How to Increase Laptop Screen Brightness in Windows 7

Change the power plan brightness for a laptop running Windows 7.

by Doug Updated November 28, 2017

Change Power Plan settings for laptop with Windows 7.

Adjust screen brightness for laptop on Windows 7 (both Plugged in and On battery).

I recently upgraded to Windows 7 Home Premium on my Dell Inspiron laptop. After using the laptop for a few days, I noticed that the screen display brightness was much dimmer than what it had been when Windows Vista was installed on the laptop. To solve my screen brightness issue I found that is was simply a matter of adjusting the power plan brightness within the 'Power Options' of Windows 7.

Here's how to adjust the screen brightness for a laptop in Windows 7:

Go to Control Panel -> Hardware and Sound -> Power Options.
Click on "Change plan settings" for your laptop's selected power plan (either Balanced or Power saver).
Now edit your plan settings by moving the sliders next to "Adjust plan brightness" at the bottom. You'll be able to change the brightness for when your laptop is On battery power, or when it's Plugged in.
Once you've adjusting the brightness settings to your liking, then click on the 'Save changes' button.

Note: You can also restore the default settings for Windows 7 power plan. Follow the same steps above to get to the Edit Plan Settings page. At the bottom of the page click on "Restore default settings for this plan", then in the Power Options pop-up box, click 'Yes'. When I did this it adjusted the brightness settings for Plugged in to the maximum, and On battery brightness to just under half on the brightness slider.

13 Comments

by Aidan on 11/15/2009 Doug, I have exactly the same problem on a toshiba laptop after installing Windows 7 yesterday. but when I go into the Control Panel there is no brightness slider and no 'Adjust Plan Brightness'. Restoring the default settings has no effect at all, when on battery or mains. Any further ideas?
by Doug on 11/15/2009 Hey Aidan, There's probably some sort of video driver issue. I'd recommend updating your drivers. Also you should try installing the TOSHIBA Value Added Package for Windows 7. Download it here: http://www.csd.toshiba.com/... Check for compatibility here: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/compatibility/win... From the looks of it, the TOSHIBA Value Added Package for Windows 7 has a Power Saver feature that provides various power control functions unique to TOSHIBA. See pic here: http://jkontherun.com/2009/10/21/toshiba-updates-n... Hope that helps, let me know if it solves your problem.
by Aidan on 11/21/2009 Hi Doug, thanks for your help. It turned out to be really simple. When the first lot of Windows updates came through the problem was solved - on reboot the screen immediately changed to full brightness, and the brightness function keys started to work.
by Doug on 11/21/2009 Great! I'm glad to hear you got things working!
by bilal aslam on 2/16/2010 i have solved my display problem by diong this,,no need to change laptop or window,its working normally now i solved this as follows start menu> type in the search bar “system restore” a new window will open select >”chose a different restore point” at the bottom of this window, click >next select >”show more restore point” at the bottom of this window, think when this brightness problem happened, select a suitable date (preferably 1 day before this problem) click>next then click>finish i am 100% sure that i will work……
by Dan on 6/14/2011 If you're still out there, thank you for your help from a quad. I was able to solve without help except yours.
by Santosh on 11/7/2012 Thanks a lot, worked perfectly
by JORDYN on 2/1/2015 just go to the battery icon and choose adjust brightness, then at the bottom drag it all the way up or down.
by Akash Sharma on 4/4/2015 Hey i m having a dell laptop but there is no brightness option for it.. can u plz help??
by Aliayah on 7/18/2017 I have a dell computer and it's not showing "adjust plan brightness" what should i do?
by anu on 8/16/2017 if use system restore there is no problem with computer yaa???because formatting my laptop only i get these problem...i have installed anti virus to it and new software doing system restoring wont affect this???
by sara on 8/27/2018 hi, am hp and this doesn't help at all because it doesn't have brightness option. what else should I do?
by Jeffy on 11/14/2018 I could change mine just yesterday and now it won't change

by Aidan on 11/15/2009

Doug,
I have exactly the same problem on a toshiba laptop after installing Windows 7 yesterday. but when I go into the Control Panel there is no brightness slider and no 'Adjust Plan Brightness'. Restoring the default settings has no effect at all, when on battery or mains. Any further ideas?

by Doug on 11/15/2009

Hey Aidan,
There's probably some sort of video driver issue. I'd recommend updating your drivers. Also you should try installing the TOSHIBA Value Added Package for Windows 7. Download it here: http://www.csd.toshiba.com/...

Check for compatibility here: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/compatibility/win...

From the looks of it, the TOSHIBA Value Added Package for Windows 7 has a Power Saver feature that provides various power control functions unique to TOSHIBA. See pic here: http://jkontherun.com/2009/10/21/toshiba-updates-n... Hope that helps, let me know if it solves your problem.

by Aidan on 11/21/2009

Hi Doug, thanks for your help. It turned out to be really simple. When the first lot of Windows updates came through the problem was solved - on reboot the screen immediately changed to full brightness, and the brightness function keys started to work.

by Doug on 11/21/2009

Great! I'm glad to hear you got things working!

by bilal aslam on 2/16/2010

i have solved my display problem by diong this,,no need to change laptop or window,its working normally now
i solved this as follows

start menu> type in the search bar “system restore”
a new window will open
select >”chose a different restore point” at the bottom of this window, click >next

select >”show more restore point” at the bottom of this window,
think when this brightness problem happened,
select a suitable date (preferably 1 day before this problem)
click>next
then click>finish
i am 100% sure that i will work……

by Dan on 6/14/2011

If you're still out there, thank you for your help from a quad. I was able to solve without help except yours.

by Santosh on 11/7/2012

Thanks a lot, worked perfectly

by JORDYN on 2/1/2015

just go to the battery icon and choose adjust brightness, then at the bottom drag it all the way up or down.

by Akash Sharma on 4/4/2015

Hey i m having a dell laptop but there is no brightness option for it.. can u plz help??

by Aliayah on 7/18/2017

I have a dell computer and it's not showing "adjust plan brightness" what should i do?

by anu on 8/16/2017

if use system restore there is no problem with computer yaa???because formatting my laptop only i get these problem...i have installed anti virus to it and new software doing system restoring wont affect this???

by sara on 8/27/2018

hi, am hp and this doesn't help at all because it doesn't have brightness option. what else should I do?

by Jeffy on 11/14/2018

I could change mine just yesterday and now it won't change

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How to Increase Laptop Screen Brightness in Windows 7

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