Any kind of Mac, including the MacBook and Windows, can be used in conjunction with an external or additional monitor. You are not required to use an Apple-manufactured or -approved display; however, those will function the most effectively. If you have a display that is not Apple-approved, you will discover that it is still functional; however, it will not perform as well as an internal display would. In this article we will discuss about the how to Adjust External Monitor Brightness on Windows and Mac.
When used as a secondary display, a smaller number of its features will be operational. One good example is the level of brightness. Users are able to adjust the brightness of their displays, which is a fundamental setting. Some people modify it depending on the time of day or the amount of light that is present in the room.
On an Apple keyboard, there are buttons specifically designated for adjusting the level of brightness; however, these buttons are ineffective on displays connected to other devices. Here is how to control the brightness of external monitors on macOS, as well as how to configure the dedicated brightness keys on an Apple keyboard to change the brightness of all connected displays at the same time.
Why Adjusting Monitor Brightness is Important
- Eye health: Staring at a bright monitor for extended periods of time can cause eye strain, fatigue, and other eye problems. Adjusting the monitor brightness to a comfortable level can help to reduce eye strain and protect your eyes.
- Image quality: The brightness of the monitor can affect the image quality. A monitor that is too bright can make it difficult to see the details of the image, while a monitor that is too dark can make it difficult to see the image at all. Adjusting the monitor brightness to an appropriate level can help to improve the image quality.
- Comfort: The brightness of the monitor can also affect your comfort level. A monitor that is too bright can be uncomfortable to look at, while a monitor that is too dark can make it difficult to see what you are doing. Adjusting the monitor brightness to a comfortable level can help to improve your comfort level when using the computer.
How to Adjust External Monitor Brightness
On Mac
- Select System Preferences from the Apple menu in the top left corner of the screen.
- Click the Displays button in the System Preferences window.
- In the Displays window, choose the monitor you want to use.
- You can change how bright your external monitor is by moving the Brightness slider.
On Windows
- Click on “Start” and then choose “Settings.”
- Click the System button in the Settings window.
- Click the Display button in the System window.
- Scroll down in the Display window until you see the section called Brightness and color.
- Adjust the brightness of your external monitor by dragging the Change brightness for the built-in display slider.
Tips for Optimal Monitor Brightness
- Adjust the brightness to match your environment. The brightness of your monitor should be similar to the brightness of the room you are in. If the room is too bright, the monitor will appear too dark. If the room is too dark, the monitor will appear too bright.
- Use a well-lit room. Working in a well-lit room will help to reduce eye strain. Avoid working in dark rooms, as this will make it more difficult to see the screen and can lead to eye strain.
- Use the monitor’s brightness controls. Most monitors have built-in brightness controls. You can use these controls to adjust the brightness of the monitor to a comfortable level.
- Use a third-party brightness adjustment tool. There are a number of third-party brightness adjustment tools available. These tools can be used to fine-tune the brightness of the monitor and to create different brightness profiles for different tasks.
FAQs
Turn on the ambient light sensor so your Mac can adjust the brightness automatically based on how bright it is in the room. Choose Apple > System Settings, click Displays in the sidebar (you may need to scroll down), and then turn on “Automatically adjust brightness” or “Ambient light compensation” on the right.
You can also change the brightness by using the Quick actions in the Action Center. Use the keyboard shortcut Windows + A to open the Action Center. At the bottom of the window, you’ll see a brightness slider. The brightness of your screen can be changed by moving the slider at the bottom of the Action Center to the left or right.
There are many reasons for this, including corrupt system files, old display drivers, a low battery level, wrongly set power settings, and more. So, if you want to stop your eyes from hurting, here are a few things you can do to fix the problem and make your screen’s brightness work again.