Can’t Adjust Screen Brightness? Here’s the Best Guide How to Fix It in 2025

Adjust Screen Brightness: Having trouble adjusting your screen brightness? Whether your display is too dim or way too bright. You are in the right place. Fortunately, there are several ways to fix this issue on Windows, Mac, Android, and iPhone devices. In this guide, we’ll walk you through step-by-step solutions to help you adjust brightness, whether you need to lower screen brightness or figure out how to brighten your screen properly. Let’s get started!

1. Common Reasons Why You Can’t Adjust Brightness

Before jumping into fixes, it’s important to understand why your brightness controls aren’t working. Here are some common causes:

  • Outdated or faulty display drivers: If your computer’s display driver is outdated, you might not be able to adjust your screen brightness.
  • Power settings conflict: Some power settings, especially in Windows, may prevent changes to brightness.
  • Hardware issues: A faulty display panel or graphics card can cause problems with screen brightener controls.
  • Auto-brightness enabled: On mobile devices, auto-brightness can override manual adjustments.
  • Software bugs or updates: Sometimes, operating system updates introduce glitches that make it impossible to adjust brightness.
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2. How to Adjust Brightness on Windows

To adjust your computer screen brightness on Windows, try these fixes:

Update Display Drivers

  1. Press Win + X and select Device Manager.
  2. Expand Display Adapters and right-click on your graphics driver.
  3. Select Update Driver > Search automatically for drivers.
  4. Restart your PC and check if you can adjust brightness now.
adjust Screen Brightness

Check Power Options

  1. Open Control Panel > Power Options.
  2. Click Change plan settings next to your active power plan.
  3. Select Change advanced power settings.
  4. Expand Display and make sure the brightness options are properly set.

Enable Adaptive Brightness

  1. Go to Settings > System > Display.
  2. Scroll down to Brightness and color.
  3. Enable Change brightness automatically when lighting changes.

If none of these work, try restarting your PC or running Windows Troubleshooter.

3. How to Adjust Brightness on Mac

Simple method to adjust your screen brightness on Mac, here’s what to do:

Adjust Brightness from System Preferences

  1. Click on the Apple Menu > System Preferences > Displays.
  2. Use the brightness slider to brighten your screen or lower screen brightness.
adjust screen brightness

Reset NVRAM/PRAM

  1. Shut down your Mac.
  2. Turn it back on and immediately press Option + Command + P + R.
  3. Hold for 20 seconds and release.
  4. Your brightness controls should now work!

4. How to Adjust Brightness on Android and iPhone

Adjusting screen brightness on your smartphone can be tricky, here’s what you should do:

Fix Brightness Issues on Android

  1. Open Settings > Display.
  2. Turn off Adaptive Brightness.
  3. Use the brightness slider to lower screen brightness or brighten your screen.
  4. Restart your phone if the changes don’t take effect.

Fix Brightness Issues on iPhone

  1. Open Settings > Display & Brightness.
  2. Turn off True Tone and Night Shift.
  3. Use the slider to adjust brightness manually.
  4. If you still can’t change it, restart your iPhone or update iOS.

5. Using Third-Party Apps to Adjust Brightness

If your device’s default settings aren’t working, third-party apps can help adjust brightness effectively. Some popular apps include:

  • Windows: F.lux, Dimmer
  • Mac: Brightness Slider
  • Android: Twilight, Lux
  • iPhone: Night Owl These apps allow you to fine-tune screen brightener settings beyond what built-in controls offer.

6. When to Seek Professional Help

If you’ve tried all the methods and still can’t adjust your screen brightness, it might be time to seek professional help. Consider:

  • Checking for hardware issues with a technician.
  • Visiting an authorized repair center for your laptop or phone.
  • Reinstalling your operating system as a last resort.

Conclusion

Not being able to adjust brightness can be a major inconvenience, but with the right troubleshooting steps, you can quickly regain control over your display settings. Whether you need to lower screen brightness for a dim environment or figure out how to make a computer screen brighter, the solutions in this guide should help. If you found this post helpful, don’t forget to share it with others who might be facing the same issue!

Have you ever struggled with how to adjust computer screen brightness? Let us know in the comments below!

FAQ

Q: How to brighten screen?

To brighten your screen, go to display settings on your device and use the brightness slider to adjust brightness as needed.

Q: How to adjust computer screen brightness?

You can adjust computer screen brightness by using the function keys (Fn + brightness keys) or through display settings in Windows or macOS.

Q: How to lower screen brightness?

To lower screen brightness, go to your device’s display settings and move the brightness slider down, or enable auto-brightness for adaptive control.

Q: How to brighten a Mac screen?

To brighten a Mac screen, press the F2 key (brightness up) or go to System Settings > Displays to manually adjust brightness.

Q: How to lower brightness on Mac?

You can lower brightness on Mac by pressing the F1 key (brightness down) or adjusting the brightness slider in System Settings > Displays.

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