Brightness and Dimming Adjust brightness, synchronize displays and keep dimming within a useful range. Explore subtopics Separate articles that explore this topic in more detail. Why does a fully dimmed display become visible again after wake?BetterDisplay normally avoids restoring full dimming at startup or wake so a saved black screen does not leave you wondering whether the display is working. What can I try if an App Store Touch ID prompt disappears while image adjustments are active?Temporarily suspend image adjustments on the affected display, then retry the App Store action. How can I keep two displays at similar brightness?Use Synchronize brightness nits to make displays follow the same calculated luminance. Why does BetterDisplay show a different brightness percentage than my monitor?BetterDisplay’s brightness percentage may describe software dimming or a combined brightness scale rather than the monitor’s hardware setting. How can I dim a monitor below its lowest hardware brightness?Enable software dimming alongside hardware brightness, then use Combined brightness to adjust both with one slider. How can I stop BetterDisplay from changing my Apple display’s auto brightness?Turn off Enable native auto brightness management for the Apple display. Why does BetterDisplay’s nits value differ from the brightness I expect?A displayed nits value can come from controller reports, known display data or a calculated estimate. Why does my mouse pointer stay bright when I dim the display?Overlay dimming can darken the desktop while leaving the mouse pointer bright. Can I stop software dimming from making the screen completely black?Yes. Can external monitors follow my MacBook’s automatic brightness?Yes, when BetterDisplay can detect the built-in display's hardware brightness changes and the external monitors have working brightness controllers. Why does my screen brightness change when BetterDisplay starts?BetterDisplay can restore saved combined brightness and software adjustments when it starts or the Mac wakes.