Windows 11 comes with an auto-brightness feature that adjusts your screen brightness based on ambient lighting. While this can save battery life and reduce eye strain, it can also be frustrating when your screen keeps dimming or brightening unexpectedly.
In this guide, I’ll show you how to turn off auto-brightness in Windows 11, step by step, so you can take control of your display.
What Is Auto Brightness and Why Disable It?
Auto-brightness is a feature that uses your device’s light sensor to adjust screen brightness automatically.
Reasons to disable it:
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You want consistent brightness while working or gaming.
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Auto-brightness causes eye strain in fluctuating lighting conditions.
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You prefer to manually control brightness for better battery management.
Method 1: Turn Off Auto Brightness via Settings
This is the most straightforward method on Windows 11.
Step-by-Step:
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Press Windows + I to open Settings.
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Go to System > Display.
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Scroll down to Brightness & color.
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Find Change brightness automatically when lighting changes and toggle it Off.
✅ Your screen will now stay at the brightness level you set manually.
Method 2: Turn Off Adaptive Brightness via Control Panel
Some devices may still use adaptive brightness through power settings.
Step-by-Step:
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Press Windows + S, type Control Panel, and open it.
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Navigate to Hardware and Sound > Power Options.
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Click Change plan settings next to your active power plan.
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Select Change advanced power settings.
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Expand Display > Enable adaptive brightness.
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Set both On battery and Plugged in to Off.
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Click Apply > OK.
This disables adaptive brightness at the power management level, preventing Windows from adjusting it automatically.
Method 3: Disable Intel Graphics Auto Brightness (if applicable)
Some PCs with Intel graphics use their own adaptive brightness.
Step-by-Step:
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Right-click the desktop and select Intel Graphics Settings or Intel Graphics Command Center.
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Go to Power > Display Power Saving Technology.
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Toggle it Off for both battery and plugged-in modes.
⚡ This ensures Intel’s software doesn’t override Windows settings.
Method 4: Update or Disable Display Drivers
Sometimes auto-brightness persists due to outdated or buggy drivers.
Step-by-Step:
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Press Windows + X and select Device Manager.
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Expand Monitors and Display adapters.
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Right-click your display and GPU, select Update driver.
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Choose Search automatically for drivers.
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Restart your PC after updating.
If the problem continues, you can temporarily disable the sensor device in Device Manager.
Tips for Manual Brightness Control
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Use Windows + A to open the Action Center and adjust brightness quickly.
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Use the Display Settings slider for precise control.
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Consider using a third-party brightness control app if your monitor doesn’t have a built-in option.
Common Issues & Fixes
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Brightness slider missing → Update display drivers and check monitor settings.
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Auto brightness still active → Disable adaptive brightness in power settings and graphics software.
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Laptop doesn’t have a light sensor → The auto-brightness option may be grayed out; nothing to disable.
Conclusion
Turning off auto-brightness in Windows 11 gives you full control over your screen’s brightness, providing a consistent viewing experience for work, gaming, or streaming.
Whether you use Settings, Control Panel, or your graphics software, it only takes a few steps to disable this feature and stop your screen from adjusting automatically.
FAQs
1. How do I turn off auto-brightness on Windows 11 laptops?
Go to Settings > System > Display and toggle off Change brightness automatically when lighting changes.
2. Can I still adjust brightness manually after turning off auto-brightness?
Yes, you can use the slider in Settings or the Action Center.
3. Why is auto-brightness still on after disabling it?
Some Intel graphics or power settings may override Windows—check Intel Graphics Command Center and power plan settings.
4. Does turning off auto-brightness save battery?
Not necessarily. Auto-brightness can save battery on laptops, but manual control allows you to optimize brightness as needed.
5. Can I disable auto-brightness on desktop monitors?
Desktops usually don’t have light sensors, so auto-brightness is not applicable.