Home > Windows

Brightness Slider not working/missing in Windows 11 [Fixed]

In this guide, we will show you various methods that should help you fix the issue of Brightness Slider not working or missing in Windows 11. The Redmond giant runs a few insider preview releases of its OS [Canary, Dev, Beta] before rolling out the update as a stable build. The main purpose of carrying out such rigorous testing is that the final stable build should be free from all underlying bugs and issues.

Brightness Slider not working windows 11

However, as surprising as it may sound, in some cases the bugs manage to escape all these testing stages and ultimately creep into the stable OS as well. And that has just been the case this time around as well. Back in March 2023, with the release of Canary build 25314, many users had reported about the Brightness Slider not working/missing issue in Windows 11.

Brightness Slider not working windows 11

However, not much attention was given at that point in time, and as a result of this, the bug is now present in the stable build as well, this time around affecting the majority of the audience. So if you are also currently affected by this issue, then this guide will help you out. Follow along for the fixes.

Fix Brightness Slider not working/missing in Windows 11

Brightness Slider not working windows 11

It is recommended that you try out each of the below-mentioned workarounds and then see which one spells out success. So with that in mind, let’s get started.

FIX 1: Disable Auto HDR

In some cases, if you enable High Dynamic Range, then it might have an adverse impact on a few GUI aspects of the OS. So it is recommended that you temporarily turn off the HDR and then check out the results. Here’s how it could be done:

  1. Bring up the Settings menu via Windows+I shortcut keys.
  2. Then go to System > Display > HDR and turn off the toggle next to it.
  3. Check if it fixes the issue of Brightness Slider not working/missing in Windows 11
    Brightness Slider not working windows 11

FIX 2: Update Graphics Drivers

Using old or outdated graphics drivers could result in quite a few UI/UX issues, including the one that we are currently dealing with. Therefore, it is recommended that you update the graphics drivers to the latest version and then check out the results. Here’s how it could be done:

  1. Right-click on the Windows icon present on the taskbar and select Device Manager.
    Brightness Slider not working windows 11
  2. Then expand the Display Adapter section, right-click on your Nvidia drivers, and select Update Driver.
    Brightness Slider not working windows 11
  3. Now choose Search automatically for drivers. Windows will now search online for the latest available drivers and install them.Brightness Slider not working windows 11
  4. Once done, restart your PC. Now check if it fixes the issue of Brightness Slider not working/missing in Windows 11.

FIX 3: For Dual Display

If you are using a dual display setup, then you could easily rectify this issue by heading over to Settings > System > Screen > and selecting Show only on 1. So carry out this tweak and check if it works out in your favor. 

Brightness Slider not working windows 11

FIX 4: Uninstall the Latest Update

For most users, the issue first came to light after installing the latest update, so all fingers are currently pointing to that update as a plausible culprit. In that case, your best bet is to roll back to the earlier stable OS build. To do so, please take a backup of all the data on your device and refer to our guide on How to Uninstall Windows 11 Updates via Settings/CMD/Recovery.Brightness Slider not working windows 11

FIX 5: Verify Registry Restriction

In some cases, a registry setting might also prevent you from tweaking the brightness level on your PC. So let’s address this issue via the below-listed steps and check if it works out in our favor or not:

  1. Open Run via Windows+R, type in regedit, and hit Enter.
  2. This will launch Registry Editor. Go to the below location:
    Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies
  3. Now open the NoDispCPL file present on the right side.
  4. Change its Value Data to 0 and hit OK to save the changes.
  5. Finally, restart your PC and check if it resolves the issue.

FIX 6: Use a Third-Party App

If none of the aforementioned tweaks worked out in your favor, then your last course of action is to temporarily [until Microsoft officially patches it] opt for a third-party app that will get this job done. In this regard, you could use the open-source Monitorian tool on GitHub.

Brightness Slider not working windows 11
Credit: Monitorian on GitHub

So these were some nifty workarounds that should help you fix the issue of Brightness Slider not working or missing in Windows 11. If you have any queries concerning the aforementioned steps, do let us know in the comments. We will get back to you with a solution at the earliest.


Share: