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New Macbook screen dims and brightens randomly

yOyOYoo

yOyOYoo

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 13, 2005
715
114
CA
My new macbook aluminum's screen has a tendency to gradually dim and then brighten on it's own, randomly. This is off the battery power and not AC adapter.

Anyone else's macbook screen do this? This is not the screen dimming to sleep. it is constantly dimming and brightening, even as I type this post.
 
It has a photosensor next to the webcam that dims the screen and backlit keyboard accodingly to the ambient light.
 
This is because of the ambient light sensor. You can turn the option off in System Preferences>Displays>Automatically adjust brightness as ambient light changes
 
iBookG4user said:
This is because of the ambient light sensor. You can turn the option off in System Preferences>Displays>Automatically adjust brightness as ambient light changes
Click to expand...

Thank you for this post!!! I hope this works, because this was seriously driving me insane!!
 
I used to leave it on until yesterday. Yesterday I got kind of fed up because it has a huge tendency to pick brighter values than I'd use for a given situation.

It's a really neat idea, though :)
 
I had to shut that feature off, because in my front room at night, the TV changing screens/colors would cause my Macbook to change brightness, haha
 
I have a question that stays beyond the whole topic.

Why Macbook dims display light when you turn off your room lights and vice versa when you turn on lights it makes display light even brighter ?

To be logical it should do just the opposite thing - i.e. it should make display dimmer when you turn on lights and brighter when you turn off lights.

Am I the only one who thinks MacBook is stupid at this point ?
 
alabanco said:
I have a question that stays beyond the whole topic.

Why Macbook dims display light when you turn off your room lights and vice versa when you turn on lights it makes display light even brighter ?

To be logical it should do just the opposite thing - i.e. it should make display dimmer when you turn on lights and brighter when you turn off lights.

Am I the only one who thinks MacBook is stupid at this point ?
Click to expand...

That's not logically sound!

When in a dark room (i.e. with no lights on), any display at the lowest brightness should still be the brightest thing in the room.

Typically, you should set the brightness to the lowest level that you can comfortably see at.

Ambient light makes it harder to see the screen (this is especially true for the MacBook's glossy display).

Sit outside with the sun shining directly on the screen and you'll see what I mean.
 
alabanco said:
Why Macbook dims display light when you turn off your room lights and vice versa when you turn on lights it makes display light even brighter ?

To be logical it should do just the opposite thing - i.e. it should make display dimmer when you turn on lights and brighter when you turn off lights.
Click to expand...

No - you need it brighter when the environment light is bright, obviously so you can see the screen better.. And when it is dark, you don't need the display so bright.
 
It was probably designed by a Occupational Therapist. I like the feature being on. Cause in the dark your eyes adjust to it. Easier on the eyes.
 
Guys, believe me. It dims the light very dramatic to much than needed when you turn off your room lights. and the same it turns lights so high when you turn off your room lights that you rush to make it lower

In both cases its adjustments are too dramatic and hurt eyes. MacBook should do light change less dramatic as it does. I'm not the one who noticed that. All people who sit next to me noticed that it dims lights very much and we have to turn them higher but not to maximum of course.
 
alabanco said:
Guys, believe me. It dims the light very dramatic to much than needed when you turn off your room lights. and the same it turns lights so high when you turn off your room lights that you rush to make it lower

In both cases its adjustments are too dramatic and hurt eyes. MacBook should do light change less dramatic as it does. I'm not the one who noticed that. All people who sit next to me noticed that it dims lights very much and we have to turn them higher but not to maximum of course.
Click to expand...

I don't know what you're seeing but it works perfectly for me.
 
this is very helpful, i thought something is wrong with my new macbook, was worried. Thank you!
 
I was having this issue as well, I was aware of the ambient light sensor in the computers, my last two mac had them too, but it seemed like it was happening more randomly and without any motion at all, I did turn off the light sensor and so far it has stop doing it, the light sensor in the newer models must be more sensitive or something
 
Same Problem...Thank You

I just go got my MacBook Pro and didnt notice the dimming screen until today, when I sat in front of the window. I was convinced something was wrong with the computer til I googled it and found this forum. THANK YOU
 
iBookG4user said:
This is because of the ambient light sensor. You can turn the option off in System Preferences>Displays>Automatically adjust brightness as ambient light changes
Click to expand...

You the man, I was trying to find this setting but was staring at it all along.. I need some sleep I think:eek:
 
I just bought a new macbook air and I thought the screen was dimming, but I convinced myself I was just imagining things. After a few weeks I knew something was going on... And a quick google search brought me here

Thanks for the responses!

alabanco said:
I have a question that stays beyond the whole topic.

Why Macbook dims display light when you turn off your room lights and vice versa when you turn on lights it makes display light even brighter ?

To be logical it should do just the opposite thing - i.e. it should make display dimmer when you turn on lights and brighter when you turn off lights.

Am I the only one who thinks MacBook is stupid at this point ?
Click to expand...

Eric S. said:
Yes.
Click to expand...

This made me LOL
 
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