How to let Windows 11 Change Brightness Automatically when Lighting Changes

Why Use Automatic Brightness?

Why do this? It makes your screen easier to see no matter where you are. It can also help save power on laptops and stop your eyes from getting tired.

What happens when done? Your screen’s brightness will change on its own when the light in your room changes. You won’t have to touch any settings.

How to Set Up Automatic Brightness

Step 1Go to Display Settings

First, we need to find the right settings menu. Getting there is a breeze.

1. Click the ⊞ Start button. It’s usually in the middle of your screen at the bottom.
2. Click the Settings icon. It looks like a little gear.
3. On the left side of ⚙️ the Settings window, click on System.
4. In the System settings, click on Display.

Step 2Find the Brightness Control

Now that you’re in Display settings, look for the brightness options.

You will see a slider called “Brightness.” This lets you change it yourself. But we want the automatic feature.

Step 3Turn On Automatic Brightness

This is where the smart feature comes in! Let’s see if your computer can do this and how to turn it on.

Look for an option that says something like “Change brightness automatically when lighting changes.” It might be a checkbox you can tick or a switch you can flip.

If you see this option: Great! Your computer has the right parts, like a light sensor, and the software to make it work.

Action: Turn this setting on. Click the checkbox or flip the switch to the ‘On’ position.

Explanation: When this is on, Windows uses your computer’s sensors to check the light around you. If it gets darker, your screen dims. If it gets brighter, your screen brightens. This all happens quietly in the background.

Step 4How it Works

It’s good to know how this works, especially if things seem a bit different than you expect.

For Normal Screens: Windows tries to make your screen easy to see no matter how bright or dark your room is. It finds a balance so it’s not too dim or too bright.

For HDR Screens: If you have a special HDR screen (that’s High Dynamic Range), Windows adjusts brightness a bit differently. It tries to work with how your eyes see light changes. Sometimes, the brightness might change a little slower on these screens. This is to give you a more natural view.

Reference:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/change-display-brightness-and-color-in-windows-3f67a2f2-5c65-ceca-778b-5858fc007041#category=windows_11

Summary

Automatic brightness adjustment uses your computer’s sensors to change the screen’s brightness based on the surrounding light. To turn it on, go to Settings > System > Display and look for the option to “Change brightness automatically when lighting changes.” If you see it, enable it . If not, your computer’s hardware likely doesn’t support this feature, and you’ll need to adjust brightness manually.