How Do I Change the Darkness on My Computer?

You can change the screen darkness (brightness) on your computer using keyboard shortcuts, display settings, or system settings.

Adjusting Brightness via Keyboard

Many laptops have dedicated keys to control screen brightness directly:

Locate the Brightness Keys: Look for keys with sun-like icons, often found on the function keys (F1, F2, etc.).
Use the FN Key (If Necessary): If the brightness keys have another function assigned to them, you'll need to press and hold the Fn key (usually located near the bottom left of the keyboard) while pressing the brightness key.
Increase/Decrease Brightness: Press the brightness-up key to increase the screen's brightness and the brightness-down key to decrease it.

Here's how to change the brightness through Windows settings:

Open Settings: Click the Start button and select the Settings icon (gear icon). Alternatively, press Windows Key + I.
Go to System > Display: In the Settings window, click on "System," then select "Display" from the left-hand menu.
Adjust the Brightness Slider: You should see a brightness slider labeled "Change brightness." Drag the slider to the left to decrease brightness (make the screen darker) or to the right to increase brightness (make the screen brighter).

Follow these steps on macOS:

Open System Preferences: Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen and choose "System Preferences."
Go to Displays: In System Preferences, click on "Displays."
Adjust the Brightness Slider: You'll see a brightness slider. Drag it left to make the screen darker and right to make it brighter.

Adaptive Brightness: Both Windows and macOS offer options for automatically adjusting brightness based on ambient light. You can find these settings within the Display settings. Enabling this can help optimize screen visibility in different environments.
External Monitors: If you are using an external monitor, it usually has its own physical buttons or on-screen display (OSD) menu for adjusting brightness and other settings. Consult your monitor's manual for details.
Night Light/Night Shift: Consider using the Night Light (Windows) or Night Shift (macOS) feature. These features reduce the amount of blue light emitted by your screen, which can help reduce eye strain, especially in the evening. They can also appear to darken the overall screen as they add a warmer tone.