Dimming of background Screen

Martin McGrath 0 Reputation points
2026-09-17T18:16:01.8166667+00:00

When use multi screens the screen in background always dims, can i change that and if so how? i would like to have both screens bright

[Moved from Microsoft System Center | Other]

Windows for home | Other | Desktop, Start, and personalization
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  1. Haytham-C 5,540 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-09-17T22:48:43.2433333+00:00

    Hello Martin McGrath

    Thank you for reaching out and yes, you usually you can. The most common causes are adaptive brightness, content adaptive brightness (CABC), or a monitor's own dynamic contrast/eco mode settings. Please try:

    1. Turn off automatic brightness in Windows
    • Please check the AI answer below since it has covered the first step in detailed
    1. Check Power Settings
    • Open Control Panel > Power Options > Click Change plan settings > Click Change advanced power settings > Under Display, disable Adaptive Brightness if available
    1. Check the Monitor's Menu

    If the dimming monitor is an external display:

    • Use the monitor's physical buttons, disable settings such as:
      • Dynamic Contrast
      • Eco Mode
      • Smart Brightness
      • Auto Brightness
    • Or adjusting the monitor brightness using the built-in brightness settings in the menu

    I hope this helps.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-09-17T18:16:17.53+00:00

    Yes. This is commonly caused by content adaptive brightness control or a graphics-driver power-saving feature.

    Try these steps:

    1. Open Start > Settings > System > Display.
    2. Under Brightness, find Change brightness based on content.
    3. Set it to Off.
      • This stops Windows from adjusting brightness and contrast based on what is shown on the built-in display.
      • Note: turning it off can reduce battery life.

    If the dimming still happens, check whether the graphics software is overriding the Windows setting:

    • Intel Graphics Command Center: go to System > Power and turn Display Power Saving Technology off for both On battery and Plugged in.
    • AMD Radeon Settings / AMD Adrenalin: go to Preferences > Power and turn Vari-Bright or similar power-saving brightness features Off.

    If the issue is on an external monitor, Windows may not control that brightness directly. In that case, use the monitor’s physical brightness controls.

    If the brightness slider is missing or does not work on a built-in display, update the display driver in Device Manager:

    1. Search for Device Manager.
    2. Open Display adapters.
    3. Right-click the display adapter.
    4. Select Update driver.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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