Guide: Fix ‘Windows 10 Brightness Slider Not Working’ Issue
Windows 10 has numerous recurring problems that don’t seem to go away. Night light, anyone? But while most are somewhat annoying and can be easily fixed, some are downright awful. And one such specific case is the brightness slider in Windows 10, which often doesn’t work. Slide it left or right and nothing will happen to your laptopThat is maddening. There are several reasons why the brightness slider in Windows 10 may not work. Often times, it’s just a random bug or glitch that you can fix pretty quickly. Or it could be a problematic display driver that is causing you grief. Either way, let’s go through these eight troubleshooting steps that can help fix this problem for good.
1. Update Windows 10
The first action to take before doing anything else is to check for new Windows 10 updates. If the brightness slider is not working due to known operating system issues, especially after a major feature update, Microsoft is obliged to address it immediately.
Type windows update in the Start menu, then press Enter to check for new Windows updates. If any updates are available, install them and restart the computer.
2. Restart the display adapter
Sometimes the display adapter on your computer may fail and the brightness slider may not work properly. Disabling and re-enabling the display adapter on your computer may solve the problem. Step 1: Start by opening the Device Manager. To do this, right-click the Start icon and then click Device Manager.
Step 2: Expand display adapters in Device Manager. Then right-click on your display adapter and then click Disable device.
Step 3: In the confirmation window that appears up, click Yes. Your screen may turn off, but it will turn back on after a few seconds.
Step 4: Right-click the display adapter again and then click Enable device to reactivate it.
If available, repeat the same for any additional adapters (special or integrated) listed under the Display adapters section. Finally, try using the brightness slider – it should work.
3. Update the display driver
Outdated display drivers are another reason why the brightness slider no longer works. While Windows 10 will usually install and maintain the correct drivers for your display adapter, it’s a good idea to double-check. Step 1: Open Device Manager. Expand display adapters and right-click on your display adapter. On the menu that appears up, click Update Driver.
S.point 2: Click Search automatically for updated driver software.
Windows 10 will then scan for updates. If new updates are found, they will be installed automatically. Repeat for all additional adapters listed herein.
4. Reinstall the display driver
Still having trouble with the brightness slider? Then it’s time to reinstall the drivers for your display adapter. That should take care of corrupted files or incorrect cache data related to the drivers. Step 1: Open Device Manager and then expand Display adapters. Then right-click on your display adapter and then click Uninstall device.
S.point 2: Restart your computer. Windows 10 will automatically reinstall the drivers during the reboot. If not, go back to Device Manager, click Action in the menu bar, then Scan for hardware changes. That should force Windows 10 to reinstall the drivers.
Check if the brightness slider is working. If not, then move on to the next solution.
5. Update drivers manually
Windows 10 may not automatically purchase new drivers for your display adapter. If the brightness slider still doesn’t work after updating or reinstalling it, it’s a good idea to manually download and install the latest drivers directly from the manufacturer’s website. Use the links below to get the latest GPU / display drivers from Intel, NVIDIA or AMD sites. Download Intel Display drivers Download NVIDIA display drivers Download AMD display drivers Tip To find the make and model of your display adapter, type ‘msinfo32’ in the Start menu and press Enter. In the System Information window, expand Components and click View. You can also use the hardware detection tools from Intel, NVIDIA and AMD to automatically download and install the latest updates.
6. Run the energy troubleshooter
Incorrectly configured power settings also contribute to a reason why the brightness slider may not function properly. Consider using the built-in Windows 10 troubleshooter to check if that’s the case. Start typing troubleshooting settings in the Start menu. Click Open and scroll down the Troubleshoot Settings window until you find Power. Click on it and then click on Run the troubleshooter.
Follow the rest of the onscreen instructions and you should have resolved all power management settings issues by the end.
7. Enable Generic Monitor Drivers
Sometimes certain third-party programs install alternate drivers for your primary display device. That can lead to conflicts with core Windows 10 functionalities, such as the brightness slider. Hence, reverting to the default driver can help solve this problem. To check if this is the case, go to Device Manager and expand Monitors. Right-click on Generic PnP Monitor – if you see an option labeled Enable Device in the context menu, click on it.
After that, exit Device Manager and restart your computer. Check if the brightness slider works without any problems.
8. Use the Microsoft Basic Display Adapter
If the above solutions don’t work, there is one final thing that can help you get the brightness slider back to normal. You should start using the Microsoft Basic Display Adapter, a generic driver that usually fixes compatibility issues with display adapters. However, using this generic driver limits certain functionalities associated with your display adapter. You will likely run into performance issues and it may also be impossible to switch to higher resolutions. Keep that in mind. Step 1: Open Device Manager and then expand Display adapters. Right-click on your display adapter and then click Update Driver.
S.point 2: Click Browse my computer for drivers.
S.point 3: Click on the option labeled Let me pick from a list of drivers available on my computer to continue.
Step 4: Select the Microsoft Basic Display Adapter and click Next.
Windows 10 will now start using the Microsoft Basic Display Adapter instead of adapter-specific display drivers. You should see the brightness slider working without any issues after that. That also proves that the problem lies with other display drivers. So you need to update them or reinstall them correctly. Note: Since using the Microsoft Basic Display Adapter limits the full use of your display adapter, keep an eye out for new Windows updates, which may provide a permanent solution to the problem.
Shine brighter
So, did you manage to get the brightness slider to work on your computer again? Hopefully, you fixed it right away without going through every fix. Restarting your display adapter can really help with patching up this issue. It can be terrible when you can’t use the brightness slider to control a screen that is too bright or dark. While Microsoft is making every effort to fix this problem for good, don’t forget to go through the above fixes again when you encounter this problem. The next up Using Safe Mode in Windows 10 often produces better troubleshooting results. To learn how to simply boot your PC in safe mode.
Fix ‘Windows 10 Brightness Slider Not Working’ Issue: benefits
Faq
Final note
I hope you like the guide Fix ‘Windows 10 Brightness Slider Not Working’ Issue. In case if you have any query regards this article you may ask us. Also, please share your love by sharing this article with your friends. For our visitors: If you have any queries regards the Fix ‘Windows 10 Brightness Slider Not Working’ Issue, then please ask us through the comment section below or directly contact us. Education: This guide or tutorial is just for educational purposes. Misinformation: If you want to correct any misinformation about the guide “Fix ‘Windows 10 Brightness Slider Not Working’ Issue”, then kindly contact us. Want to add an alternate method: If anyone wants to add more methods to the guide Fix ‘Windows 10 Brightness Slider Not Working’ Issue, then kindly contact us. Our Contact: Kindly use our contact page regards any help. You may also use our social and accounts by following us on Whatsapp, Facebook, and Twitter for your questions. We always love to help you. We answer your questions within 24-48 hours (Weekend off). Channel: If you want the latest software updates and discussion about any software in your pocket, then here is our Telegram channel.
