Struggling to make your screen brighter or darker? Don’t panic if your laptop’s brightness buttons have decided to stop working. It is a fairly common annoyance that can often be repaired by basic troubleshooting. Recovering the brightness controls will help in terms of comfort and practicality. The good news is there are a few quick things you can try yourself before taking your device in for repair. Read on for 4 easy tips to try and get those damn brightness buttons working again. In simple words all of us can grasp, that these solutions could save you time, money, and frustration. Stay tuned for easy-to-understand explanations adapted to novices; you will soon be changing the brightness again.
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Brightness Button not Working? 4 Ways to Fix
Many users face issues with the brightness button which sometimes does not work properly in the system. That’s why here we’ll mention 4 easy ways to resolve this problem.
Method 1: Restart Your Computer
The easiest first step is to reboot your laptop or desktop. A simple restart can surprisingly fix many minor software glitches that can cause problems like unresponsive brightness keys.
Allow your computer to fully turn off and back on again. This clears any stuck processes in the computer’s memory and starts fresh. Once your device has restarted, try using the brightness keys again. Often this basic reboot is all that’s needed to get those buttons working again.
Method 2: Clean Your Keyboard and Remove the Dirt from the Machine
If your computer does not restart, then another simple solution you can try is to clear around the screensaver buttons. It may be that dust, food remains or dirt has accumulated around and under these buttons, causing them to stop working.
Turn off your laptop carefully and turn it over, exposing the keyboard. Use a compressed air can and blow off any debris gathered on or beneath the brightness buttons. Alternatively, use a fresh toothbrush to clean away dirt near the keys gently.
When done, wait for any moisture left to dry completely before you switch on your gadget again. Check if tapping lightly on the brightness buttons a couple of times helps restore their functionality. Many times, all that is needed is a simple cleaning process to remove anything lodged inside these keys that might have been preventing them from functioning well enough as they should.
Method 3: Make Sure the (Fn) Function Key is Enabled
Most people with laptops have to press the “fn” key before they can adjust their screen brightness by pressing the associated keys. If you find that the brightness buttons don’t do anything, make sure you’re pressing “fn” and then the brightness button.
On a Windows laptop, it is usually found at the bottom row of keys near the Windows button, or on a Mac laptop next to the Command button.
Hold down the fn key and try your brightness up or down key. This should enable these keys and allow you to change your screen’s brightness. If that doesn’t work either, check again if your keyboard or laptop settings have Action Fn Lock disabled, so each time you use these secondary functions, you’ll always need to press Fn first for them to function.
Method 4: Run the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter
To access the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter on a Windows 10 or 11 computer, open the Run dialog box (Windows + R) type “msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic” and hit Enter.
Command :
msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnosticOutput :
This will launch the Device Diagnostic tool to specifically check for issues with connected devices like your keyboard. Click on Next to Start the Diagnostic.
After, Clicking the next it will Start Scanning the System.
If this Diagnostic tool finds any issue with the System it will ask you if you want to fix it or if you just want to Skip it. Click on ” Apply this Fix ” and then it will start fixing the System Hardware and Devices like Keyboard, Mouse, Monitor, etc.
Bonus Fix Method: Update the Keyboard Driver’s
An outdated keyboard driver can also cause your brightness buttons to malfunction. Updating to the latest driver version can resolve software conflicts.
To update drivers on a Windows 10/11 PC, Right-click on the Start menu and Click on the Device Manager.
Expand the “Keyboards” menu and right-click on your keyboard device. Select “Update driver“.
Click on ” Search automatically for drivers ” Then it will find the latest suitable drivers for your keyboard.
If your Keyboard Drivers are already Updated then it will show the Prompt like Below Image.
Conclusion
Most of the time, it is easy to get unresponsive brightness buttons working again without any professional involvement since all it takes are a few basic troubleshooting steps being carried out by yourself without subjecting oneself to unnecessary expenses or inconveniences. Keep positive because overcoming this issue becomes easier than one may think if he or she acts wisely for some while in addressing this problem.
FAQs on Fixing the Brightness Button which not Working
Why did my brightness buttons suddenly stop working?
This is often caused by a simple software or driver glitch. Rebooting and updating drivers normally resolves it quickly.
Do I have to get my laptop serviced if the brightness controls fail?
Not necessarily! There are several DIY troubleshooting steps you can try first before paying for repair.
I cleaned the buttons but they still don’t work, what next?
Check if you need to hold the ‘Fn’ key when pressing brightness. Updating drivers or running Hardware Troubleshooter may also fix it.
How do I update my keyboard drivers on a Windows laptop?
Open Device Manager, expand Keyboards, right-click your device and select Update Drivers. Let them install automatically.
Why won’t Fn + brightness keys work even when I press them?
Ensure “Action Fn Lock” is switched off in your PC settings so Fn must be pressed to activate those functions.
If the steps don’t work, does my keyboard need replacing?
Not always – a certified repair expert may still be able to resuscitate it. But yes, could indicate an aging keyboard on its last legs.