Windows

How to Turn On or Off Adaptive Brightness in Windows 11

Written by

Richard

Mar 9, 2026 3 min read

You turn on or off Adaptive Brightness in Windows 11 to automatically adjust your screen’s brightness based on ambient light conditions.

This feature enhances viewing comfort by dimming or brightening your display without manual intervention.

For example, Adaptive Brightness might lower your screen’s brightness when you’re in a dark room and increase it when you step into direct sunlight.

You can easily access this setting through Windows 11’s Display options, typically found under System settings.

⚡ Quick Answer

Open Settings, navigate to System > Display, and toggle the “Change brightness automatically when lighting changes” option. This feature adjusts screen brightness based on ambient light.

What is Adaptive Brightness?

Adaptive Brightness uses a sensor in your computer to detect the lighting in your environment and adjusts your screen brightness automatically. This helps reduce eye strain and saves battery life on laptops.

How to Turn On or Off Adaptive Brightness

Option 1Using Windows Settings

Press Windows key + I to open the Settings app.
Click System on the left side.
Click Display on the right side.
Find the Brightness section and click to expand it.
Look for the option “Change brightness automatically when lighting changes”.
Check the box to turn Adaptive Brightness On, or uncheck it to turn it Off.
Close the Settings window when done.

Open Display Settings

Windows Display Settings tile

Windows 11 Display Settings showing Adaptive Brightness toggle option

Option 2Using Windows Terminal

If you like using commands, you can create a BAT file to quickly turn Adaptive Brightness on or off.

Turn On Adaptive Brightness

💻Code

powercfg -setacvalueindex SCHEME_CURRENT 7516b95f-f776-4464-8c53-06167f40cc99 FBD9AA66-9553-4097-BA44-ED6E9D65EAB8 1
powercfg -SetActive SCHEME_CURRENT

powercfg -setdcvalueindex SCHEME_CURRENT 7516b95f-f776-4464-8c53-06167f40cc99 FBD9AA66-9553-4097-BA44-ED6E9D65EAB8 1
powercfg -SetActive SCHEME_CURRENT

Turn Off Adaptive Brightness

💻Code

powercfg -setacvalueindex SCHEME_CURRENT 7516b95f-f776-4464-8c53-06167f40cc99 FBD9AA66-9553-4097-BA44-ED6E9D65EAB8 0
powercfg -SetActive SCHEME_CURRENT

powercfg -setdcvalueindex SCHEME_CURRENT 7516b95f-f776-4464-8c53-06167f40cc99 FBD9AA66-9553-4097-BA44-ED6E9D65EAB8 0
powercfg -SetActive SCHEME_CURRENT

Note: The -setacvalueindex command changes the setting when plugged in, and the -setdcvalueindex command changes it on battery power.

Option 3Using Intel Graphics Control Panel

If your PC uses Intel graphics, you might also have settings there that control Adaptive Brightness.

Open the Intel Graphics Control Panel.
Click the Power icon.
Select either On Battery or Plugged in mode.
Check or uncheck Enable Display Power Saving Technology to turn Adaptive Brightness on or off.
Adjust the slider to set how much brightness change you want.
Click Apply.
Confirm by clicking Yes within 15 seconds to keep your changes.

Option 4Using AMD Radeon Settings

If your computer has AMD graphics, you can change Adaptive Brightness through AMD Radeon Settings:

Open AMD Radeon Settings.
Click Display.
If you have multiple screens, pick the display you want to change.
Turn Vari-Bright on or off. This is AMD’s version of adaptive brightness.
If you turn it on, adjust the Vari-Bright Level slider to your liking.
Close AMD Radeon Settings when finished.

Summary

Adaptive Brightness helps your screen adjust brightness automatically based on light around you.
You can turn it on or off easily through:
- Windows Settings
- Command scripts (BAT files)
- Intel Graphics Control Panel (if you have Intel graphics)
- AMD Radeon Settings (if you have AMD graphics)
Remember, changes only affect the current power plan.
When your laptop is in battery saver mode, Windows may reduce brightness automatically by 30% to save power.
Adjust these settings to find the brightness level that’s comfortable for your eyes.

By using these methods, you can make sure your screen is easy to see and gentle on your eyes, no matter where you are.

Helpful Links

Is adaptive brightness good for your eyes?

The Benefits of Adaptive Brightness for Eye Health Adaptive brightness can reduce eye strain and fatigue by decreasing the amount of blue light emitted by the screen and reducing the contrast between the screen and its surroundings.

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Tags: #Windows 11

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About the Author

Richard

Tech Writer, IT Professional

Richard, a writer for Geek Rewind, is a tech enthusiast who loves breaking down complex IT topics into simple, easy-to-understand ideas. With years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, he’s developed a knack for offering practical tips and solutions. Richard aims to make technology more accessible and actionable. He's deeply committed to the Geek Rewind community, always ready to answer questions and engage in discussions.

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