Misc

Unable To Change Brightness In Windows 11

batavia
Unable To Change Brightness In Windows 11

Unable to Change Brightness in Windows 11 Causes and Effective FixesIf you’re using Windows 11 and find yourself unable to change the screen brightness, you’re not the only one. Many users experience this issue, especially after updates or hardware changes. The problem can occur on laptops, desktops with external monitors, or all-in-one PCs. Fortunately, this is usually a software-related issue that can be fixed with a few simple steps.

In this topic, we’ll explore the common reasons why brightness controls stop working in Windows 11 and provide practical solutions you can follow at home.

Why You Can’t Adjust Brightness in Windows 11

There are several reasons why Windows 11 may prevent brightness adjustment. Some of the most common include

  • Outdated or missing display drivers

  • Recent Windows updates causing system bugs

  • Incompatible monitor hardware

  • Power settings blocking brightness changes

  • Monitor or laptop manufacturer utilities overriding system settings

Before diving into solutions, it’s important to identify the root cause of the issue.

Check the Basics First

Start by verifying a few simple things

  • Make sure you’re using a laptop or a monitor that supports brightness control.

  • If you have a desktop with a standard external monitor, use the physical buttons on the monitor to adjust brightness.

  • Try using keyboard brightness keys, usually marked with a sun icon.

  • Go to Settings > System > Display and see if the brightness slider is available.

If none of these work, it’s time to dig deeper.

Solution 1 Update Your Display Drivers

One of the most common reasons brightness control stops working is a missing or outdated driver.

Steps to update display drivers

  1. Press Win + X, then choose Device Manager

  2. Expand the Display adapters section

  3. Right-click on your graphics card and select Update driver

  4. Choose Search automatically for drivers

If Windows doesn’t find anything, you can also visit the manufacturer’s website (like Intel, AMD, or NVIDIA) to download the latest version manually.

Solution 2 Reinstall the Monitor Driver

Sometimes the monitor driver is incorrectly installed or corrupted.

To reinstall

  1. In Device Manager, expand the Monitors section

  2. Right-click your display and choose Uninstall device

  3. Restart your computer – Windows will reinstall the driver automatically

After rebooting, check if the brightness control is restored.

Solution 3 Enable Adaptive Brightness (if available)

Some laptops offer adaptive brightness, which uses a light sensor to adjust the screen automatically.

To enable or disable it

  1. Go to Settings > System > Display

  2. Scroll to Brightness & color

  3. Look for the option “Change brightness automatically when lighting changes and toggle it

This feature isn’t available on all devices, but disabling it can sometimes allow manual control again.

Solution 4 Use Microsoft Basic Display Adapter (Temporary Fix)

If your GPU drivers are faulty, switching to a basic adapter may restore brightness control temporarily.

To switch

  1. Open Device Manager

  2. Right-click on your graphics driver under Display adapters

  3. Choose Update driver > Browse my computer > Let me pick from a list

  4. Select Microsoft Basic Display Adapter

This isn’t a long-term fix, as it reduces graphics performance, but it helps confirm if your GPU driver is the issue.

Solution 5 Edit Power Plan Settings

Some power plan settings can interfere with brightness controls.

To check

  1. Open Control Panel

  2. Go to Hardware and Sound > Power Options

  3. Click Change plan settings next to your active plan

  4. Then click Change advanced power settings

  5. Expand Display, then Enable adaptive brightness

  6. Turn it off for both On battery and Plugged in

Apply the changes and test your brightness controls again.

Solution 6 Use Graphics Control Panel

Intel, AMD, and NVIDIA provide their own software to manage display settings. Sometimes, brightness is overridden there.

Intel example

  1. Open Intel Graphics Command Center

  2. Navigate to Display

  3. Adjust brightness manually using the slider

Repeat similar steps with AMD Radeon or NVIDIA Control Panel if you’re using those.

Solution 7 Check for Windows Updates

If the issue began after an update, it’s possible a patch caused the problem. Conversely, missing updates can also lead to errors.

To update

  1. Go to Settings > Windows Update

  2. Click Check for updates

  3. Install any pending updates and restart your PC

Solution 8 Perform a System Scan

Corrupt system files can also affect display settings. You can use System File Checker to find and fix these.

Steps

  1. Type cmd in the Start menu

  2. Right-click on Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator

  3. Type sfc /scannow and press Enter

  4. Wait for the scan to complete

If any issues are found, the system will attempt to repair them automatically.

What If Nothing Works?

If you’ve tried all the above and still can’t change the brightness

  • Consider performing a System Restore to a date before the issue started

  • Check if the display cable or screen hardware is damaged

  • Contact your laptop or monitor manufacturer for further support

  • If you’re using third-party apps like f.lux or screen filter software, uninstall them temporarily

Not being able to adjust screen brightness in Windows 11 can be frustrating, especially if you spend long hours in front of the screen. Fortunately, in most cases, the issue is software-related and can be fixed with a few straightforward steps like updating drivers, tweaking power settings, or using system tools.

By understanding the common causes and following the practical solutions above, you can regain control over your display settings and enjoy a more comfortable computing experience.