Set brightness to zero in Windows (like in Ubuntu)

I have a dual boot Lenovo W520 system, with Windows 7 and Ubuntu 14.04. In Ubuntu, when I set the brightness to the lowest value, the backlight actually turns off, which is a brilliant battery saver.

On Windows, I could install the bulky Lenovo Power Manager which turns off the screen with Fn+F3, but I'm trying to keep my laptop completely bloatware free. Can I somehow adjust the minimum brightness in Windows (e.g., in the registry?) Or is this a driver thing, and did I just luck out with Ubuntu not using Lenovo's PM drivers?

I have seen How can I dim my computer screen beyond the minimum? but that question is about eye strain: they all just make the pixels 'dark' rather than the backlight. I want to set the screen backlight to zero, to save battery life.

Added note from barlop

The OP reasons, not unreasonably, that it seems the software that appears to reduce brightness, e.g. flux/dimmer, doesn't reduce the backlight, hence the taskbar doesn't get darkened, so he reasons that it is darkening the pixels. So if anybody does want to recommend software, then it should reduce the brightness of the taskbar too. And ultimately his concern/interest is battery life rather than eye strain. So a neutral density filter / vinyl sheet, or sunglasses, don't apply to his case.

Sanchises

Posted 2015-07-07T08:59:34.310

Reputation: 163

The download for Lenovo Power Management is 1.5mb... Hardly bulky or bloat!! And it will solve your issue! – Dave – 2015-07-07T09:01:09.137

@Dave Fair enough, I just didn't like it very much, and I was also just mildly curious ;) But I realize I also need the Power Manager for capping the charging of my battery to 80% to enhance its lifespan, so I guess I have no choice... Should I delete the question or can I leave it out of curiousity? – Sanchises – 2015-07-07T09:17:57.870

No, leave it here... I've left a comment saying you do have an option, but, there is nothing wrong with asking if there is a native way in Windows :) – Dave – 2015-07-07T09:27:29.307

As a possible hacky answer: In Windows 7 you can click the start button and type in Display Color Calibration... From this wizard, the second screen will let you adjust the gamma which will provide you with a default brighntness which may suffice. You also have the option to change the color balanace, if you move all the dials to half way this will also reduce the brightness over all – Dave – 2015-07-07T09:33:01.967

Maybe interesting http://superuser.com/questions/735050/how-do-i-decrease-the-brightness-of-my-screen-below-the-minimum-on-windows-8

– Dave – 2015-07-07T09:35:41.627

@Dave I already spotted that question, but they all just make the pixels 'dark' rather than the backlight. If I understand LCD technology correctly, that actually increases power consumption! (if only by a little) – Sanchises – 2015-07-07T09:43:49.643

1@sanchises damn.. how can you spot the difference between making the pixels darker and the brightness lower? – barlop – 2015-07-07T09:46:14.167

Through the magic art of reading what they actually do (and also, testing them and noticing that they didn't dim my taskbar). Again, I'm concerned about battery life, not eye strain (everybody knows eye surgery is cheaper than buying OEM replacement parts for a laptop). – Sanchises – 2015-07-07T09:51:54.967

Answers

You could create a new default brightness which will be lower than what you have, leaving you to use the hardware of your monitor to increase/decrease.

In Windows 7 you can click the start button and type in Display Color Calibration

From this wizard, the second screen will let you adjust the gamma which will provide you with a default brighntness which may suffice.

You also have the option to change the color balanace, if you move all the dials to half way this will also reduce the brightness over all

Dave

Posted 2015-07-07T08:59:34.310

Reputation: 24 199

-5

enter image description here

Click the Power Options button in your System Tray. The icon looks like a battery. This will only be present if you are using a laptop. If the Power Options button is not there and you are using a laptop, open the Control Panel from the Start menu and select "Power Options". Desktop computers do not have a brightness slider as brightness is considered a power saving option for laptop batteries.

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Click the "Adjust screen brightness" link. This will open the Power Options window.

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Adjust the slider at the bottom. This will adjust the brightness of your screen. Low brightness will extend your battery life.

you can reference wikihow to get another ways

Phuc Nguyen

Posted 2015-07-07T08:59:34.310

Reputation: 300

Thanks for the answer, but I specifically want a lower brightness than the Windows default lowest brightness - something which I could do in Ubuntu. – Sanchises – 2015-07-07T09:40:55.923

You can use f.lux to adjust your monitor (Laptop and Desktop). Link https://justgetflux.com/

– Phuc Nguyen – 2015-07-07T09:44:10.810

@PhucNguyen flux and dimmer won't dim the taskbar so the OP has concluded quite reasonably, that they aren't reducing the light, and thus aren't saving any battery, and that they must be dimming the pixels excluding the taskbar – barlop – 2015-07-07T10:11:47.810

1-1 It's obvious the OP is already aware of this, and the OP asked for a setting to turn the backlight OFF which this clearly doesn't. And the OP said reduce the minimum brightness, so he was obviously aware that windows has that slider to adjust brightness and has a minimum – barlop – 2015-07-07T10:21:15.483