Adaptive Brightness - Turn On or Off in Windows 8

How to Turn On or Off Adaptive Brightness in Windows 8 and 8.1​

   Information

This will show you how to turn adaptive brightness on or off to have Windows 8 use a light sensor (usually built into the display) to automatically adjust the screen brightness to match the lighting conditions in your PC's surroundings.

To determine if your laptop or computer monitor supports adaptive brightness, look for the Enable adaptive brightness setting in Power Options in the steps below. If the Enable adaptive brightness setting is not available, then it doesn't support adaptive brightness.

This will affect all users on the computer that use the same power plan that you have this set for.

OPTION ONE

To Turn Adaptive Brightness On or Off in Power Options

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1. Open the Advanced Power Settings for your power plan.​

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2. Expand Display and Enable display brightness, then set adaptive brightness to be turned on or off for when your computer is On battery and Plugged in. (see screenshot below)​

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3. When finished, click/tap on OK, and close the Power Options window. (see screenshot above)​

OPTION TWO

To Turn Adaptive Brightness On or Off in PC Settings in Windows 8.1

   Note

This option will turn on or off both the On battery and Plugged in settings for your power plan in OPTION ONE above.

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1. Open PC settings, and click/tap on PC and devices on the left side. (see screenshot below)​

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2. Click/tap on Power and sleep on the left side, and turn on or off Adjust my screen brightness automatically on the right side under Brightness. (see screenshot below)​

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OPTION THREE

To Enable or Disable Adaptive Brightness in Services

NOTE: This option should really on be used if OPTION ONE or OPTION TWO above did not work for you.

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1. Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog, type services.msc, and press Enter.​

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2. Do step 3 or 4 below for what you would like to do.​

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3. To Enable Adaptive Brightness​

NOTE: This is the default setting.​

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A) Enable the Sensor Monitoring Service, and set it as Manual (Trigger Start).​

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4. To Disable Adaptive Brightness​

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A) Stop (if running) and disable the Sensor Monitoring Service.​

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5. You can now close Services if you like.​

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OPTION FOUR

Enable or Disable Adaptive Brightness in Intel Graphics Control Panel

NOTE: This option is only if you are using Intel HD graphics on your PC. You may need to do it in addition to the options above. If you are using NVIDIA or AMD graphics instead, then this does not apply to you.

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1. Open the Intel Graphics and Media Control Panel.​

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2. Click/tap the Power icon, and do step 3 or 4 below for what you would like to do.​

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3. To Enable Adaptive Brightness​

NOTE: This is the default setting.​

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A) Check or turn on the Display Power Saving Technology box for both On battery and Plugged in, and click/tap on OK or Apply.​

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4. To Disable Adaptive Brightness​

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A) Uncheck or turn off the Display Power Saving Technology box for both On battery and Plugged in, and click/tap on OK or Apply.​

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That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

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• How to Create a Power and Sleep PC Settings Shortcut in Windows 8.1
• How to Adjust the Display Screen Brightness in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Turn On or Off Automatic Dim Display Brightness in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Add or Remove "Dim display after" in Power Options in Windows
• How to Change Power Plan Settings in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Set to Turn Off the Display after Specified Time in Windows

 

[120inna55]

Thank you so much, Brink! Option 4 is what I needed to stop this annoying "feature". I've searched all over and someone on the HP forums actually posted a link to this thread. My Intel control panel looks different, but all I needed to know was to TURN OFF Display Power Saving TechnologyDisplay Power Saving Technology. I am so grateful for your post. So much so, that I registered just to make this post. I think I'll look around while I'm here! Thanks again!

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Matt, and welcome to Eight Forums.

If you don't mind, please post a screenshot of these settings in your Intel Control Panel, and I'll add it to the tutorial to help others with the same.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2598-screenshots-files-upload-post-eight-forums.html

 

[120inna55]

...If you don't mind, please post a screenshot of these settings in your Intel Control Panel, and I'll add it to the tutorial to help others with the same.

Gladly:





Here's the driver/version info if needed:

 

[Surgikill]

Thanks. Those pictures helped me get rid of the auto contrast feature. Very helpful

 

[Brink]

Thank you Matt. Added to tutorial.

 

[hilbury]

Hi Brink,
It's wonderful to find such a great resource, thank you.
This auto-intermittent dimming started after I installed windows 8.1 yesterday.
I have read through this post and tried all of your suggested fixes.
Option 1: Enable display brightness - OFF
Option 2: Turn Adaptive Brightness On or Off - This setting doesn't exist on my laptop
Option 3: Enable or Disable Adaptive Brightness in Services - is set at 'Stopped'
Option 4: Intel Graphics Control Panel - I have AMD on my laptop. [AMD Vision control centre doesn't have any setting that I can see to do with screen brightness]

The only thing that seems to have worked is changing the screen brightness to 100% and the dim to 0%.
This stopped the intermittent dimming but I cant stand have the screen at 100%, I usually run with it at 30% and at 30% brightness and 0% dim the problem persists.

Is there anything new that I can try?

Thanks for your help
Hilary

 

[Brink]

Hello Hilary, and welcome to Eight Forums.

Yeah, it's not easy when there's so many different brightness settings that can conflict and override one another. If you haven't already, check the "dim after" setting in the tutorial below to make sure you have it set to "never".

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/21702-dim-display-automatically-turn-off-windows-8-a.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[hilbury]

Hi Shawn
Thank you for your help.

I don't have the option to change the 'Dim the display' to 'Never' on the 'Change plan settings' page.

BUT I have made a break through.
While going throught the steps {again} to change the Display settings I decieded to start from scratch and hit the 'Restore plan defults' button.
Now after making the changes to the Power options on the 'High Performance' setting I have:
Display Brightness: 30%
Dimmed display brightness: 0%
Enabled adaptive brightness: off

All settings are for both 'On battery' and 'Plugged in'.

Now it seems to be working while plugged in but still dimming while on battery power!

OK, so I just restarted my laptop and all setting have remained as above.
Still dimming while on battery power, no dimming while plugged in.
Does this situation ring any bells for you?

Thanks
Hilary

 

[hilbury]

Hi Shawn

OK!! Stop looking I think I have figured it out!!! Yay for me, although I hope I'm not celebrating too soon.

In the 'Power Options' box the very last option is 'ATI Graphics Power Settings'
Which when clicked shows: ' ATI Powerplay Settings'
Defult setting is: 'On Battery' set on 'Maximize Performance' and Plugged in set on 'Maximize Battery life'
I changed 'Plugged in' to 'Maximize Performance' AND Tadaaaa!! All fixed.

Thanks for your help though, without your tutorials I would never have looked at the other settings in the 'Power Options' box.

Kind regards
Hilary

Edit: I think I have the original settings backwards but the result is have both settings as 'Maximize Performance' and it's all working fine.

 

[Brink]

Perfect Hilary.

Does unchecking the "Enable PowerPlay" box stop it for you as well?

 

[hilbury]

Hi Shawn,
I can't find a Catalyst Control Center from my Search bar.
I do have a similar looking AMD VISION Enging Control Center but it doesn't have the options your image shows
On the left-hand menu there are only three choices: Pinned, Presets and Power.
There is an option to Enable or Disable Smart Sleep and I tried both settings but neither choice had any effect on the dimming problem.

Perhaps it is because I don't have any gaming software or didn't allow gaming features at set-up?

Hilary

 

[Brink]

Usually you would see the CCC option when you right click on the desktop if installed.

No worries though. The main thing is that you got it to work using the max settings. I was just wondering if it would have the same effect if you disabled PowerPlay.

 

[3476]

Hi I've got an Acer Aspire and I've done everything you said to disable adaptive brightness and when I take my charger out, the menu in intel for 'power saving technology' keeps turning back on, and then my screen goes dim. I've saved it over 10 times, disabled it everywhere but it keeps coming on in that menu. Any suggestions? Thanks

 

[Brink]

Hello 3476, and welcome to Eight Forums.

Did you set this for both the "Plugged in" and "On battery" settings?

 

[3476]

I have and then as soon as I put my laptop on charge and take the plug out, it reverts back to the setting where it's turned on. It also does it when I shutdown, thanks!

 

[Brink]

It sounds like some other power management program installed is overriding your settings. As a test, troubleshoot with a clean boot to see if it may help to ID the culprit. My guess would be some program the OEM had preinstalled on the computer.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/23382-troubleshoot-problem-clean-boot-windows-8-a.html

 

[3476]

Got it! It was the Acer epower management. Thanks!

 

[3476]

Nevermind, it seems to have came back on. I've disabled every adaptive brightness setting and done what you said, do you have any other suggestions? Thanks

 

[Brink]

3476,

If you haven't already, check to see if your auto dim settings may be the issue.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/21702-dim-display-automatically-turn-off-windows-8-a.html

 

[thepiecesfit]

Found this is an animation in the Tile version of IE in Windows 8. Not a contrast dimming issue. Solved! Thanks for the write up.;