How To Fix 'Cannot Change Brightness' on Windows Laptops
Experiencing trouble changing the brightness on your Windows laptop? It ranks high among those pesky, small issues that can throw a wrench into your day. Whether it’s squinting at a screen that's too dim or getting blinded by one that's too bright, not being able to adjust your laptop's brightness is no small annoyance. Thankfully, there are several straightforward solutions to this problem. Let’s dive into how you can get back in control of your screen’s brightness.
1. Use the Function Keys
Before diving into more complex fixes, let’s start with the basics. Many laptops come with function keys (usually F1 to F12) that allow you to adjust the brightness directly. These are often represented by small sun icons or something similar. Hold down the ‘Fn’ key and press the relevant function key to increase or decrease the brightness. If this doesn’t work, it might be due to a malfunctioning key or a deeper issue within your system.
2. Restart Your Laptop
Sometimes, the simplest solutions are the most effective. Restarting your laptop can refresh your system’s operations and potentially fix the brightness issue. This step can close temporary glitches that might be affecting your brightness settings.
3. Update Your Display Driver
A frequent culprit behind brightness control issues is an outdated or incorrect display driver. Here’s how you can update it:
- Right-click on the Start menu and select ‘Device Manager.’
- Find ‘Display adapters’ and expand the menu.
- Right-click on your display device and select ‘Update driver.’
- Choose ‘Search automatically for updated driver software’ and follow the instructions.
If Windows fails to find a new driver, visit the laptop manufacturer’s website and download the latest driver from there.
4. Enable Adaptive Brightness
Windows has a feature called adaptive brightness, which adjusts the screen brightness based on the surrounding lighting conditions. However, if it's not working properly, it might prevent you from adjusting brightness manually.
- Go to ‘Control Panel,’ then ‘Hardware and Sound,’ and select ‘Power Options.’
- Click on ‘Change plan settings’ next to your selected plan.
- Select ‘Change advanced power settings.’
- Find ‘Display’ and then ‘Enable adaptive brightness.’ Switch it off and see if that helps.
5. Check The Battery Saver Mode
The Battery Saver mode in Windows conserves power by dimming your screen among other things. If your screen is stuck at a specific brightness, ensure Battery Saver mode is turned off by going to ‘Settings’ > ‘System’ > ‘Battery’ and toggle it off if it’s on.
6. Use Windows Mobility Center
Windows Mobility Center offers a quick way to adjust your screen's brightness. To access it, simply do the following:
- Press ‘Windows key + X’ and select ‘Mobility Center.’
- Adjust the brightness slider to your preference.
7. Troubleshoot Hardware Issues
If none of the above solutions work, you may be facing a hardware issue. This could be a result of a faulty display, a broken backlight, or issues with your laptop’s motherboard. Consulting with a professional or contacting your laptop’s manufacturer might be your best course of action.
Conclusion
Not being able to adjust your laptop’s screen brightness can be frustrating, but in most cases, it’s a fixable issue. Starting with simple solutions like using function keys, to more involved fixes like updating drivers and disabling adaptive brightness, there are several ways to regain control over your screen brightness. If you’ve tried all the software fixes with no success, it might be time to consider the possibility of hardware issues. Remember, regular system maintenance and updates can prevent many of these issues from happening in the first place. Happy computing!