Brightness problem on Some games

KasunLee · May 2, 2022

Winver: (Windows 11) Version 21H2 (OS Build 22000.613)
VGA: NVIDIA GeForce MX130

Hello.

I upgraded to Windows 11 and updated all the display drivers etc. Now when I play Some games I have an issue with the screen Brightness. When I load the game and increase the brightness using keyboard function keys, and then when I switch back to another app/desktop, the brightness automatically goes way down -- so I have to up the brightness again when I switch back to the game. I'm on High-Performance mode and I do not have the Adaptive Brightness option on Settings to turn it on or off (So I don't know if it's on). And I can't find such a setting on Intel Graphics Command Center or Nvidia control panel either. This problem Did Not exist on Windows 10.

Does anyone know what's going on? Is it a Win11 bug, probably?

Thanks!

glasskuter · May 4, 2022

Does this happen while using just the Intel graphics or is it only when using Nvidia or is it both?

A new Nvidia graphics driver was released 4/26/22. Is that the one you have installed. This particular one is game ready driver.

GeForce Game Ready Driver | 512.59 | Windows 10 64-bit, Windows 11 | NVIDIA

Download the English (US) GeForce Game Ready Driver for Windows 10 64-bit, Windows 11 systems. Released 2022.4.26

www.nvidia.com

The latest Intel DCH driver is dated 3/31/22 Latest Intel Graphics Driver for Windows 11

KasunLee · May 6, 2022

glasskuter said:
Does this happen while using just the Intel graphics or is it only when using Nvidia or is it both?

A new Nvidia graphics driver was released 4/26/22. Is that the one you have installed. This particular one is game ready driver.

GeForce Game Ready Driver | 512.59 | Windows 10 64-bit, Windows 11 | NVIDIA

Download the English (US) GeForce Game Ready Driver for Windows 10 64-bit, Windows 11 systems. Released 2022.4.26

www.nvidia.com

The latest Intel DCH driver is dated 3/31/22 Latest Intel Graphics Driver for Windows 11

Thanks for the input.

Yes I'm on Nvidia 512.59 release.

I think it's Nvidia, cuz I have no issue with other apps, only with Nvidia using games. But it started only when I upgraded to windows 11. So it might be a w11 compatibility issue with Nvidia, I dunno really.

glasskuter · May 6, 2022

KasunLee said:
I have no issue with other apps

GeForce Experience is optimized for the games on this list. Supported Games for NVIDIA GeForce Experience
You might open GeForce Experience and check if there's anything in its settings that will help you with the problem.
512.59 was updated for Windows 11. The only other suggestion I can make is to go into your bios and disable onboard graphics to see if it is interfering with Nvidia in some way.
As I'm not a gamer, I would not know anything else to suggest but hopefully some of the gamers here will pick up on this thread. In fact, if the system will let you, you might change the title of this thread to "Can a gamer help me with my brightness problem?" Good luck.

John Pombrio · May 6, 2022

hmm. Anything to do with HDR? HDR setting on Windows 11 can pretty dramatically change the brightness. I actually turned off HDR recently because I did not like the results on the desktop, movies, or on games. Game bar (windows key + G) can switch games automatically to HDR usually with a notification in the lower right corner.

Dru2 · May 7, 2022

KasunLee said:
Now when I play Some games I have an issue with the screen Brightness. When I load the game and increase the brightness using keyboard function keys,

Weird you never recognized this before. That said, I posted this last night but deleted it since you marked the thread solved.

Anyway, as I posted your issue may be that you're using the Function key to change the brightness level of a game, and when you exit the game, everything else looks off. This is because the Function key affects the entire system (everything you see).

The proper way to change in-game brightness (gamma) is through the game's brightness settings (which most games have). This setting is usually located under the video section of the game; here's an example of a game's "gamma" (brightness) setting (Dragon Age: Inquisition)...

Adjusting that will change the brightness level for that game only and will not affect anything else. The setting will stay as long as the game's overall settings aren't reset.

Bottom line: Do not use the keyboard's function key to change a game's brightness levels, as it will affect the entire system!!!

Hope this helps / answers your question.

KasunLee · May 7, 2022

John Pombrio said:
hmm. Anything to do with HDR? HDR setting on Windows 11 can pretty dramatically change the brightness. I actually turned off HDR recently because I did not like the results on the desktop, movies, or on games. Game bar (windows key + G) can switch games automatically to HDR usually with a notification in the lower right corner.

Tnx for the input.
I too have disabled all the HDR options.

KasunLee · May 7, 2022

Dru2 said:
The proper way to change in-game brightness (gamma) is through the game's brightness settings (which most games have). This setting is usually located under the video section of the game; here's an example of a game's "gamma" (brightness) setting (Dragon Age: Inquisition)...

View attachment 28591

Adjusting that will change the brightness level for that game only and will not affect anything else. The setting will stay as long as the game's overall settings aren't reset.

Bottom line: Do not use the keyboard's function key to change a game's brightness levels, as it will affect the entire system!!!

Hope this helps / answers your question.

Tnx.

I tried that, but it seems that setting the gamma does not bring the same brightness effects as raising the Windows brightness. When I raise gamma on a game it won't adjust the contrast/crispiness as raising the Win brightness -- usually makes the screen foggy on high gamma. And this brightness-changing bug didn't exist on Win10. Anyways, I'll try again and report. And, why does when I switch back to the desktop the brightness automatically go down? It should remain the same just as I've set, is it not?

I posted this last night but deleted it since you marked the thread solved.

My apologies, that was a mistake. Sorry that you had to type the message again..

Dru2 · May 7, 2022

KasunLee said:
Tnx.

I tried that, but it seems that setting the gamma does not bring the same brightness effects as raising the Windows brightness.

Well than that's the sacrifice you'll have to live with doing it that way because as long as you use the master brightness switch (the Function key) the "issue" (which is not an issue, it supposed to work that way) will continue.

KasunLee said:
And this brightness-changing bug didn't exist on Win10.

I don't know how you've used your PC in the past, but what you report ("When I load the game and increase the brightness using keyboard function keys") is not a "Windows bug" it's a laptop feature that has been around forever, regardless of OS. Both my Asus and Lenovo laptops (as well as most laptops) work the same way using the function key(s)... to adjust the overall brightness of the system.

KasunLee said:
And, why does when I switch back to the desktop the brightness automatically go down? It should remain the same just as I've set, is it not?

That in and of itself, does sound odd, but it might be a perception of the eye thing being you're coming out of the game back to the desktop, but I don't know. You could try the opposite, turn the brightness level up, than enter the game and see what happens?

And yeah, I got it now the marked solved was a mistake.

Good luck.

KasunLee · May 7, 2022

Dru2 said:
That in and of itself, does sound odd, but it might be a perception of the eye thing being you're coming out of the game back to the desktop, but I don't know. You could try the opposite, turn the brightness level up, than enter the game and see what happens?

No it's not perception, cuz the brightness bar goes down to almost 10% (from 90%) when I come out of the game (currently tested in two NVidia supporting games I'm playing). When I execute the game the same happens, the brightness goes down, that's why I have to increase it now. Did not happen on Win10 as I recall.

Dru2 · May 7, 2022

KasunLee said:
No it's not perception, cuz the brightness bar goes down to almost 10% (from 90%) when I come out of the game (currently tested in two NVidia supporting games I'm playing). When I execute the game the same happens, the brightness goes down, that's why I have to increase it now. Did not happen on Win10 as I recall.

Well I don't have an answer for that one. It doesn't make sense to me that games ("NVidia supporting games") would drop the overall system brightness down from 90 to 10 percent when exiting them.

BTW, what "NVidia supporting games" are you talking about?
And did your PC come with Windows 11 installed?
Also, are you adjusting the brightness level through the NVidia Control Panel for your card?

KasunLee · May 7, 2022

Dru2 said:
Well I don't have an answer for that one. It doesn't make sense to me that games ("NVidia supporting games") would drop the overall system brightness down from 90 to 10 percent when exiting them.

BTW, what "NVidia supporting games" are you talking about?

And did your PC come with Windows 11 installed?

Also, are you adjusting the brightness level through the NVidia Control Panel for your card?

1. Black Mesa, and RIFT (mmorpg)
2. No it came with Windows10, and I upgraded it to Win11.
3. Well I just use the "High-performance NVIDIA processor" settings on the "Manage 3D settings" window, as Global Settings: Nvidia 3D settings

Dru2 · May 7, 2022

KasunLee said:
1. Black Mesa, and RIFT (mmorpg)

Those games are supported by any card, but ok. Nonetheless those definitely shouldn't be causing the problems you post about.

KasunLee said:
2. No it came with Windows10, and I upgraded it to Win11.
3. Well I just use the "High-performance NVIDIA processor" settings on the "Manage 3D settings" window, as Global Settings: Nvidia 3D settings

Set that back to normal.
Set the brightness function key to the brightness level you want (say 80%).
Also, "If" you adjusted any brightness settings in the NVidia control panel, set those back to default.
Open game and adjust brightness in-game.
Test.
Let us know

When you upgraded to Windows 11, did you check for new drivers from your laptop vendor?

Also, what version of Windows are you running - build number. To get that, type "winver" (without quotes) in "Run". Start, Run. You will get this screen which will show version and build....

Post images.

Also, you can post an image here by using the "Insert image" button...

Click the image you want to install and click open. jpeg and PNG files work fine.

John Pombrio · May 7, 2022

NVidia has the program GEForce Experience which you can find in the icons on the taskbar. The program will "optimize" a game if you allow it to which includes a whole bunch of settings including things like below that I have for BLACK MESA. Verify that the games you are playing are not being adversely affected by this program!