How to Change the Screen Brightness in Windows 10: A Quick Guide

Adjust screen brightness manually or automatically

Is your PC monitor too bright or too dim? You can easily adjust the screen brightness of your Windows 10 computer in the Settings menu. You can also change the screen brightness in the action center in the taskbar. This wikiHow guide will show you how to adjust the screen brightness in Windows 10.

Things You Should Know

  • Open the action center in the taskbar and drag the brightness slider.
  • Alternatively, go to Settings > System > Display and drag the brightness slider.
  • Optionally, check the box labeled Change brightness automatically when lighting changes in the display menu.
Section 1 of 3:

Using Action Center

  1. Image titled Adjust Screen Brightness in Windows 10 Step 1
    1
    Open the Action Center. Click the message icon to the right of the clock in the taskbar to open the action center.
  2. Image titled Adjust Screen Brightness in Windows 10 Step 2
    2
    Drag the brightness slider to adjust the screen brightness. It's near the bottom of the screen and has a sun icon next to it. Drag it to the left to lower the screen brightness, and to the right to raise the screen brightness.[1]
    • Note that the brightness slider only appears in versions 1903 and later of Windows 10. To change the brightness in earlier versions, use the Settings menu method below.
    • The slider won’t appear if you’re using a desktop PC and external monitor. Use the monitor’s control buttons to adjust the screen brightness. For example, if you’re using your TV as a monitor, you’ll need to use the buttons to navigate to the brightness settings on the TV.
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Section 2 of 3:

Using Settings

  1. Image titled Adjust Screen Brightness in Windows 10 Step 3
    1
    Click the Start menu
    Windows Start
    .     The Windows Start menu is the icon that has the Windows logo in the taskbar. By default, it's in the lower-left corner of the taskbar.
  2. Image titled Adjust Screen Brightness in Windows 10 Step 4
    2
    Click
    Windows Settings
    .     The Settings menu is the icon that resembles a gear. It's on the far left side of the Windows Start menu.
  3. Image titled Adjust Screen Brightness in Windows 10 Step 5
    3
    Click System. It's the first item in the Windows Settings menu. It's next to an icon that resembles a computer.
  4. Image titled Adjust Screen Brightness in Windows 10 Step 6
    4
    Click Display. It's the first option in the sidebar to the left. This opens the display settings.
  5. Image titled Adjust Screen Brightness in Windows 10 Step 7
    5
    Drag the slider bar to adjust the screen brightness. The slider bar that says "Change brightness" is at the top of the display settings. Drag the slider bar to the left to lower the screen brightness. Drag it to the right to increase the screen brightness.
    • Use a lower screen brightness to conserve power/battery life.
  6. Image titled Adjust Screen Brightness in Windows 10 Step 8
    6
    Set the brightness to change automatically (optional). Some PCs can automatically adjust the brightness when the lighting in your environment changes.
    • In the Display settings menu, go to the “Brightness and color” section.
    • Check the box labeled Change brightness automatically when lighting changes.
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Section 3 of 3:

Troubleshooting

  1. Image titled Adjust Screen Brightness in Windows 10 Step 9
    Troubleshoot the slider by updating the display driver. Finding and updating drivers is easy. If you’re not using a desktop PC and the slider is either missing or not working, updating the display driver can sometimes resolve the issue:
    • Search “Device Manager” in the taskbar search box.
    • Click Device Manager in the list of results.
    • Select Display adapters in the Device Manager window.
    • Select your display adapter driver.
    • Right-click the display adapter driver.
    • Click Update driver and follow the prompts.

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Community Q&A

  • Question
    I tried doing all these steps, but the brightness is not changing. What should I do?
    R2_d2000
    R2_d2000
    Top Answerer
    It sounds like your computer's display drivers aren't installed correctly. You can visit the manufacturer's website, or contact their support, to download the latest drivers for your computer.
  • Question
    I'm using a PC that does not have an option for brightness in settings. What do I do?
    R2_d2000
    R2_d2000
    Top Answerer
    It sounds like you are using a computer with an independent monitor. Try to use the button on the monitor to change the brightness.
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Warnings

  • This will not work on computers with a standalone monitor. To change the brightness on those, you will need to use the buttons on the monitor.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
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References

  1. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4026946/windows-10-change-screen-brightness

About This Article

Kyle Smith
Written by:
Kyle Smith
wikiHow Technology Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Kyle Smith. Kyle Smith is a wikiHow Technology Writer, learning and sharing information about the latest technology. He has presented his research at multiple engineering conferences and is the writer and editor of hundreds of online electronics repair guides. Kyle received a BS in Industrial Engineering from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. This article has been viewed 155,187 times.
How helpful is this?
Co-authors: 5
Updated: January 30, 2023
Views: 155,187
Categories: Windows 10
Article SummaryX

1. Click the Windows Start menu.
2. Click the Gear icon.
3. Click System.
4. Use the slider bar to adjust screen brightness.

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