Overview
Walnut sometimes prevents users from capturing at a full 1920×1080 resolution, even when their monitor technically supports 1080p. This article explains why that happens, what the “Size too big for your screen” message means, and how to resolve it.
The goal is to reduce confusion and improve the capture experience for users who need high-resolution demos.
Why can’t I capture at 1920×1080 on a 1080p monitor?
Even on a 1080p monitor, the full 1080px height is not available to the browser window. Your operating system and browser add UI elements that reduce the visible area:
- Operating system taskbar (Windows, macOS)
- Browser address bar and tab bar
- Optional bookmark bar
- Any floating toolbars or UI overlays
Walnut can only capture the visible browser viewport — not the entire physical screen.
This means that even if your monitor is 1920×1080, your browser’s visible height is often closer to ~830–950px. If the visible viewport is less than 1080px tall, Walnut will show:
“This size is too big for your screen.”
This is expected behavior and protects the accuracy of the capture.
Why a higher-resolution monitor helps
To successfully capture at 1920×1080, the visible browser area must be at least 1080px tall.
On most standard 1080p monitors, the OS taskbar and browser UI bars reduce the available height, so the only reliable way to reach 1080px of capture space is to use a higher-resolution monitor, such as 2560×1440 (1440p) or 4K.
On a higher-resolution screen:
- You have more total vertical pixels.
- Even after subtracting UI bars, the visible browser viewport can still exceed 1080px.
- Walnut can then capture a full 1920×1080 frame without any issues.
Can I edit a 1920×1080 capture on a lower-resolution screen?
Yes. As long as the initial capture is done at 1920×1080 on a large enough screen, you can continue editing the demo on your current device, even if that device cannot display the full height at once.
In Walnut, you can:
- Scroll to see different parts of the captured screen, or
- Use the Display Settings in the editor to scale the view to fit your screen.
We recommend that you do not capture in a higher resolution than 1920×1080. Capturing at a larger resolution will still work, but:
- You will need to scroll more while editing, or
- You will need to rely more heavily on the editor’s scaling settings.
Understanding the “Size too big for your screen” warning
The warning appears when the resolution selected in Walnut is larger than the visible browser viewport. In other words:
Requested capture height > Actual visible browser height
Walnut is not checking your monitor’s advertised resolution. Instead, it measures the actual visible pixel height of the browser window at the time of capture.
If your visible area is, for example, 1920×830, Walnut will not allow a 1920×1080 capture and will show:
“This size is too big for your screen.”
Troubleshooting: How to increase your capture size
1. Confirm display scaling is set to 100%
On Windows:
- Open Settings > System > Display.
- Under Scale and layout, set Scale to 100%.
- Apply changes and restart the browser if needed.
Even if this is already set (as in Joanne’s case), it is still an important first step for most users.
2. Reduce browser UI height
Try to maximize the available browser viewport by:
- Hiding the bookmarks bar.
- Closing or minimizing additional toolbars and extension icons.
- Using a single browser tab and a maximized window.
3. Use fullscreen mode
Switching your browser to fullscreen mode can remove many UI elements and increase the capture area:
- Windows: Press F11.
- macOS: Press Control + Command + F.
After entering fullscreen, try setting the capture resolution again.
4. Try a different browser
Different browsers (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, etc.) use slightly different UI heights. In some cases, switching browsers can free up enough vertical space for a larger capture height.
5. Use a higher-resolution monitor for the capture
If you need to reliably capture at 1920×1080:
- Use a monitor with higher resolution (for example 2560×1440 or 4K).
- Capture in Walnut at exactly 1920×1080 on that monitor.
- Then edit the demo on any device — your current screen will work fine.
If you capture at a larger resolution than 1920×1080 on that monitor, you will either need to scroll more during editing or use the Display Settings in Walnut to scale the captured screen.
6. Still stuck? Share a screenshot with Support
If the issue persists:
- Capture a full-screen screenshot showing your browser, taskbar, and the Walnut error.
- Optionally include a screenshot of your display settings (resolution and scaling).
- Send these to Walnut Support so we can review your exact layout and advise next steps.
Frequently Asked Questions
“My monitor is 1920×1080. Why can’t I capture at 1920×1080?”
Because OS and browser UI bars take up part of the screen, your browser’s visible area is smaller than 1080px tall. Walnut can only capture the visible viewport, not the full physical screen.
“Can Walnut override this limit?”
No. For accuracy and consistency, Walnut must capture the actual visible browser area. It cannot ignore system and browser UI elements.
“Can I edit a 1920×1080 capture on a lower-resolution screen?”
Yes. Once the capture is done at 1920×1080 on a suitable monitor, you can edit the demo on lower-resolution devices. You may need to scroll or adjust the display scaling inside Walnut, but the demo itself will remain intact.
“Will a higher-resolution monitor solve the issue?”
Yes, this is the most reliable solution for users who must capture at exactly 1920×1080. A higher-resolution screen provides enough vertical space for the full 1080px viewport, even after subtracting UI bars.
“Why does Walnut only allow 1920×830 on my device?”
That value reflects your actual visible browser viewport height, not your monitor’s advertised resolution. Walnut is showing you the maximum capture size that fits in the current visible area.
Summary
- A standard 1080p monitor cannot provide a full 1080px-tall browser viewport once OS and browser UI are included.
- Walnut measures the visible browser area — not the physical screen size.
- If the requested capture resolution is larger than the visible viewport, Walnut shows “This size is too big for your screen.”
- To capture at 1920×1080, you generally need a higher-resolution monitor or a maximized/ fullscreen browser window with minimal UI.
- Once captured at 1920×1080, you can safely edit the demo on lower-resolution devices using scrolling and the editor’s display scaling options.
If you are still unable to capture at the required resolution, please contact Walnut Support with full-screen screenshots of your browser, display settings, and the error message. We’re happy to help you get set up.