How to Turn Off Adaptive Brightness in Windows 11: A Step-by-Step Guide

By / September 25, 2025

Do you notice your laptop screen automatically dimming or brightening on its own? That’s because of adaptive brightness, a Windows 11 feature designed to save battery and reduce eye strain. While it’s helpful in certain cases, many users find it distracting—especially when working in consistent lighting or doing color-sensitive tasks like photo editing.

In this step-by-step guide, we’ll show you how to turn off adaptive brightness in Windows 11 using different methods.

📝 Key Takeaways

  • Adaptive brightness adjusts screen brightness automatically based on ambient light or system power settings.

  • You can disable it through Windows Settings, Power Options, Intel/AMD/NVIDIA control panels, or Registry/Group Policy.

  • Turning it off ensures consistent brightness, which is great for gaming, video editing, and productivity.

What Is Adaptive Brightness in Windows 11?

Adaptive brightness is a feature that:

  • Uses an ambient light sensor (ALS) to detect surrounding light.

  • Automatically adjusts your display brightness for energy efficiency and eye comfort.

While it sounds useful, it can cause problems such as:

  • Constant flickering when lighting changes.

  • Screen too dim or too bright in stable environments.

  • Reduced accuracy in creative tasks.

Why You Might Want to Disable Adaptive Brightness

  • For gaming → Auto-brightness can break immersion.

  • For photo/video editing → You need consistent color accuracy.

  • For outdoor work → Screen may become too dark in sunlight.

  • For productivity → Flickering can cause eye strain.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Turn Off Adaptive Brightness in Windows 11

We’ll explore multiple methods so you can use the one that works best for your device.

1. Turn Off Adaptive Brightness via Windows Settings

This is the most straightforward method.

Steps:

  1. Press Win + I to open Settings.

  2. Go to System > Display.

  3. Scroll down to Brightness & color.

  4. Look for Change brightness automatically when lighting changes.

  5. Toggle it Off.

👉 If you don’t see this option, your device may not have a light sensor.

2. Disable Adaptive Brightness in Power Options

Windows 11 also manages brightness through power plans.

Steps:

  1. Press Win + R, type control, and press Enter.

  2. Go to Hardware and Sound > Power Options.

  3. Select Change plan settings next to your active plan.

  4. Click Change advanced power settings.

  5. Expand Display > Enable adaptive brightness.

  6. Set both On battery and Plugged in to Off.

  7. Click Apply > OK.

💡 This ensures adaptive brightness won’t activate in any power mode.

3. Turn Off Content Adaptive Brightness Control (CABC)

Windows 11 includes Content Adaptive Brightness Control (CABC), which adjusts brightness based on what’s displayed (videos, games, etc.).

Steps:

  1. Open Settings (Win + I).

  2. Go to System > Display.

  3. Under Brightness & color, find Brightness settings.

  4. Uncheck Automatically adjust contrast based on the displayed content to help improve battery.

4. Disable Adaptive Brightness via Intel Graphics Command Center

If you have an Intel-powered laptop, brightness control may be handled by Intel drivers.

Steps:

  1. Download/open Intel Graphics Command Center.

  2. Go to System > Power.

  3. Disable Display Power Saving Technology.

5. Disable Adaptive Brightness via AMD Radeon Software

For AMD devices:

Steps:

  1. Open AMD Radeon Software (Adrenalin Edition).

  2. Go to Display settings.

  3. Turn off any Vari-Bright or adaptive brightness options.

6. Disable Adaptive Brightness via NVIDIA Control Panel

If you use NVIDIA graphics:

Steps:

  1. Right-click desktop → NVIDIA Control Panel.

  2. Go to Display > Adjust desktop color settings.

  3. Manually configure brightness and contrast (NVIDIA usually doesn’t enforce adaptive brightness, but adjusting here ensures consistency).

7. Use Registry Editor (Advanced Users)

If the above options don’t work, you can disable it in the registry.

Steps:

  1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.

  2. Navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Intel\Display\igfxcui\profiles\Media\Brighten Movie

  1. Set the value to 0 (disabled).

  2. Restart your PC.

⚠️ Warning: Editing the registry can cause issues if done incorrectly.

8. Use Group Policy Editor (For Windows Pro/Enterprise)

If you’re on Windows 11 Pro:

Steps:

  1. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter.

  2. Navigate to:

Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Power Management > Video and Display Settings

  1. Locate Turn off adaptive brightness.

  2. Set it to Enabled.

Comparison: Best Ways to Disable Adaptive Brightness

Method Difficulty Works For Notes
Windows Settings Easy Most PCs Quick toggle
Power Options Easy Laptops Works even on battery
Intel/AMD/NVIDIA Tools Medium Desktops & Laptops Hardware control
Registry Editor Hard Advanced Users Risky if misused
Group Policy Editor Medium Pro/Enterprise IT admins

Troubleshooting: What If the Option Is Missing?

If you can’t find adaptive brightness settings:

  • Your PC may not have an ambient light sensor.

  • Update display and chipset drivers (Intel/AMD/Windows Update).

  • Check OEM utilities (Dell Power Manager, Lenovo Vantage, HP Command Center).

Tips for Managing Brightness Without Adaptive Mode

  • Use Keyboard Brightness Keys (Fn + F keys on laptops).

  • Enable Night Light for eye comfort.

  • Adjust brightness automatically with third-party apps like f.lux.

Conclusion: Take Control of Your Screen Brightness

Now you know exactly how to turn off adaptive brightness in Windows 11. Whether you used Settings, Power Options, OEM tools, or advanced methods, your screen brightness should now remain steady and predictable.

👉 No more sudden dimming when you’re gaming, editing, or working on important projects.

FAQs: How to Turn Off Adaptive Brightness in Windows 11

1. Why is my screen brightness changing automatically in Windows 11?
Because adaptive brightness or Content Adaptive Brightness Control (CABC) is enabled.

2. Does every Windows 11 PC have adaptive brightness?
No. It depends on whether your laptop or monitor has an ambient light sensor.

3. Will turning off adaptive brightness affect battery life?
Yes, slightly. Adaptive brightness is designed to save battery, but you’ll gain consistent screen brightness.

4. Can I turn off adaptive brightness for specific apps only?
Not directly. But you can disable CABC to prevent app-based brightness changes.

5. How do I know if my PC supports adaptive brightness?
Go to Settings > Display. If you see an option for Change brightness automatically when lighting changes, your PC supports it.

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