 520 over the weekend and it kept FC, didn't think there was a sweet spot!

@540 camera works great. I haven't taken it down to 520.
Good feedback thanks

Ok, so I did this like I have on any other device by adjusting the build.prop with root explorer and I entered 540. And now I am in a boot loop.. any suggestions?
2 hours later.. had to flash stock firmware.

This is mine at 580. 540 starts to make things a little too small for these old eyes.

JacRyan said:
Screenshots
I am experiencing no side effect or lag with DPI change.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Even shortcuts on the lockscreen?

fr4nk1yn said:
Even shortcuts on the lockscreen?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dont use shortcuts on my lockscreen.
Enabled 5 to test. All sized and working correctly.
Unable to screenshot lockscreen but no issues

JacRyan said:
I dont use shortcuts on my lockscreen.
Enabled 5 to test. All sized and working correctly.
Unable to screenshot lockscreen but no issues
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks. The adb method causes weirdness like blank shorcuts. I may have to break down and root.

540 working great thanks

The only issue I have with 540 is you can no longer switch between saving to the MicroSD card vs internal in the LG camera app.

For the record
If you want to change to 540dpi I would without a doubt use Kernel auditor or Es File Manager. If you edit your build prop with Root Explorer you will boot loop! Root Explorer opens the G3/G4 build prop in a TRuncated mode because the file is too large and when you save that file it will only save the available truncated portion, BE CAREFUL AND PAY ATTENTION. Setting to 540 dpi will not effect anything on your device, all other posts and problems are due to other issues. Please read and save yourself the KDZ flash time, friends.
Thank you

It doesn't require root.
Enable developer mode, and usb debugging.
Use Minimal adb and fastboot
open the folder
shift right click open command prompt from there
type adb shell wm density 540
This works on any device without root

I did 540 dpi today and I have to say I really like it. Everything is a bit smaller now, it has more like a tablet feel rather than a phone. But you get quite a bit more content on the screen, and for myself it's the perfect balance between readability and usability.

endleesss said:
It doesn't require root.
Enable developer mode, and usb debugging.
Use Minimal adb and fastboot
open the folder
shift right click open command prompt from there
type adb shell wm density 540
This works on any device without root
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup this is how I do it. Lowering the DPI was one of the main reasons why I wanted root. Now I don't even care about root. I love the LG software and tweaks so there is not much I would change. I do like some XPOSED Status bar tweaks to do center clock and hide some of the million icons (alarm, nfc, location, vpn, 4G/3G, Cellular strength, WiFi etc.). LG goes overboard with icons man. I just want a 4G/3G+Signal & Battery OR WiFi & Battery. 2 icons max. Plus a clock of course... an option for a Center clock would be awesome.

There is a big difference changing dpi with adb shell wm density vs texdroider_dpi app. For me at least, when i change dpi with adb shell, some apps don't work right, like:
ebay: the menu that shows your profile pic and links to home watching, etc is screwed up
amazon: product pics, when you enlarge, you can't zoom in & out, can only see the top left corner
tinycam: on a single camera view, the video feed is zoome in about 10x
with textdroider, all of those apps work properly. Did anyone else experience this?
I have done 530 with adb command, but not with texdroider, is it safe to change to 530 with texdroider?

They should both be the same output. Although not all density settings are equal. Some settings cause weird issues like what you posted. I think I use 540 and don't experience anything weird.

Changing lcd density (DPI) problem

I'm facing an issue when changing lcd density (DPI) using build.prop editor, some widgets which was working on OP1 CM 11,12,13, are not displayed fine now. also Play store has some resolution issues, like recommended developer icon !
I tried different resolutions (380,400,420,460) all with the same results.
Any clues ?

Don't change DPI globally, that's problem-prone. Instead, install Xposed with module "App settings" and change DPI only for those apps where you want it. (Another advantage is that you even additionally have more flexible options, like changing text size or using the app's tablet UI etc.)

zorro_tmh said:
I'm facing an issue when changing lcd density (DPI) using build.prop editor, some widgets which was working on OP1 CM 11,12,13, are not displayed fine now. also Play store has some resolution issues, like recommended developer icon !
I tried different resolutions (380,400,420,460) all with the same results.
Any clues ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hasenbein196601 said:
Don't change DPI globally, that's problem-prone. Instead, install Xposed with module "App settings" and change DPI only for those apps where you want it. (Another advantage is that you even additionally have more flexible options, like changing text size or using the app's tablet UI etc.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I changed it globally with the app "Le DPI Changer" to 360 and don't have any problems in any app.

440 is great..

i have set the dpi to 380 and have problems in the following apps:
twitter: pictures in tweets have corrupted thumbnails
whatsapp: when you want to crop a picture, it is zoomed in very much and you cannot zoom out so you can only crop 10% of an image
imgur: corrupted thumbnnails too
music player (poweramp) cover art in player notification is zoomed
i think oxygen os handles dpi differently, as i couldnt even find dpi setting in build.prop
i hope someone can fix this bc i would like to stay on oxygen until cm ports etc have dash charging

As I said: No global DPI, but Xposed module "App settings". Then you avoid any problems.

~MaX~ said:
i have set the dpi to 380 and have problems in the following apps:
twitter: pictures in tweets have corrupted thumbnails
whatsapp: when you want to crop a picture, it is zoomed in very much and you cannot zoom out so you can only crop 10% of an image
imgur: corrupted thumbnnails too
music player (poweramp) cover art in player notification is zoomed
i think oxygen os handles dpi differently, as i couldnt even find dpi setting in build.prop
i hope someone can fix this bc i would like to stay on oxygen until cm ports etc have dash charging
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm from the four apps you mentioned I only use WhatsApp, and I just tested out the cropping of a selfie, normal picture and a gallery picture, it works fine for me.
I'm on 360dpi.

Does anyone know the stock dpi value?

numbere said:
Does anyone know the stock dpi value?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
480
Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk

I'm noticing font is pretty big in comparison to another 1080p device I have in my possession. It's DPI is set at 420 and what I'd consider perfect.

crysen said:
I changed it globally with the app "Le DPI Changer" to 360 and don't have any problems in any app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which method in the app did you use? I moved the DPI slider in the app, applied it, rebooted, but nothing changed...
Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk

rickyx32 said:
Which method in the app did you use? I moved the DPI slider in the app, applied it, rebooted, but nothing changed...
Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh right, forgot to mention, use the other method, the slider also didn't work for me.

Users with issues,
try this method:
Create a file called local.prop in the root/data folder with this text in it:
qemu.sf.lcd_density=xxx
xxx = your dpi value
Permissions of that file should be:
rw-r-r--
Reboot.
I did not test it yet on OxygenOS as my device is not unlocked, nor rooted yet.

AcmE85 said:
Users with issues,
try this method:
Create a file called local.prop in the root/data folder with this text in it:
qemu.sf.lcd_density=xxx
xxx = your dpi value
Permissions of that file should be:
rw-r-r--
Reboot.
I did not test it yet on OxygenOS as my device is not unlocked, nor rooted yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That file already exists on mine and already has the desired DPI but it's not having any effect...

rickyx32 said:
That file already exists on mine and already has the desired DPI but it's not having any effect...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Use the Le dpi changer from google play, set dpi value and hit build.prop button. Accept it and reboot.
OP3 by TT

i tried to change dpi with ledpi and now my build.prop file is empty and broken. can someone upload build.prop from latest oxygen os please?
EDIT: default.prop in root can be used as a new build.prop in case u get the same problem as me, no need for upload

Anyone know where I can change DPI manually? I can't find the code in the build.prop. I don't want to rely on whack apps or toolkits...
Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk

rickyx32 said:
Anyone know where I can change DPI manually? I can't find the code in the build.prop. I don't want to rely on whack apps or toolkits...
Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it doesn't exist on builb.prop of OP3, I added it manually.
Code:
ro.sf.lcd_density=400

crysen said:
Hmm from the four apps you mentioned I only use WhatsApp, and I just tested out the cropping of a selfie, normal picture and a gallery picture, it works fine for me.
I'm on 360dpi.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i always had the cropping problem with WhatsApp using custom dpi. try to set a new profile picture. always zoomed and no chance zooming out. you have to change the dpi back to 480 to change your profile picture, but otherwise i have had no problems with 380 dpi.

My only qualm about this phone was the abnormally large text and padding in various apps, 440 dpi is a perfect adjustment, haven't seen any graphical glitches as of yet.