How to Change Screen Brightness In Windows 11 (Step-by-Step)

Changing screen brightness on Windows 11 is one of the most common adjustments users make when trying to reduce eye strain, save battery, or enhance display visibility. No matter if you’re using a slider, shortcut, or the settings menu, this guide walks you through every method to adjust brightness effectively on your laptop screen or external monitor.

All Methods to Adjust Screen Brightness in Windows 11

1. Quick Settings Brightness Slider

• Press Windows + A to open the Quick Settings panel
• Move the brightness slider left or right to adjust the level
• Only works on internal displays like laptops or tablets
• If the slider is not available, it could be a driver issue similar to what affected screen brightness controls in Windows 7

2. Settings Menu Brightness Control

• Press Windows + I to open Settings
• Go to System > Display
• Under Brightness & color, move the Adjust brightness slider
• If you want more granular display tuning, here’s how to calibrate screen brightness, contrast, and gamma on Windows 10

3. Enable Auto-Brightness (If Available)

• Go to Settings > System > Display > Brightness
• Check “Change brightness automatically when lighting changes”
• Auto-adjust issues can also be caused by system bugs; see how to fix Windows 11 screen dimming problems

4. Manual Brightness via Monitor Buttons

• Use physical buttons on the side or bottom of your monitor
• Navigate to the on-screen display (OSD) menu
• Adjust the Brightness or Contrast settings manually

5. Adjust Brightness via GPU Control Panel

• NVIDIA: Right-click desktop > NVIDIA Control Panel > Display > Adjust desktop color settings
• Intel: Open Intel Graphics Command Center > Display > Brightness
• AMD: Use AMD Radeon Software > Display tab to control brightness

6. Use Monitor Manufacturer Software

• Install software from your monitor brand:
  • Dell Display Manager
  • HP Display Center
  • LG OnScreen Control
  • Lenovo Vantage
• These apps allow on-screen brightness adjustments directly in Windows

7. Use Keyboard Brightness Keys

• Press Fn + Function keys (F1 to F12) with sun icons
• If the screen dims unexpectedly when using keyboard shortcuts, review these common causes of automatic screen dimming

8. Adjust Brightness in Windows Mobility Center

• Right-click the Start button
• Select Mobility Center
• Use the Display brightness slider for manual control

9. Set Brightness by Power Plan

• Open Control Panel > Power Options
• Click Change plan settings for your current power plan
• Set different brightness levels for On battery and Plugged in

10. Adjust Brightness via Command Line

Command Prompt:

powershell (Get-WmiObject -Namespace root/WMI -Class WmiMonitorBrightnessMethods).WmiSetBrightness(1, 50)

PowerShell:

(Get-CimInstance -Namespace root/wmi -ClassName WmiMonitorBrightnessMethods).WmiSetBrightness(1, 70)

• Replace the number with the desired brightness level
• These commands only work for internal laptop displays

FAQs

Wrapping up

Adjusting screen brightness in Windows 11 is key to making your display easier on the eyes and saving battery life. You can change brightness using the settings menu, quick brightness slider, keyboard keys, or monitor buttons.

If the slider is missing or doesn’t work, updating display drivers or using your GPU’s control panel can fix the problem. Auto brightness settings can also be turned on or off depending on your needs. With these screen brightness control methods, you can easily find what works best for you.