Fix Android Brightness Problems
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4 Simple Ways to Fix Android Brightness Problems in 2023

Isn’t it annoying when the brightness of your Android smartphone fluctuates or changes inconsistently? Most of the time it’s because of a hardware problem, but that’s not always the case. Fix Android brightness problems are not uncommon, and I’m here to help you out with that.

Here’s the thing: On most modern phones, you can toggle the brightness settings of your Android device which automatically adjusts the backlight depending on the current level of light in the environment. But if you observe this even when the automatic setting is off, then your phone has a problem.

I’ve got a few workarounds for you to try. Methods can vary for different devices, so don’t worry. Follow my methods and see which one will work for you. Take note that these fixes are only for software malfunctions. If you don’t have a hardware problem, these tips will fix your Android brightness problems within a few minutes.

Related: A better night’s sleep for bedtime device use


Fixing The Phone’s Brightness Problems

If you observe abnormal behavior with your Android phone’s brightness, here are a few things you can do to fix it. These tips can resolve your device’s annoying brightness problems.

So, without further ado, let’s get started!

  1. Check Brightness Settings/Disable Automatic Brightness Adjustment
  2. Perform a “Soft Reset” on Your Phone
  3. Use Other Apps to Control Your Phone’s Brightness
  4. Troubleshoot Your Brightness Problems

1. Check Brightness Settings/Disable Automatic Brightness Adjustment.

Fix Android Brightness Problems - Adjust in Settings
Disable automatic brightness setting-Fix Android Brightness

If you haven’t checked the brightness settings of your phone, do so. Otherwise, proceed to step 2.

Sometimes, the culprit behind your phone’s brightness going down by itself is the built-in automatic brightness adjustment. In some phones, it’s called Adaptive Brightness, Auto-Adjust, Automatic Brightness, or Auto-Dim.

Go to your phone Settings, look for the Display options, and check if it is enabled. If it is enabled, disable it.

Additional Tips:

  • Try to disable the battery saving mode on your device. This feature is another feature that can cause brightness problems with your Android phone.
  • In some devices (like ASUS Phones), this option is found within the Customized Settings.

2. Perform a “Soft Reset” on Your Phone.

Fixing Android Brightness Problems - Restarting the device
Restart your device-Fix Android Brightness

Whenever I encounter an issue with my phone, the first thing I do is restart my phone. This simple method is like a first-aid for smartphones.

Most of the time, restarting the phone could potentially fix most phone problems. Press and hold the power button of your phone and select “Power Off.” If you see with a “Restart” option, select that instead.

Additional Tips:

  • If restarting the phone does not work, Do a power cycle on your phone. To do Power Cycle, remove the battery of your phone, then press and hold the power button for at least 10 seconds.
  • If the battery of your phone is unremovable, fully deplete the battery of your phone. Once fully depleted, do not charge the phone. Power it up by pressing and holding the power button five times before turning it on.

Also Read: 10 Android Phone with Best Battery Life


3. Use Other Apps to Control Your Phone’s Brightness

If your default brightness slider setting can’t get the job done, use a different app to do the job. You have a few different options at your disposal, but I recommend trying Lux Lite.

Lux Android App - Brightness Control
Lux Lite-Fix Android Brightness

Lux gives you more device brightness control than the built-in settings of Android. If the issue behind the brightness of your device is due to the stock setting, Lux will eliminate and also fix android brightness problems caused by it.

To learn more about this app, you can download and install it by clicking the Google Play button below.

Google Play button

4. Troubleshoot Your Brightness Problems

Troubleshooting Android Brightness Problems
Troubleshoot your device-Fix Android Brightness

If everything else fails to fix the brightness issue of your device, then the problem could be more severe. To rule out the root cause, follow these troubleshooting steps.

If the problem persists after following the steps above, then it is most likely a hardware issue. I highly recommend checking for the device’s warranty and where you purchased your Android phone for repairs. If you’re not familiar with your phone’s hardware, please do not pry open your phone to try and fix android brightness problem yourself. You could potentially do more harm to your phone.

In most cases, the only way to fix android brightness for hardware problems is to replace it with brand new working parts. In this case, replacing the display LCD could be the solution.

Replace phone parts – Fix android brightness

If you have no idea or experience in doing this and want to give it a try, I recommend watching videos on how to pry open and replace parts of your specific phone model. Type “Screen Replacement” on Google, followed by your phone’s exact model.


Before anything else, if you’re going down this path of fixing and replacing the LCD panel by yourself, ensure you have the proper tools needed. I highly recommend iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit.

iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit Set
85 in 1 iFixit professional repair toolkit-Fix Android Brightness

The iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit includes:

  • 64 pcs Bit Driver Kit
  • Anti-Static Wrist Strap
  • Small Suction Cup
  • Opening Tool and Picks
  • Tweezers
  • Spudgers
  • Jimmy
  • Magnetic Pad
  • Tool Roll
  • Nylon Bag
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Frequently Asked Questions

How to fix a water-damaged phone with a brightness problem?

To fix android brightness problem of a water damaged phone, first, try to drain all the liquid inside the phone. Place the phone inside of a small box and fill it with uncooked rice.
The rice will absorb all moisture content of the box, leaving your device fully dry. If that doesn’t work, the issue could be more severe as to a hardware damaged problem.

How to fix zero brightness on Android phones?

Zero brightness pertains to dead LEDs that are responsible for providing the light on your device. The only reason to fix android brightness for this issue is to replace the screen display panel.

How to fix your brightness from turning down automatically?

If your phone’s brightness turns down automatically, go to the device settings, and search for display settings. Look for brightness settings or the Auto brightness option and disable it to prevent your phone from lowering the brightness automatically.

Why is my brightness not working on Android?

When things have gone wild, resets have also performed miracles. To reset the adaptive brightness, you’ll need to go to  Settings > Apps and notifications > See all x apps > Device Health Service > Storage and cache > Clear storage > Reset adaptive brightness.

Why is my Android screen so dark?

Make sure your screen’s proximity sensor isn’t being blocked by a case or cover. If the display dims automatically and you want to boost the brightness, turn off the adaptive brightness option and regulate the screen brightness directly. 1 Go to “Settings”. 2 Tap “Display”.

With auto-brightness turned off, why does my Android screen keep dimming?

If your screen automatically dims or brightens, this is likely due to either Auto adjust screen tone, Power Saving Mode, or possibly the Adaptive Display screen mode.


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Final Thoughts

Your phone’s brightness problem can be pretty annoying if it fluctuates inconsistently. Although it can be tolerable at first, it’s an issue that you need to resolve as soon as possible.

As long as the problem is due to some software issue, you can pretty much fix it without going to a shop for repairs. With the tips that I mentioned above, you can solve or fix Android brightness problems within a few minutes. Although things start to get complicated once phone hardware is involved, with most brightness problems, all it takes is a few seconds of troubleshooting in the right direction.

If you have any comments or suggestions, let me know in the comments section below!

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16 Comments

  1. I just installed the app ‘screen brightness’ and after giving some permissions (actually one) it was back to normal and I could remove the app…..

  2. My brightness issue is when I have it all the way low and in the morning when its dark my alarm ges off. When Ingrab my phone the brightness slowly gets really bright then dims back down that wakes up my wife and is way to bright for me at 4am. I do not have the auto on. It is set to manual.

  3. my tablet fell in a bowl of water and when I increase brightness it still doesn’t get bright at all. please what can be the problem?

    1. Hello Manny, have you tried the steps featured in the article? If the problem persists, feel free to contact us again.

      1. My issue is that when I have my android device’s brightness 10% or lower then the bottom quarter of my screen still displays the previous app that I was on until a few seconds and it only goes away when I turn the brightness up which is a problem because Im normally awake at night. Any fix?

  4. If I didnt give enough details then here is more: this only happens after I leave my phone off and not use it for more than 1-2 mins and when I take a screenshot, it doesnt show that the screen is frozen which confuses me and I have restarted the device and the screen is still like frozen and weirded out at the bottom of my screen.

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