The most common cause is outdated or incompatible display drivers, particularly after a major update. Additional causes include corrupted system files or conflicts with power settings, especially when auto-brightness options are enabled. In this article, we will discuss different solutions to solve this problem.
1. Adjust the Brightness from Power Options
Sometimes, the brightness setting might not work because of a miscommunication between the display driver and the system’s power settings. By adjusting brightness in the Power Options menu in the Control Panel, Windows can reconfigure these settings and re-sync the display controls, helping the system recognize the adjustments correctly.
2. Change the Brightness Options from the Graphics Properties Menu
Using the Graphics Properties Menu allows direct control over display settings via the graphics hardware. This bypasses potential issues with Windows’ display controls that may malfunction after updates or driver problems. Adjusting brightness directly through the graphics card’s control panel (Intel, AMD, or NVIDIA) ensures better compatibility and reliability for managing brightness. Note: The following steps are for the Intel Graphics and Media Control Panel. Screens may differ with various graphics drivers.
3. Update the Graphics Drivers
Updating your GPU drivers can fix brightness issues because outdated or corrupted drivers might not work correctly after system updates. Installing the latest drivers ensures that your display adapter works with the latest Windows changes, helping to restore control over screen brightness settings. For detailed guide, check our article here.
4. Re-enable Generic PnP Monitor
Re-enabling the Generic PnP Monitor helps Windows rediscover the display, fixing issues caused by faulty drivers or incorrect detection after system updates. This refreshes the display settings, allowing brightness controls to work properly again.
5. Change the Display Type to Discrete in BIOS (Lenovo)
Switching to “Discrete Graphics” in the BIOS on Lenovo laptops forces the system to use the dedicated GPU, bypassing issues with the integrated graphics. This often resolves brightness adjustment problems caused by driver conflicts or system updates. To fix this manufacturer-specific problem, access your BIOS (by pressing F2 during startup), navigate to the Configuration tab, and change the Graphics Device setting from Switchable Graphics to Discrete Graphics. Save the changes with F10 and then allow the computer to boot.
6. Fix the Catalyst Bug via Registry Editor (ATI GPUs)
By modifying certain registry entries, you disable power management settings that conflict with brightness controls. This restores proper communication between Windows and ATI drivers, allowing brightness adjustments to work correctly again.
8. Adjusting Screen Brightness Using PowerShell
Using PowerShell lets you directly access system settings, allowing you to manually adjust brightness when regular settings fail. Running specific commands can fix issues caused by corrupted drivers or system updates, bypassing malfunctioning interfaces and restoring proper functionality.
