With remote work and online classes, it is normal to ask “how to lower the brightness of my PC?” “or how to lower the light intensity of the monitor?”. The time we spend in front of screens is getting higher and higher, as it is now common to use different digital platforms such as Zoom or Meet to communicate with our colleagues and friends. But do you know how screen brightness affects your visual health?
Eyesight is one of the senses most exposed to the effects of screen brightness. this is why taking care of your health should be a priority, from the ergonomics of your workspace to the brightness of your computer screen.
Adjusting the brightness on your desktop PC will help you not only to have a better visibility of your screen while studying or working, but it will also be useful to avoid the deterioration of your eyesight. But then, how do you lower the screen brightness? don’t worry! With this simple guide you will learn different ways to make this adjustment easily and quickly, either from your PC or laptop.
In addition, we will offer you solutions to adjust the brightness of your screen in Windows 10, in case this option is not working properly, and finally, we will share with you a series of tips to take care of your visual health.
how to change the screen brightness in Windows 10?
Let’s start with one of the most famous and widely used operating systems today: Windows 10. It’s very simple! If you are wondering “how to lower the brightness of my PC in Windows 10”, you just have to perform the following steps:
Select the activity center, which is located in the bottom right corner of your screen.
A menu will open in which different configuration options will appear and, at the bottom, you will find the icon of a sun, next to a slider.
You can move the slider from right to left to lower the screen brightness, and from left to right to increase it.
It is common for you to miss the slider to lower the screen brightness in the activity center (especially if you have an older version of Windows), but it is not.but don’t worry, you can find it and make this adjustment by going to Settings > System > Display, where you can use the slider in the same way to lower the brightness of your PC screen.
Source: Microsoft Support
Other ways to lower the screen brightness in Windows 10
1. Change the screen brightness automatically
If you are one of those who pay little attention to the brightness of the PC screen when you are working, there is an option on some PCs for Windows to automatically adjust the brightness of the screen according to the light conditions of the environment.
In fact, lowering the screen brightness can help you extend the battery life of your PC or portable device even further. windows 10 has a battery saving feature that limits notifications and background activity, and this can also automatically reduce the brightness.
According to the Microsoft portal, you have the option to allow the Windows operating system to automatically adjust the screen brightness on your computer based on the current lighting. follow these steps!
If you want to enable this option of how to lower PC brightness, just go to Settings > System > Display and look for the “Automatically change brightness when lighting changes” checkbox.
If your PC supports this setting, just check the box to enable it.
This option can be very useful if you use your PC at different times of the day or if you have a laptop, as it automatically adapts to the lighting conditions, so you don’t have to worry about constantly changing the brightness of your screen in order to still have good visibility.
Plus, even with this option enabled, you can still change the brightness in Windows 10 manually whenever you want.
Source: Solvetic
2. Enable the night light
On the other hand, there is also an interesting option to configure the screen brightness on your Windows 10 computer, which could be very useful if you use your PC at night.
As we mentioned before, the screens of electronic devices emit a type of light, called blue light. This type of light is harmful to your eyesight, and affects your vision mainly at night or if you use your PC in places with poor lighting.
The “night light” is a setting option that adds a yellow-orange filter to your computer screen, thus changing the temperature of the light and making it less harmful to your eyes. If you want to know how to lower the intensity of the computer light, follow these steps:
To activate the night light and lower the brightness of the screen on your Windows 10 PC, you can access Settings > System > Display > Night Light Settings.
In this window, you will be able to activate the night light, but in addition, you will be able to customize it. From here, you can change the intensity of the night light and schedule the night light to turn on and/or off automatically at certain times, as you require.
Source: Microsoft Support
3. Adjust the brightness at the command prompt
You can also change the screen brightness in Windows 10 using the command prompt. The other methods listed here are more intuitive, but you can use them if they are not available for some reason.
Well, perform a cmd system search to find and open the command prompt. Then, enter the following data:
powershell (Get-WmiObject -Namespace root/WMI -Class WmiMonitorBrightnessMethods).WmiSetBrightness(1,100)
To perform this step, change 100 to the percentage you want the brightness to be, then press Enter to submit the command.
Source: Microsoft Support
Solutions to adjust the brightness on your screen in Windows 10
tired of not being able to fix the screen brightness on your PC? did you follow our instructions and can’t fix the problem? Did you read this in a telemarketing voice? Then don’t worry, your prayers have been answered.
We know that Windows 10 updates have incorporated (and maintained) various features to control and lower the brightness of the computer screen, as well as to improve PC performance. However, sometimes the inevitable happens and this option may not be working properly. And, no matter how much you follow the steps described above, you still don’t manage to get the lighting you want for your monitor.
As Javier Pozzi, teacher of the Software Debugging online course mentions, “in software development there will always be bugs. It is important to know how to debug your code and fix programming problems, no matter what kind of programming language you are working in.”
what can you do in case you don’t see the slider option or don’t have a desktop PC? Don’t worry, don’t panic, we have the solution to fix the brightness issue on your PC. Just try updating the display driver.
But that will be our Plan B. First let’s see how to solve this or any other possible issue related to the brightness of your PC screen:
1. Check if the brightness controls are working
In case the physical button on your screen or keyboard does not work, or if the brightness of your monitor suddenly changes, you have the option to check the brightness control from Windows. how to do it?
To do so, follow these steps:
Click on the taskbar, which will give you access to the Action Center.
With the Action Center open, you will find the icon of a sun (yes, it is the brightness). Click on it to be able to lower the intensity of the light on your screen. and that’s it!
You also have the option to check the brightness customization in Windows 10 Settings. Following the same path described for the night light(Settings > System > Display), you will find on the right side of the window the Adjust Brightness level function.
If you press on this section, you will see a slider bar, with which you can adjust the brightness of your monitor, just by moving it to the right and to the left. the rest is up to you!
what’s wrong? still having trouble dimming and dimming your computer’s brightness? Then you should try the following method.
2. Update your graphics card drivers
In this case, to find out how to fix your PC’s brightness, you should opt for updating your computer’s video card drivers. It’s no big deal, so let’s go with the explanation.
First of all, you need to open the Device Manager tool. You will do that from the search option of Windows 10. Open the manager and look in the options tree: Display Adapters.
Select that option and the computer’s graphics card will appear .
At this point, you must right-click to display the context menu. Once there, choose the Update Driver Software option.
Here, you will find the wizard to update the specific drivers for this hardware (the popular drivers). You will have two options, click on the one that says: Automatically search for updated driver software, to proceed with the online search for the latest driver (although if you want to install it manually, you will also have the option to do so. We will talk about it in the next point).
When the process is finished, try changing the brightness of your PC screen again .
It may happen that, during the driver update, your PC screen turns white. Don’t worry, this is normal for this kind of process, so don’t freak out, you are closer to lowering the brightness of your PC.
3. Update your graphics card drivers manually
In case the above method was not the solution to your problem in adjusting the screen brightness of your PC, we have a plan B of the same procedure.
For this, you must do the same procedure of method 2 only, this time, when the update wizard opens, you will choose the option that says: Search for driver software on your computer.
Once you have selected this option, a new window will open in which you will click on: Choose from a list of device drivers on your computer.
A new window will open, displaying a list of devices, choose the name of your graphics card and select the Next button.
You should now be able to update these drivers and, once the process is complete, you should have no problem adjusting your PC’s display lighting. But, if you still cannot find the solution to this problem, you will have to opt for the following method.
4. Update the drivers from the manufacturer’s website
If none of the above options worked for you, then it’s time to pull out the big guns if you want to find the answer to “how to fix the brightness on my PC”. And let’s find a way to get those drivers updated, but this time, from your computer manufacturer’s website.
want to see the procedure? it’s quick and easy!
First of all, you’ll need to go to the official website of your computer manufacturer. Once there, you will find a Downloads and/or Drivers section (depending on the manufacturer, obviously).
At this point, you will have to filter the available downloads. and how to do this? By indicating the exact model of your computer.
Now, you must locate the driver for your computer’s video card, selecting the structure of the computer’s Operating System (if it is 32 or 64 bits).
Finally, proceed to download and run the download, once you have downloaded the file to your machine.
When you open the downloaded file, the installation of your computer’s display drivers will start. When this procedure is finished, you will see that you will have no problem adjusting the screen brightness on your PC.
Source: IslaBit
how to lower the brightness of your PC in Windows 7?
On the Internet there are many tutorials on how to lower the screen brightness in Windows 7. But not all of them can help you solve the problem, because the Windows 7 brightness adjustment function is not always displayed in the control panel, and sometimes even if you update the display driver, the brightness cannot be changed.
If you can’t lower the screen brightness in Windows 7, it will not only hurt your eyes, but also affect your sleep. This is really annoying, but by using a program to lower the screen brightness, you can easily adjust the light in Windows 7. This way, you will feel a greater relief and your eyesight will thank you for it .
In addition to using specialized software, you can use other classic methods that we will show you below. take note!
1. Program to lower the screen brightness
One of the first methods to know how to lower the brightness of the computer with the Windows 7 operating system is by using a tool. One of them is CareUEyes, an eye protection software that can easily help you adjust the screen brightness in Windows 7. Let’s see the benefits!
You can use the brightness slider to adjust the light intensity. slide to the left to decrease the brightness and to the right to increase the screen brightness.
It also supports hotkeys to adjust the brightness. You can customize the hotkeys on the CareUEyes options page, and then you can use the keyboard to increase or decrease the screen brightness.
CareUEyes has eight preset modes, each of which can set different brightness for day and night. In addition, it will help you change the brightness of your PC screen according to the preset time of sunrise and sunset. you can directly select the preferred mode or change the preset brightness using the slider.
It also has ablue light filter function, which can filter out harmful blue light and help relieve eye fatigue and pain.
To top it off, with the function of taking regular breaks you can better protect your eyes and prevent eye fatigue.
Source: CareUEyes
2. Built-in brightness adjustment
To find out how to lower the screen brightness in Windows 7 using the built-in brightness adjustment, follow these steps:
Open the Windows 7 control panel.
Select “Hardware and Sound”.
Choose “Power Options”.
At the bottom of the power options window, you will see the “Screen Brightness” slider , drag it left and right.
Hit “Change brightness slider” to adjust the screen brightness.
Source: CareUEyes
3. Reducing screen brightness with the keyboard
On most laptop keyboards, you will find shortcut keys that can quickly increase and decrease the screen brightness.
These are usually function keys (F1 to F12) and are usually located at the top of the keyboard. let’s see what the steps are!
If you want to learn how to lower PC brightness in Windows 7 with the keyboard, look for the brightness symbol (usually a logo).
Since the F keys are function keys, you must hold down the Fn key on the keyboard (usually located near the bottom left corner of the keyboard) when you press them for them to work. that’s it!
Source: Unsplash
how to lower the brightness of an external monitor?
If you have an external monitor connected to your PC, you may not get the slider to change the screen brightness in Windows 10 or this option may not work.
This is because this driver works only for built-in monitors, so if you have an external monitor and you want to set the screen brightness, you will have to do it using the buttons on it.
For example, if you use a TV as a monitor, you can lower the screen brightness via the TV’s menu, using the remote control and/or the TV’s built-in buttons.
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how to lower the brightness of your PC with the keyboard?
Another option you have to lower the brightness of your PC is to use the keyboard of your computer. Changing the brightness with the keyboard is the fastest and easiest alternative, since it allows you to adjust the brightness of the screen with just a couple of keystrokes. Follow these shortcuts!
Windows
Use the combination Fn+F5 to lower the brightness.
Use the combination Fn+F6 to increase the brightness.
Mac
Press the F1 key to lower the screen brightness.
Press the F2 key to increase the brightness of the screen.
Tips to take care of your visual health
For many creatives, eyesight is not only one of their senses, but also their working tool. On the other hand, many times this same work can lead you to spend long hours in front of the monitor. and, surely, after spending almost all day in front of one or another screen, you have felt your eyes getting dry and tired .
We believe that taking care of your visual health is something you should take into account when you are in permanent contact with screens, so we will tell you a little about why it is necessary to know how to reduce the brightness of the computer screen.
As we mentioned before, the screens of almost all electronic devices produced today emit what is known as blue light. This type of light allows the screens of your devices to consume less energy, among other benefits. However, despite these advantages, blue light is highly harmful to your eyesight.
Let’s be clear: it won’t make you blind or anything like that, but it could affect you in the medium and long term. According to a study conducted by Harvard University, although blue light from devices cannot cause considerable damage to the human eye, it does have the potential to disrupt your sleep or change some aspects of your health.
So what can you do to take care of your eye health and lessen the effects of screen brightness on the quality of your vision? In addition to learning how to lower PC brightness, we will share with you some practical tips that are easy to apply in your daily life, so that you can take action immediately and turn them into good habits.
1. Take a break
Don’t burden your eyes. Beyond knowing how to turn down the computer brightness, it’s vital that you give your eyes a break. Whether you’re working, learning or just taking some time to check your social media, try to take a one- or two-minute break to relax your eyes. Do this at least every 20 minutes.
If possible, pamper yourself for a few minutes at the end of the day using a home remedy to relax and take care of your eyesight. You can put some classic cucumber slices on your eyelids with your eyes closed for a few minutes to refresh your eyes (you can even make a mask while you’re at it!).
You can also prepare a chamomile tea (very relaxing), put the tea bags aside when you finish, let them cool for a few minutes in the freezer and place them on your eyes while you breathe and rest. This will help to soothe and hydrate your eyes.
2. Keep your distance
While lowering the brightness of the screen will help reduce eyestrain, you still need to follow other recommendations. One of them is the distance between the screen and your eyes.
Always try to keep your eyes at least 60 cm away from the screens of your devices. The larger the screens are, the greater the distance you should keep from them, since the greater the amount of light they emit.
3. Work during the day, sleep at night
have you noticed that the less light there is in your room, the brighter your screen feels? The lighting of your work environment is a very important factor, since this way the brightness of your PC screen will not reach your eyes so directly.
Set schedules so that, as much as possible, you stop using your electronic devices before dark (yes, that includes your smartphone), or at the very least, a couple of hours before bedtime.
why? The blue light that screens radiate has harmful effects on health, such as the risk of causing a reduction in the production of melatonin, the hormone in charge of intervening in the natural sleep cycle. This is why, if you frequently use your devices during the night, screen brightness can contribute to severely affect your sleep quality and cause insomnia.
4. Hydrate your body
have you already drank water? At Crehana we care about your health and we hope you never forget the importance of staying hydrated and having a balanced diet. It won’t do any good if you know how to turn down the brightness of your computer if you don’t drink water frequently. this is a vital resource for your body and, above all, for your eyesight!
Drink at least two liters of water a day and always have a bottle of water on hand to keep your system working properly and prevent your eyes from drying out.
5. See a specialist
Keep in mind that it is important to check the state of your eyesight with a specialist at least once a year to verify that everything is going well. In addition, there are some glasses with filters specially designed to protect your eyesight from the brightness of the screens, and who better to guide you in these matters than an expert in the area.
Source: Unsplash
that’s it! Now you are an expert in changing the brightness of your PC or laptop screen. Lowering the brightness of your PC can be one of the best things you can do for the well-being of your eyesight. remember that technology should help you make your life easier, not harm your health.
And speaking of the benefits of technology, we invite you to enroll in our online web development and technology courses, with which you can take full advantage of the benefits of the digital age. in each class, you can learn the basics of web design, implement HTML tag lists and CSS properties, and learn the basics of programming in the most important languages of the moment. it’s not all about turning down the brightness of your PC
see you next time!