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Screen Dimmer

Screen still too bright at minimum brightness? CareUEyes is a screen dimmer for PC and Mac that dims your laptop screen and external monitors below their hardware minimum. It works through your graphics card instead of the backlight. No overlays. No backlight flicker. Easier on your eyes.

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  • Windows 11, 10, 8, 7 and XP
  • macOS 12 and later
  • Multi-monitor support

4.8/5 on Microsoft Store (257 ratings)

CareUEyes
5000K
WarmCool
90%
DimmerBrighter

Provides soft, warm colors for long sessions and sensitive eyes.

Interactive Demo Try it yourself

Common Screen Brightness Problems

From screens that are too bright to external monitors without brightness controls, these are some of the most common issues users face.

“My screen is too bright, even at minimum brightness.”

Why it happens: every screen has a hardware minimum. Its lowest backlight level is set for an office, not a dark bedroom at midnight.

See the fix

“My external monitor has no brightness slider.”

Why it happens: Windows controls laptop screens directly, but an external monitor has to accept brightness commands over the cable (a standard called DDC/CI). Many monitors, docks and adapters don’t, which leaves you with the buttons on the back.

See the fix

“My monitors don’t match.”

Why it happens: different panels have different brightness ranges, so 50% on one screen isn’t 50% on the other. You end up with one bright screen glaring next to a dim one.

See the fix

“Bright screens give me eye strain or headaches.”

Why it happens: a bright screen in a dark room makes your eyes work harder. And turning the backlight down can make it worse on monitors that dim by flickering (PWM).

See the fix

Why is your screen still too bright at minimum brightness?

Your screen’s brightness comes from two things: a light behind the screen, called the backlight, and the brightness level your graphics card sends to the screen. On many LCD laptops, the Windows brightness slider primarily turns down the backlight, and that light can’t go below a level set by the manufacturer.

  1. Your computer prepares what you see

    Everything you see, from windows to videos and games, is sent to your screen by your graphics card.

  2. CareUEyes works here

    CareUEyes lowers the brightness

    Before it reaches your screen, CareUEyes lowers the brightness of everything your graphics card sends. (Technically, it lowers the graphics card’s gamma.)

  3. System brightness works here

    The backlight shines through it

    The backlight is like a lamp behind the screen. On many LCD displays, the brightness slider and monitor buttons adjust this backlight, but only down to the lowest setting the manufacturer allows, and some backlights use PWM that may be noticeable at certain brightness settings.

Turning down the backlight and dimming with CareUEyes work together. With the backlight at its minimum and CareUEyes dimming on top, your screen gets darker than it can go on its own. CareUEyes has its own brightness slider, so you can take your screen as dark as you need.

Sensitive to flicker? Let CareUEyes do more of the dimming

If your monitor flickers at low brightness due to PWM, keeping its hardware brightness higher may help reduce flicker. CareUEyes can then dim the screen using gamma without further lowering the backlight.

Not sure if your monitor uses PWM? Learn how to test for PWM flicker.

See the difference on your own screen

Download CareUEyes and take your screen below minimum brightness.

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How the CareUEyes screen dimmer fixes each problem

See how CareUEyes solves these common screen brightness problems.

Too bright at minimum brightness

Lower brightness below your screen’s minimum

  1. Turn your screen’s own brightness down with its keys or buttons. If your monitor flickers at low brightness, keep it a little higher instead.
  2. In CareUEyes, drag the Dimmer / Brighter slider to the left. Brightness moves in 1% steps.
  3. Need it darker still? Open Options > Display and turn on Use wider brightness range (0-100). Set a brightness hotkey first, then lower the slider a little at a time. At very low levels the screen can go completely dark, and the hotkey is the quickest way to bring it back.
Options, Display tab with Use wider brightness range checked

No slider for an external monitor

Dim external monitors without their physical buttons

Want a dimmer monitor without digging through its on-screen menu? CareUEyes adjusts brightness through the graphics card, so it doesn’t need DDC/CI support from your monitor, dock or KVM switch. It can work with displays connected over HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C and DVI, depending on the graphics driver and display setup.

Using a DisplayLink dock or USB display adapter? That works too. CareUEyes turns on DisplayLink’s gamma support for you when it installs, so there’s nothing to set up. You just need DisplayLink software 9.0 or later.

CareUEyes screen dimmer: Display tab with color temperature and brightness sliders

Monitors that don’t match

Sync every screen, or set each one apart

  • Choose All Monitors to control the brightness of every screen together.
  • Choose a single display to dim just that one, for example the second monitor beside your laptop.
  • Set a different color temperature per screen too.

See the step-by-step guide to multi-monitor settings.

Monitor selector showing All Monitors and individual displays

Eye strain, headaches or flicker

Make long sessions easier on your eyes

Automatic brightness & color temperature

Comfortable brightness, day and night

CareUEyes automatically adjusts brightness and color temperature based on sunrise and sunset. Enjoy a brighter, cooler screen during the day and a dimmer, warmer display at night—without constantly adjusting sliders.

Explore Auto Day/Night settings →
☀Daytime5000K color temperature and 90% brightness
Actual CareUEyes daytime Auto Day/Night settings showing 5000K color temperature and 90% brightness
☾Nighttime3700K color temperature and 80% brightness
Actual CareUEyes nighttime Auto Day/Night settings showing 3700K color temperature and 80% brightness

Example settings shown · Day and night values are customizable · Automatic switching at sunrise and sunset

8 quick modes

Switch in one click between Health, Reading, Office, Game, Movie and more, each with its own brightness and color temperature. For long sessions, start with Health.

Avoid low-brightness flicker

On some monitors, keeping hardware brightness higher and dimming the screen with CareUEyes may help avoid additional PWM-related flicker.

Adjust comfort with a hotkey

Quickly adjust brightness and color temperature with a keyboard shortcut as your surroundings change—without interrupting your work.

Try it on your own screen

Free trial for Windows and macOS. Set up in two minutes.

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Real screen dimming, not a dark layer on top

Many screen dimmers and screen darkeners place a semi-transparent black window over everything. CareUEyes dims the screen through the graphics card (gamma adjustment) on supported displays, without placing a dark window over the desktop. This is different from physically lowering the monitor backlight.

Dark overlay

Used by most basic dimmers

  • May cover application content with a translucent layer
  • Often shows up in screenshots
  • May not cover certain exclusive full-screen apps
  • Multi-monitor behavior varies by tool

Gamma dimming in CareUEyes

Dims the screen at the graphics card

  • No dark layer over your desktop
  • Screenshots keep their original brightness and colors
  • Full-screen compatibility depends on the app and graphics driver
  • Per-display adjustment where supported

From people who had the same problem

CareUEyes has 355 reviews on Facebook. Here’s what some users say about brightness and dimming.

Too bright at minimum

Most external touchscreen modern monitors are too bright at “0 brightness.” That’s so crazy. It’s supposed to be the lowest level! … My computing experience is far less painful thanks to this.
Aern Asis

Four monitors, headaches

I have four monitors, all high-def for graphic design and photography work, and sometimes they are too much, especially with ambient lights off. This tiny software lets me manage everything easily … I did not realize some of my headaches were from the excess and unnecessary light.
Bryan Ortiz

PWM sensitive

I am very PWM sensitive so I found this to safely dim the screen on my new laptop. Easy and works great.
Natalie Surshyn Vanderheiden

Reviews from CareUEyes on Facebook

Screen dimmer questions

Can’t find your answer? Contact us.

Is CareUEyes free?

It’s free to try. CareUEyes comes with a 7-day free trial, so you can test it on your own monitors before buying. After that, a license is required; see the pricing page.

Can a screen dimmer really go below the system brightness limit?

Yes. The system slider only controls the backlight, which stops at a hardware minimum. CareUEyes dims the screen through the graphics card, so the two add up and you can go well below that minimum. Very low settings can make content difficult to see, so adjust gradually.

Can I use CareUEyes as a laptop screen dimmer?

Yes. CareUEyes works as a laptop screen dimmer, so you can make your laptop screen darker than its normal minimum brightness. It also dims external monitors connected to your laptop, one at a time or all together.

Does Windows 11 have a built-in screen dimmer?

Only a basic one. Windows 11, like Windows 10, has a brightness slider in Settings > System > Display, but it stops at your screen’s lowest hardware level and often doesn’t appear for external monitors. Night light warms the colors but doesn’t make the screen any darker.

Will dimming software damage my monitor?

No. CareUEyes doesn’t change your monitor’s hardware settings or backlight. It only lowers the brightness level your graphics card sends to the screen, so there’s no extra strain on the display.

Does screen dimming affect screenshots?

No. Screenshots keep their original brightness and colors, because CareUEyes dims the screen at the graphics card instead of placing a dark layer over your desktop.

Does it slow down games or video?

No. The dimming is applied by your graphics card as it sends each frame to the screen, so it doesn’t lower your frame rate or use extra processing power.

Can a screen dimmer help with migraines?

It may help some people. Bright screens are a recognized trigger for people with light sensitivity. Dimming well below the system minimum, combined with warmer colors and regular screen breaks, can make the screen more comfortable to look at, but it is not a migraine treatment. For advice about your condition, talk to a neurologist or headache specialist.

Is a screen darkener the same as a screen dimmer?

Yes, they’re two names for the same kind of tool: software that makes your screen darker than its normal settings allow. Many screen darkeners just place a dark overlay on top of the screen. CareUEyes lowers the brightness through your graphics card instead, so text stays clear and there’s no dark layer over your desktop.

How is a screen dimmer different from my monitor’s brightness controls?

Your monitor’s brightness controls dim the backlight, which stops at a hardware minimum and may flicker at low levels. CareUEyes dims through the graphics card instead, so it goes below that minimum and controls all your monitors from one app, with hotkeys and schedules.

Still too bright at minimum brightness? Fix it in two minutes.

Download CareUEyes and drag one slider to dim your screen below minimum brightness, on every monitor.

Download Now For Windows and macOS.