How to Turn Off Auto-Brightness on Your PC

G’day, tech enthusiasts! If you’ve ever found yourself squinting at your screen as it adjusts its brightness seemingly at random, you’re not alone. Many Windows PCs come with an adaptive brightness or auto-brightness setting that can be a bit of a hassle for the average user. While this feature is meant to be helpful, it’s not always ideal for everyone, especially when you’re trying to work on a sunny Aussie afternoon.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to take control of your screen brightness, ensuring a consistent viewing experience whether you’re working from a beachside café in Bondi or burning the midnight oil in your home office.

Adaptive brightness: how it works

If you’re familiar with smartphones, you’ve likely encountered auto-brightness before. Your screen adjusts from very bright to dark based on the ambient light detected by its sensors. This technology, first introduced by Microsoft in Windows 8 and carried over to Windows 10 PCs, aims to save battery life and reduce eye strain.

Why would I want to turn off auto-brightness?

There are several reasons why you might want to adjust or turn off the auto-brightness setting:

  1. Distracting adjustments: Constant changes in brightness can be disruptive, especially when you’re trying to focus on work or enjoy entertainment.
  2. Multiple monitor consistency: If you’re using multiple displays, you may want a consistent brightness level across all screens.
  3. Specific lighting needs: You might require a particular brightness level for certain tasks or environments. For instance, a lower brightness in a dimly lit room or higher brightness when working outdoors.
  4. Personal preference: Screen brightness is a highly personal setting, and you may simply prefer to have manual control.

How to disable auto-brightness

Follow these steps to turn off auto-brightness on your Windows PC:

  1. Go to the Start menu and open the Control Panel
  2. In the Control Panel, go to Power Options
  3. Click on Change Plan Settings for your current power plan
  4. Choose Change advanced power settings at the bottom of the window
  5. Scroll down to the Display option and expand it
  6. Find the Adaptive Brightness option and expand it
  7. Choose to turn off this feature for both battery power and when the computer is plugged in
  8. Click Apply and then OK to save the settings

If you don’t see an Adaptive Display setting, your device might not have a built-in ambient light sensor.

For some devices, you may need to take additional steps:

  1. Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter
  2. In the services window, find and click on the Sensor Monitoring Service
  3. Click Stop and select Disabled from the Startup type drop-down menu
  4. Click OK to save changes

How to manually adjust brightness

Most laptops have dedicated function keys for adjusting screen brightness. Look for keys with a sun icon, usually among the F1 to F12 keys. You may need to hold down the Fn key while pressing these to change the brightness.

For desktop users, you can adjust brightness in the Windows settings or through your monitor’s physical controls.

How to calibrate your monitor

For the best viewing experience, especially if you’re working with graphics or video, you might want to calibrate your monitor. Here’s how:

  1. Type Color Calibration into the Windows search bar and select the result
  2. Follow the on-screen instructions to adjust gamma, brightness, contrast, and colour balance
  3. Choose to keep the new calibration or revert to the previous settings

You can also use online calibration tools like Photo Friday or Lagom LCD Monitor Test Pages for more detailed adjustments.

For professional-grade calibration, consider using a colorimeter like the Spyder5 PRO or X-Rite i1Display Pro.

Monitor settings matter

Whether you’re a professional photographer editing shots of the Great Barrier Reef, a student attending online classes, or just enjoying a streaming marathon of your favourite Aussie TV shows, your monitor settings play a crucial role in your computing experience.

By taking control of your display’s brightness and calibration, you can ensure that your screen is always at its best, no matter what you’re doing or where you are in Australia.

Conclusion

Understanding how to manage your PC’s display settings is crucial for a comfortable and productive computing experience, especially in Australia’s diverse lighting conditions. Whether you’re working on a sun-drenched balcony in Sydney, a dimly lit café in Melbourne, or anywhere in between, having control over your screen’s brightness can make all the difference.

By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily disable auto-brightness, manually adjust your display, and even calibrate your monitor for optimal performance. Remember, these settings are highly personal, so don’t be afraid to experiment until you find what works best for you.

For those in the market for new hardware, consider HP’s range of laptops and desktops, which offer excellent displays and customizable settings to suit any Australian user’s needs. From the professional-grade HP EliteBook to the versatile HP ENVY x360, there’s an option for every Aussie tech enthusiast.

Don’t let auto-brightness hold you back. Take control of your display settings today and enjoy a consistently great viewing experience on your PC, no matter where your work or play takes you across this sunburnt country.