How To Turn Off Adaptive Brightness In Windows 11: A Step-by-Step Guide

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5 min. read

Published on October 28, 2025

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Adaptive brightness, a feature designed to automatically adjust your screen’s brightness based on ambient light, can sometimes be more of a nuisance than a convenience. While it aims to optimize your viewing experience and conserve battery life, it can lead to distracting fluctuations in brightness, especially in environments with varying light conditions. This guide will walk you through the steps to disable adaptive brightness in Windows 11, giving you more control over your display.

Taking control of your screen’s brightness settings can significantly improve your viewing experience and reduce eye strain. This article provides a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to disabling adaptive brightness, ensuring your screen remains consistently lit according to your preferences. By following these instructions, you can customize your Windows 11 display to suit your specific needs and environment.

How Do I Disable Adaptive Brightness on Windows 11?

Access Power Options

Click the Start button.
Type “Control Panel” and press Enter.
Click on Hardware and Sound.
Select Power Options.

Change Plan Settings

Locate your currently active power plan (it will be marked as “Balanced (recommended)” or similar).
Click on Change plan settings next to your active plan.

Adjust Advanced Power Settings

Click on Change advanced power settings.
Scroll down and expand the Display section.
Expand the Enable adaptive brightness section.
Change both On battery and Plugged in settings to Off.
Click Apply and then OK to save the changes.

Disable Adaptive Brightness via Registry Editor (Alternative Method)

Warning: Incorrectly modifying the registry can cause serious problems. Back up your registry before proceeding.

Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box.
Type “regedit” and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
Navigate to the following key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Power\PowerSettings\ADB0BCB6-C61E-4683-8237-7E5DD292EE1B\FBDCA982-CBC8-49D3-BAD8-E511A734A9B2
Double-click on Attributes.
Change the value data from “1” to “2”.
Click OK.
Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
Go back to Power Options > Change plan settings > Change advanced power settings > Display and ensure that the Adaptive Brightness settings are now visible. You can then set them to Off.

Adjust Display Settings

Right-click on your desktop and select Display settings.
Scroll down to the Brightness section.
Uncheck the box labeled “Change brightness automatically when lighting changes.” (Note: This option might not be available on all systems, especially desktops).

Update Display Drivers

Right-click on the Start button and select Device Manager.
Expand the Display adapters section.
Right-click on your display adapter and select Update driver.
Choose “Search automatically for drivers” and follow the on-screen instructions.
Restart your computer after the update is complete.

Tips

If you are using a laptop, ensure that your power plan settings are not overriding your changes.
Regularly check for driver updates for your display adapter to ensure optimal performance.
If the “Change brightness automatically when lighting changes” option is not available, it may be due to hardware limitations or driver issues.

Adaptive Brightness Settings: A Quick Comparison

Feature	Adaptive Brightness (Enabled)	Adaptive Brightness (Disabled)
Brightness Adjustment	Automatically adjusts screen brightness based on ambient light.	Screen brightness remains constant based on user settings.
Battery Life (Laptops)	Potentially extends battery life by reducing brightness in well-lit environments.	May reduce battery life as screen brightness remains consistent.
User Control	Limited user control over brightness levels as the system automatically adjusts them.	Full user control over brightness levels.
Viewing Experience	Can be distracting due to frequent brightness changes, especially in environments with fluctuating light.	Provides a consistent viewing experience without unexpected brightness changes.
Suitability	Suitable for users who prioritize battery life and don’t mind automatic brightness adjustments.	Suitable for users who prefer consistent brightness levels and want more control over their display settings.

Regain Control of Your Screen Brightness

Disabling adaptive brightness in Windows 11 gives you the power to maintain a consistent and comfortable viewing experience. By following these steps, you can customize your display settings to suit your preferences and eliminate unwanted brightness fluctuations.

FAQ

Why is my screen brightness changing automatically in Windows 11?

This is likely due to the adaptive brightness feature, which adjusts screen brightness based on ambient light.

How do I stop my screen from dimming automatically?

You can disable adaptive brightness through Power Options or Display Settings.

Will disabling adaptive brightness affect my battery life?

Yes, disabling adaptive brightness on a laptop may reduce battery life, as the screen will no longer automatically dim in well-lit environments.

Is it safe to edit the registry to disable adaptive brightness?

Editing the registry can be risky if not done correctly. Always back up your registry before making changes.