Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. Evergreens

How to keep your PC’s screen from dimming

Add as a preferred source on Google

Do you get annoyed when your PC’s screen gets dimmer unexpectedly? You may not realize this, but your rig’s power plan may be set to dim your display automatically after a certain point in time. Saving power is great, and can lead to a slimmer electric bill. But if you rarely step away from your machine for extended periods, this might be more of annoyance than that’s worth dealing with. With this simple guide, we’ll show you how to keep your monitor’s brightness settings stand at attention at all times — helping you get started doing what you want to do faster, and more easily.

How to keep your PC’s screen from dimming

When at the desktop, hold the Windows key and press R to pull by the Run dialog box. From there type in “control panel” without the quotes and press Enter. Scroll down to and click on “Power Options.” Locate your active power plan and click on the blue button labeled “Change plan settings,” which should be located to the right.

Recommended Videos

If you’re using a notebook, then you have two rows of drop down menus to contend with, which should be labeled “On battery” and “Plugged in.” The first setting from the top of each column should be labeled “Dim the display.” Under both “On battery” and “Plugged in,” click the drop down menu, select “Never” and click “Save changes.” If you’re rolling with a desktop PC, the “On battery” column should not be present.

From here on out, your PC’s display will stay bright and shiny, freeing you from the tyranny of having to poke your mouse to wake it fully again.

Windows 8 includes many new features which give users the opportunity to use Windows in different ways. A new interface, and new ways to interact with your computer, as well as new shortcuts, new menus and an entirely new class of apps, are all waiting within the new OS. All of these features can be useful, that is, if you know how to use them. Want to learn more? Explore 8 of our favorite Windows 8 tips and tricks.

Konrad Krawczyk
Former Computing Editor
Konrad covers desktops, laptops, tablets, sports tech and subjects in between for Digital Trends. Prior to joining DT, he…
OpenAI AI agents were linked to a cyberattack on RubyGems before the Hugging Face incident
Rogue AI concerns grow after OpenAI agents disrupt RubyGems in May attack
OpenAI logo on Microsoft surface

Artificial intelligence agents being tested by OpenAI were involved in a previously undisclosed cyberattack against RubyGems in May, an incident that is now raising uncomfortable questions about how much control humans really have over increasingly autonomous AI systems.

The attack overwhelmed RubyGems, a popular service used by software developers to publish and access Ruby packages, forcing operators to suspend new account registrations for four days. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, OpenAI confirmed that its agents had been involved, but said they were using the platform to perform benign tasks and retrieve publicly available information during a training run.

Read more
AMD’s new budget CPUs could be a lifeline for cash-strapped PC builders
AMD Ryzen 5 5500F CPU

AMD has added two new six-core processors to its desktop lineup. The Ryzen 5 5500F brings six Zen 3 cores and 12 threads to the older AM4 platform for around $99, while the Ryzen 5 7500 moves to Zen 4 and AM5 for around $189, complete with integrated Radeon graphics.

The Ryzen 5 5500F arrives at an interesting time for budget PC builders. Putting together a current-generation system, or moving an existing PC to one, can get expensive quickly. An AM5 build requires a compatible motherboard and DDR5 memory, and RAM prices have risen sharply. For someone already running an AM4 system, the 5500F offers an inexpensive processor option without requiring a platform-wide replacement.

Read more
Leaked Lenovo Googlebook 15 specs suggest Google is targeting the premium laptop segment
The upcoming Googlebook could feature a 120Hz OLED display, an Intel Core Ultra processor, up to 32GB of RAM, and a surprisingly versatile selection of ports.
Googlebook

We recently got our first look at Lenovo's upcoming Googlebook, with leaked renders showcasing its design, port selection, and interface. Now, with just days left until Google's September 15 Googlebook preview event, a new leak has revealed the notebook's specifications.

Nothing like a bargain-bin Chromebook

Read more