Adjusting screen brightness in Windows 11 is one of the simplest things you can do to improve your daily computer experience. Whether you are working, studying, watching movies, editing photos, or gaming, the correct brightness level makes everything more comfortable. If your screen is too bright, it can cause eye strain and headaches, especially at night. If it is too dim, you may struggle to read text clearly, which can also lead to discomfort and poor productivity.
Windows 11 gives you many ways to change brightness depending on your device type. Laptop users usually have the most options because brightness is directly controlled through the built-in display. Desktop users with external monitors can still adjust brightness, but some methods depend on monitor support and graphics settings.
In this detailed guide, you will learn 10 reliable ways to adjust screen brightness in Windows 11, along with helpful tips and troubleshooting advice for when the brightness slider is missing or not working.
Why Screen Brightness Matters in Windows 11
Brightness plays a major role in how comfortable your display looks. Many users keep brightness too high without noticing, which can cause tired eyes after a few hours. On the other hand, using extremely low brightness all the time can make your vision work harder.
There are a few common situations where brightness adjustment becomes important. At night, a bright screen can feel harsh and disturb sleep. When you are outside or in a bright room, the screen may look washed out unless you increase brightness. If you are trying to save battery life on a laptop, lowering brightness can increase battery backup significantly. It also helps reduce heat generation and improves overall efficiency.
Now let’s go through the best ways to change brightness in Windows 11.
Method 1: Adjust Brightness Using Quick Settings (Fastest Method)
Quick Settings is the easiest and quickest method to adjust brightness in Windows 11. It is designed so you don’t need to open the full Settings app every time. This method works best on laptops and tablets that support built-in brightness control.
Steps to change brightness using Quick Settings
- Press Windows + A
- The Quick Settings panel will open on the bottom-right side
- Find the Brightness slider
- Drag the slider left to reduce brightness
- Drag the slider right to increase brightness
- Close the panel once you’re done
Quick Settings is ideal when you want instant results. It is also helpful when you frequently switch between bright and dark environments.
Method 2: Adjust Brightness from Windows 11 Settings
If you want a more detailed display control area, the Settings app is the best option. This is the official method where Windows allows you to manage brightness along with other display settings like resolution and scaling.
Steps to adjust brightness from Settings
- Press Windows + I to open Settings
- Click System
- Click Display
- Look for the Brightness slider under Brightness & color
- Move the slider left or right to change brightness
This method is great because it is reliable and works on most supported devices. It also helps when your Quick Settings brightness slider is not showing properly.
Method 3: Use Laptop Keyboard Brightness Keys (Shortcut Keys)
Many laptops come with dedicated brightness control keys on the keyboard. These keys are usually located on the top row (F1 to F12) and have a sun icon or brightness symbol.
On some laptops, you may need to hold the Fn key while pressing the brightness keys. This depends on the laptop brand and keyboard layout.
Steps to change brightness using keyboard keys
- Locate the Brightness Up key (sun icon with plus)
- Locate the Brightness Down key (sun icon with minus)
- Press the correct key to increase or decrease brightness
- If the key doesn’t work, press Fn + Brightness key
Keyboard keys are useful when you need fast brightness changes during gaming, presentations, or video calls.
Method 4: Adjust Brightness Using Windows Mobility Center
Windows Mobility Center is an old but useful feature that still works in Windows 11 for many laptops. It provides quick access to brightness, battery settings, volume, and presentation options.
Steps to adjust brightness using Mobility Center
- Press Windows + R to open the Run box
- Type mblctr
- Press Enter
- In Windows Mobility Center, find the Display brightness slider
- Drag it to adjust brightness
This method is helpful when you want a compact control panel, especially on portable devices. However, it may not appear on some modern PCs or desktop setups.
Method 5: Adjust Brightness Through Battery Saver Mode
If you are using a laptop, Windows 11 has a built-in Battery Saver feature that reduces brightness automatically to save battery. It is useful when your battery is low and you want your laptop to last longer without charging.
Steps to enable Battery Saver (brightness reduces automatically)
- Press Windows + I to open Settings
- Click System
- Click Power & battery
- Scroll down to Battery saver
- Turn Battery saver ON
When Battery Saver is enabled, your screen brightness may decrease automatically. The exact brightness change depends on your device settings and power plan.
Battery Saver is best for travel, outdoor usage, or emergencies when you don’t have a charger nearby.
Method 6: Change Brightness Using Power Mode Settings
Windows 11 includes different power modes like Best power efficiency, Balanced, and Best performance. While power mode does not always directly adjust brightness, on many laptops it affects screen behavior and overall power consumption, which may include brightness management.
Steps to change Power mode
- Open Settings
- Go to System
- Click Power & battery
- Under Power mode, choose:
- Best power efficiency (may reduce brightness)
- Balanced
- Best performance (may allow higher brightness use)
If you want stable brightness while plugged in, using Balanced or Best performance may keep the display brighter and smoother.
Method 7: Adjust Brightness Automatically (Adaptive Brightness)
Some Windows 11 laptops support adaptive brightness, which changes brightness based on ambient lighting. If your laptop has a light sensor, Windows can increase brightness in bright rooms and reduce it in dark rooms automatically.
This feature can be helpful, but some users dislike it because it keeps changing brightness unexpectedly.
Steps to enable or disable adaptive brightness
- Press Windows + I
- Go to System
- Click Display
- Expand Brightness
- Look for an option like:
- Automatically adjust brightness
- Change brightness based on lighting
- Turn it On or Off
If you want manual control, it is better to turn this off. If you move between different environments frequently, keeping it on can be useful.
Method 8: Use Graphics Control Panel (Intel, AMD, NVIDIA)
If you are using a PC with Intel, AMD, or NVIDIA graphics, you may have a graphics control panel installed. These tools can provide extra display settings, especially for laptops with integrated graphics.
Some graphics drivers include brightness settings or display enhancements that affect the screen output.
Steps for Intel Graphics Command Center (example)
- Click Start
- Search for Intel Graphics Command Center
- Open it
- Go to Display
- Look for brightness or color adjustment options
- Apply changes
Steps for AMD Software (example)
- Open AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition
- Go to Display
- Adjust brightness or color features if available
Steps for NVIDIA Control Panel (example)
- Right-click desktop
- Click NVIDIA Control Panel
- Go to Adjust desktop color settings
- Change brightness/contrast if needed
- Apply the changes
This method is useful mostly for desktop monitors or advanced display tuning. But keep in mind, these settings may affect color accuracy, so avoid over-adjusting brightness if you do photo or video editing work.
Method 9: Adjust Brightness Using Monitor Buttons (For External Displays)
If you are using a desktop PC or an external monitor with a laptop, Windows 11 may not show a brightness slider because many monitors do not support Windows brightness control. In that case, you must adjust brightness using the monitor’s physical buttons.
Most monitors have a menu button or joystick behind or below the screen.
Steps to adjust brightness on an external monitor
- Press the Menu button on your monitor
- Open Picture settings or Display settings
- Find Brightness
- Increase or decrease brightness
- Save or exit the menu
This is one of the most common methods for desktop users. It works on almost every monitor brand, including Dell, HP, LG, Samsung, Acer, ASUS, and more.
Method 10: Use Night Light to Make Screen Easier on Eyes (Brightness Alternative)
Night Light does not directly reduce brightness, but it changes the screen color tone to warmer shades. This makes the screen feel softer, especially at night. Many users confuse Night Light with brightness because it reduces harsh light, which can feel like lowering brightness.
If you want a comfortable screen at night, Night Light is one of the best Windows 11 features.
Steps to enable Night Light
- Press Windows + I
- Go to System
- Click Display
- Find Night light
- Turn it ON
- Click the Night light option to adjust strength and schedule
Using Night Light with lower brightness is perfect for late-night browsing and reading.
Extra Tips to Keep Brightness Perfect All Day
Brightness adjustment is not only about making the screen visible. It is also about maintaining comfort and saving battery. These simple tips can help you set brightness the right way.
If you are indoors during the day, medium brightness usually works well. At night, keep brightness lower to avoid eye strain. If you are working on a laptop battery, reducing brightness even by 20% can noticeably improve backup time. If your eyes feel tired quickly, try using Night Light along with lower brightness.
For people who work long hours, using a comfortable brightness level is just as important as using a good chair or proper posture.
Troubleshooting: Brightness Slider Missing in Windows 11
Sometimes the brightness slider may disappear from Quick Settings and Settings. This usually happens due to driver problems, display type limitations, or external monitor connections.
Here are the most common reasons.
- You are using an external monitor that doesn’t support software brightness control
- Your display driver is missing, outdated, or corrupted
- You are using basic Microsoft display drivers instead of the correct GPU driver
- Your laptop display driver is not installed properly
Fix 1: Restart Your PC
Sometimes a simple restart brings the brightness slider back.
- Click Start
- Click Power
- Click Restart
Fix 2: Update Display Drivers
- Right-click Start
- Click Device Manager
- Expand Display adapters
- Right-click your GPU
- Click Update driver
Fix 3: Install Correct GPU Driver from Manufacturer
If updating doesn’t work, install the official driver from your laptop brand website or GPU manufacturer.
Fix 4: Check for Windows Updates
- Open Settings
- Go to Windows Update
- Click Check for updates
- Install updates and restart
These steps usually fix brightness problems on most Windows 11 laptops.
Final Thoughts
Adjusting screen brightness in Windows 11 is easy once you know the right method for your device. Laptops and tablets usually give you the brightness slider in Quick Settings and Settings. You can also use keyboard shortcuts and Mobility Center for faster control. Desktop users with external monitors may need to use monitor buttons or a graphics control panel instead.
To recap, the best 10 ways to adjust brightness in Windows 11 include Quick Settings, Settings app, keyboard brightness keys, Mobility Center, Battery Saver, power mode settings, adaptive brightness, graphics control tools, monitor buttons, and Night Light for comfortable viewing.
