4 Ways to Fix Display Brightness Not Working on Mac
Paurush dabbles around iOS and Mac while his close encounters are with Android and Windows. Before becoming a writer, he produced videos for brands like Mr. Phone and Digit. On weekends, he is a full-time cinephile trying to reduce his never-ending watchlist, often making it longer.
Fix 1: Check Display Dimming Settings
Step 1:OpenSettings> click onBatteryfrom the left menu.
Step 2:Scroll to the bottom on the right side > selectOptions.
Step 3:DisableSlightly dim the display on battery> click onDone.
Fix 2: Check Keyboard Function Key Settings
The F1 and F2 Function Keys on your Mac keyboard are meant to change the display brightness manually. But if they have been made to be used as Standard Function Keys, you can’t use them to change the brightness levels. Here’s how to check the same.
Step 1:OpenSystem Settings> click onKeyboardfrom the left menu.
Step 2:Click onKeyboard Shortcuts.
Step 3:Click onFunction Keysin the bottom-left corner and ensure to disable the toggle forUse F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys. Then, click onDoneat the bottom-right corner.
Step 4:Close the window and try changing the display brightness using the F1 and F2 keys.
Fix 3: Reset SMC and NVRAM
Let us discuss some advanced solutions if you still can’t solve the problem. You can try SMC Reset for your Intel-based Mac or iMac. This solution won’t work on Apple M-series chipset-based Macs.
Step 1:Press and hold thePower Buttonuntil your Mac shuts down.
Step 2:After your Mac shuts down, wait a few seconds and pressShift + Left Option + Left Control keys. Press and hold thePower Buttonas well.
Keep pressing the four keys for another 7 seconds. If your Mac turns on, it will play the default startup chime again while you hold down those keys. When you see the Apple logo, the display will turn on normally. After that, check if you can change the display brightness.
After that, proceed with resetting NVRAM. For Mac models with M-series chips, a simple restart is equivalent to an NVRAM reset.
Step 1:Long-press thePower Buttonon your Mac. After your Mac shuts down, press the Power Button again to restart it.
Step 2:While your Mac is turning on, pressCommand + Option + P + Rfor 20 seconds.
Fix 4: Boot Your MacBook in Safe Mode
A third-party app might be interfering with your Mac’s brightness levels. To fix this, we suggest booting your Mac in Safe Mode.
For Macs With M-series Chip
Step 1:Click theApple logoat the top-left corner > selectShut Down.
Step 2:After your Mac shuts down, press and hold thePower Buttonuntil you see the two startup options—Macintosh HD and Options.
Step 3:SelectMacintosh HDwhile holding theShift keyand selectContinue in Safe Mode.
For Macs With Intel Chip
Step 1:Click theApple logoat the top-left corner and selectRestart.Then press and hold theShift keywhen your Mac restarts. Release the Shift key when you see the login window.
Step 2:Sign in and check if the problem is solved.
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Last updated on 19 April, 2024
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