Brightness Not Working on Windows 11? Here’s how to Fix It

When this problem happens, the brightness bar moves in Quick Settings, but the screen brightness does not actually change, even if you use the function keys or slider. This error means that Windows 11 sees your brightness changes, but cannot adjust the screen because the display driver is not working properly.

The most common reason is a graphics driver that is broken or does not work with your system, especially after a recent update. Other possible causes include problems with HDR settings or conflicts with automatic brightness settings.

Follow these step-by-step instructions to fix the Windows 11 problem where you can’t change your screen’s brightness:

1. Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box. Inside it, type ‘devmgmt.msc’ and press Enter. If prompted by the User Account Control, click Yes to grant admin access.

   

2. After Device Manager opens, expand the section labeled Monitors. Then, right-click on your monitor and select Disable device.

   

   Note: Disabling the generic driver will force Windows to switch to a different display driver.

3. Once the generic driver is disabled, right-click on your monitor again and choose Properties from the menu.

   

4. Inside the Properties window, click the Driver tab at the top, then select Update Driver.

   

5. You’ll see two options. Click on Search automatically for drivers. After Windows searches and installs any available drivers, you can close the window.

   

6. Next, open another Run dialog box by pressing Windows key + R, and type cmd. Then press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open Command Prompt with administrator privileges. If User Account Control appears, click Yes to allow admin access.

   

7. Once you’re in the elevated Command Prompt, type the following commands, pressing Enter after each one to repair the ieframe.dll file and related components:

   chkdsk
   prompt
   sfc /scanfile=c:\windows\system32\ieframe.dll
   sfc /verifyfile=c:\windows\system32\ieframe.dll
   assoc
   sfc /scannow

8. After the process is complete, type exit to close Command Prompt. Finally, restart your computer. Once it boots back up, check if you can now adjust your screen’s brightness.