diff --git a/mscore/exampleview.cpp b/mscore/exampleview.cpp
index 8727b1be973e1..5d5a44d1f4d03 100644
--- a/mscore/exampleview.cpp
+++ b/mscore/exampleview.cpp
@@ -31,9 +31,10 @@ ExampleView::ExampleView(QWidget* parent)
       _score = 0;
       setAcceptDrops(true);
       setFocusPolicy(Qt::StrongFocus);
-      double mag = 1.0;
-      qreal _spatium = SPATIUM20;
-      _matrix  = QTransform(mag, 0.0, 0.0, mag, _spatium, -_spatium * 6);
+      double mag = 0.9 * guiScaling * (DPI_DISPLAY / DPI);  // 90% of nominal
+      qreal _spatium = SPATIUM20 * mag;
+      // example would normally be 10sp from top of page; this leaves 3sp margin above
+      _matrix  = QTransform(mag, 0.0, 0.0, mag, _spatium, -_spatium * 7.0);
       imatrix  = _matrix.inverted();
       }
 
@@ -336,9 +337,10 @@ void ExampleView::mousePressEvent(QMouseEvent* event)
 
 QSize ExampleView::sizeHint() const
       {
-      return QSize(
-            1000 * guiScaling * (DPI / 90),
-              80 * guiScaling * (DPI / 90));
+      qreal mag = 0.9 * guiScaling * (DPI_DISPLAY / DPI);
+      qreal _spatium = SPATIUM20 * mag;
+      // staff is 4sp tall with 3sp margin above; this leaves 3sp margin below
+      return QSize(1000 * mag, _spatium * 10.0);
       }
 
 
diff --git a/mscore/globals.h b/mscore/globals.h
index 954b0ca9b7f8d..8d6bdb87e55a7 100644
--- a/mscore/globals.h
+++ b/mscore/globals.h
@@ -95,8 +95,9 @@ struct MidiRemote {
 
 extern const char* stateName(ScoreState);
 
-static constexpr qreal DPMM_DISPLAY    = 4;   // 100 DPI
-static constexpr qreal PALETTE_SPATIUM = 1.9 * DPMM_DISPLAY;
+static constexpr qreal DPI_DISPLAY     = 96.0;  // 96 DPI nominal resolution
+static constexpr qreal DPMM_DISPLAY    = DPI_DISPLAY / 25.4;
+static constexpr qreal PALETTE_SPATIUM = 1.764 * DPMM_DISPLAY;
 
 extern QPaintDevice* pdev;
 
diff --git a/mscore/musescore.cpp b/mscore/musescore.cpp
index acff936b16f3e..3dd47f6334dba 100644
--- a/mscore/musescore.cpp
+++ b/mscore/musescore.cpp
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ bool externalIcons = false;
 bool pluginMode = false;
 static bool startWithNewScore = false;
 double converterDpi = 0;
-double guiScaling = 1.0;
+double guiScaling = 0.0;
 int trimMargin = -1;
 bool noWebView = false;
 bool exportScoreParts = false;
@@ -347,8 +347,22 @@ MuseScore::MuseScore()
    : QMainWindow()
       {
       QScreen* screen      = QGuiApplication::primaryScreen();
+#if defined(Q_OS_WIN)
+      if (QSysInfo::WindowsVersion <= QSysInfo::WV_WINDOWS7)
+            _physicalDotsPerInch = screen->logicalDotsPerInch() * screen->devicePixelRatio();
+      else
+            _physicalDotsPerInch = screen->physicalDotsPerInch();  // physical resolution
+#else
       _physicalDotsPerInch = screen->physicalDotsPerInch();        // physical resolution
-      _physicalDotsPerInch *= guiScaling;
+#endif
+      if (guiScaling == 0.0) {
+            // set scale for icons, palette elements, window sizes, etc
+            // the default values are hard coded in pixel sizes and assume ~96 DPI
+            if (qAbs(_physicalDotsPerInch - DPI_DISPLAY) > 6.0)
+                  guiScaling = _physicalDotsPerInch / DPI_DISPLAY;
+            else
+                  guiScaling = 1.0;
+            }
 
       _sstate = STATE_INIT;
       setWindowTitle(QString(MUSESCORE_NAME_VERSION));
diff --git a/mscore/note_groups.ui b/mscore/note_groups.ui
index e00e385c79ea9..52fab55b747e0 100644
--- a/mscore/note_groups.ui
+++ b/mscore/note_groups.ui
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
      <item row="1" column="2">
       <widget class="Ms::ExampleView" name="view16">
        <property name="sizePolicy">
-        <sizepolicy hsizetype="Expanding" vsizetype="Expanding">
+        <sizepolicy hsizetype="Expanding" vsizetype="Minimum">
          <horstretch>0</horstretch>
          <verstretch>0</verstretch>
         </sizepolicy>
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@
      <item row="2" column="2">
       <widget class="Ms::ExampleView" name="view32">
        <property name="sizePolicy">
-        <sizepolicy hsizetype="Expanding" vsizetype="Expanding">
+        <sizepolicy hsizetype="Expanding" vsizetype="Minimum">
          <horstretch>0</horstretch>
          <verstretch>0</verstretch>
         </sizepolicy>
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@
      <item row="0" column="2">
       <widget class="Ms::ExampleView" name="view8">
        <property name="sizePolicy">
-        <sizepolicy hsizetype="Expanding" vsizetype="Expanding">
+        <sizepolicy hsizetype="Expanding" vsizetype="Minimum">
          <horstretch>0</horstretch>
          <verstretch>0</verstretch>
         </sizepolicy>