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MacMan988

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 7, 2012
833
116
Is it possible to reset to default screen brightness after manually adjusting brightness on macOS (with auto brightness adjusting enabled)?

After making a manual adjustment, It seems my mac's auto brightness is not working as it used to do. When I turn off lights in the room, screen brightness goes down but still too bright than it used to be. I need to get the default behavior back. Please help!
 

misiektoja

macrumors newbie
Apr 14, 2018
20
10
This is one of the strange limitations I can't understand after switching from Windows. It seems it is not feasible as such. macOS has this learning behavior just like some Android phones, that even if auto brightness is enabled it will learn your behavior patterns (like more or less brightness) and it will set it next time under similar lightning conditions. The point is if you by mistake do too many adjustments it gets crazy, but of course nobody thought about an option to reset it to original settings just like on Android phones where you can reset behavior patterns with click of a button.
 

294307

Cancelled
Mar 19, 2009
567
315
I'll be very surprised if the Mac does this. It makes no sense to keep the display brighter than usual if the ambient light sensor detects little visibility in the room.
 

misiektoja

macrumors newbie
Apr 14, 2018
20
10
I'll be very surprised if the Mac does this. It makes no sense to keep the display brighter than usual if the ambient light sensor detects little visibility in the room.
It makes perfect sense as everybody is different and you can adjust it for yourself. If I prefer brighter display in dark room MacOS ambient sensor will remember it and next time will use the previously used brightness. Check it for yourself, it's very easy. But this is not the point as the feature is quite neat. The point is how to reset learned behavior patterns.
 

GP-SE

macrumors 6502
Feb 27, 2013
344
52
I have suffered from this issue too, I know that creating another login account will put it back at defaults for that new account. There should be a preference file somewhere that stores this info, hopefully if we find out what the file is we can edit/restore it to default.
 

MausKriminel

macrumors newbie
Apr 17, 2021
13
4
I have suffered from this issue too, I know that creating another login account will put it back at defaults for that new account. There should be a preference file somewhere that stores this info, hopefully if we find out what the file is we can edit/restore it to default.
I can say this is still an issue all this years later lol. This is weird considering that you can do so on iOS. What gives?
 

h9826790

macrumors P6
Apr 3, 2014
16,614
8,546
Hong Kong
I am not sure if this software helps in this case, but worth to try (there are many controls relate to brightness and backlight. Therefore, it may change the actual brightness curve, which affect the auto brightness behaviour). Free to use most functions anyway.
 

MausKriminel

macrumors newbie
Apr 17, 2021
13
4
I am not sure if this software helps in this case, but worth to try (there are many controls relate to brightness and backlight. Therefore, it may change the actual brightness curve, which affect the auto brightness behaviour). Free to use most functions anyway.
I will check it out, thanks!
 

davigarma

macrumors member
Jan 8, 2021
87
64
I am not sure if this software helps in this case, but worth to try (there are many controls relate to brightness and backlight. Therefore, it may change the actual brightness curve, which affect the auto brightness behaviour). Free to use most functions anyway.
It's in the High Sierra thread. If you have High Sierra that app doesn't work. That app only works from Big Sur up
 
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