Some but not all PCs allow Windows to automatically adjust screen brightness. It allows iOS devices to accurately sense both white point and color to adjust both brightness and color temperature to match ambient conditions. Since then advanced tech developments seem to have smoothed out the delivery of auto brightness with Apple’s TrueTone viewing mode being a good example of how things have changed. The theory behind adaptive brightness is sound however initial applications came with a number of drawbacks including poor reactiveness and accuracy. Rather than manually changing the brightness of your screen to reflect constantly changing ambient light conditions it is possible to activate an auto-brightness function on many devices.Īmbient light sensors in your phone, computer or tablet detect the intensity of light shining upon it and this information is used to automatically adjust the brightness of your screen.

Unaware of the sun shifting from the cool natural light of the morning to the warm soft light of early evening. If you’re engrossed in your work or studies you could be forgiven for losing track of changing light conditions as the day passes. Well unfortunately it’s a little difficult to pin point a precise brightness setting or value to use reliably across all devices in all settings.įirstly, if you were to quantify brightness levels the output would be measured in lumen (lm), lux or candela which straight way wouldn’t be the easiest of units to apply to your own displays. This deliberate design feature is not simply to enhance nostalgia but also to limit the negative effects that e-Readers have been demonstrated to have upon their users.

Many of the leading technology firms have invested heavily in research and development budgets to create products that minimise the negative effects of digital displays.Īs an example, if you’ve ever read a book on a Kindle you’ll know that the display, including brightness and reflectiveness, is intended to look as similar as possible to a physical book. So does screen brightness affect your eyes? Absolutely. Rather, overexposure to a bright screen causes us to experience something termed digital eye strain (DES) which manifests itself as headaches, blurred vision and reddened strained eyes.

Computer screen is dim