7 ways to adjust the screen brightness in Windows 10

7 ways to adjust the screen brightness in Windows 10

If you spend a lot of time on your Windows 10 computer or device, knowing how to turn up the brightness and how to lower it can come in handy. This setting is especially important when you use a laptop or a tablet, because, whether you are indoors or outdoors, you might need to adjust the display's brightness according to your surroundings. Luckily, Windows 10 offers several options for changing this setting. Read this tutorial and learn how to turn down the brightness or how to increase the brightness for your display in Windows 10:

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NOTE: The features presented are available in Windows 10 November 2019 Update or newer. If you're using an older version of Windows 10, you might not have access to all the features. Check your Windows 10 build and, if necessary, get the latest Windows 10 update available for you.

1. How to adjust the brightness in Windows 10 using keyboard shortcuts

On some keyboards, there are keys specially designed to help you modify the screen brightness with ease. On an HP Spectre 13t laptop, you can use the F2 and F3 keys to lower or increase the screen brightness.

The keys designed to adjust brightness on an HP keyboard
The keys designed to adjust brightness on an HP keyboard

On Surface Pro devices with type covers, you can use the keyboard shortcut Fn + DEL to increase the brightness and Fn + Backspace to decrease it.

The keys used for shortcuts to change the brightness on a Surface Type Cover
The keys used for shortcuts to change the brightness on a Surface Type Cover

On our Lenovo Legion Y520 laptop with Windows 10, you can press the key combination Fn + F11 to lower the brightness and Fn + F12 to increase it.

The keys used for shortcuts to change the brightness on a Lenovo keyboard
The keys used for shortcuts to change the brightness on a Lenovo keyboard

These keys and keyboard shortcuts are available on most Windows 10 laptops and tablets. Look for similar keys with the brightness-specific sun icon on them.

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Sadly, you don't get these keys on keyboards for desktop computers, since each monitor has its own settings for controlling brightness, as you can see in the next section.

2. How to adjust the brightness in Windows 10 using the physical buttons of your monitor

While some monitors have dedicated buttons for adjusting brightness (either in front or on one of their edges), for others, you have to look through their specific menus to find the brightness controls. Consult the manual for your display to navigate through its menus and find the appropriate setting.

Adjusting the brightness of a computer display using its menus
Adjusting the brightness of a computer display using its menus

3. How to adjust the brightness in Windows 10 using the Quick actions

The Quick actions in the Action Center can also be used to change the brightness. Use the keyboard shortcut Windows + A to open the Action Center, revealing a brightness slider at the bottom of the window.

Change the brightness using Quick actions
Change the brightness using Quick actions

Moving the slider at the bottom of the Action Center left or right changes the brightness of your display.

4. How to adjust the brightness in Windows 10 using the Settings app

You can also use the Settings app to change the brightness level. Open Settings by using the Windows + I keyboard shortcut, and click or tap on System.

Go to the System category in the Settings app
Go to the System category in the Settings app

The System category opens in the Display tab. Use the slider under "Brightness and color" to "Change brightness for the built-in display."

Adjust the brightness from Windows 10's Settings
Adjust the brightness from Windows 10's Settings

You can also enable the "Change brightness automatically when lighting changes" option to have your device automatically change the brightness level based on how much light its sensors are measuring in your environment.

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5. How to adjust the brightness in Windows 10 using the Windows Mobility Center

The Windows Mobility Center can also be used to modify the brightness of your display. Type mobility in your taskbar's search field, and then click or tap on "Windows Mobility Center."

Open the Windows Mobility Center
Open the Windows Mobility Center

Use the slider under Display brightness to adjust the brightness level.

Windows Mobility Center lets you adjust the brightness
Windows Mobility Center lets you adjust the brightness

6. How to adjust the brightness in Windows 10 using PowerShell

You can also use the almighty PowerShell to change the brightness of your display. Open PowerShell by typing "powershell" in the taskbar's search field, and then clicking or tapping on Windows PowerShell.

Open PowerShell from your taskbar
Open PowerShell from your taskbar

To change the brightness, enter the following command:

**(Get-WmiObject -Namespace root/WMI -Class WmiMonitorBrightnessMethods).WmiSetBrightness(1,**brightnesslevel)

Replace brightnesslevel with the percentage value you want for your display's brightness, from 0 to 100. To set the brightness at 70%, we entered the command:

(Get-WmiObject -Namespace root/WMI -Class WmiMonitorBrightnessMethods).WmiSetBrightness(1,70)

Use a PowerShell command to change the brightness level
Use a PowerShell command to change the brightness level

As soon as you press Enter, the brightness is adjusted according to your preferences.

7. How to adjust the brightness in Windows 10 by changing the Power mode

Lowering the screen's brightness decreases energy consumption and increases the autonomy of your device. For laptops and tablets, Windows 10 has a setting that changes the brightness of your display according to the Power mode that you use. To enable this option, first click or tap on the Power icon in the system tray, on the right side of the taskbar, and then access Battery settings.

Go to Battery settings
Go to Battery settings

TIP: If you can't see the Power icon on your device's system tray, you can learn how to find it and show it, by reading: The Windows 10 system tray - How to show or hide icons!

In the Battery settings window, scroll down to the Battery saver section. Check the box at the bottom, next to the "Lower screen brightness while in battery saver" option.

Enable the option to Lower screen brightness while in battery saver
Enable the option to Lower screen brightness while in battery saver

This setting automatically dims the screen when your device is trying to save battery. Click or tap the Power icon in the system tray again, and move the Power mode slider all the way to the left for "Best battery life." As long as your device is not plugged in, this should lower the display brightness, thus saving battery.

Saving battery dims the display of your device
Saving battery dims the display of your device

What method do you prefer to change the brightness of your display?

Knowing how to increase and how to lower the brightness helps you be more productive and focused. A screen that is too bright or too dim can take its toll on your eyes and make you uncomfortable. Which method do you like best for changing the brightness of your display? Do you know of any others? Comment below and let's discuss.

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