How to Control Brightness on Ubuntu 19.10: A Comprehensive Guide

Controlling the brightness in Ubuntu 19.10 can be done through several methods. Here are some common ways to adjust the brightness for a comfortable and efficient viewing experience.

Method 1: Using System Settings

Open System Settings:

Click on the system menu in the top-right corner of the screen. Find the gear icon and select System Settings. In the Settings window, click on Displays. You should see a brightness slider. Move it left or right to decrease or increase the brightness.

Method 2: Using Keyboard Shortcuts

Most laptops have dedicated function keys for adjusting brightness. Look for keys with a sun icon, usually on the F keys. You can typically hold the Fn key while pressing these keys to adjust the brightness.

Method 3: Using Terminal Commands

If the graphical methods do not work, you can adjust brightness via the terminal.

Open Terminal (Ctrl Alt T). Check the current brightness by using the following command:

cat /sys/class/backlight//brightness

To change the brightness, echo a value into the brightness file. For example, to set the brightness to 100, you might need to adjust this value according to your system's maximum brightness:

echo 100 | sudo tee /sys/class/backlight//brightness

Make sure to replace // with the correct backlight driver if multiple options are present.

Method 4: Using GRUB Configuration

If you have issues with brightness control, you can modify the GRUB configuration:

Open Terminal (Ctrl Alt T) Edit the GRUB configuration:

sudo nano /etc/default/grub

Find the line starting with and add acpi_backlightvendor or acpi_backlightvideo to the parameters. It should look like this:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT

Update GRUB:

sudo update-grub

Reboot your computer:

sudo reboot

Troubleshooting

If you find that brightness settings are not working as expected, it may be due to your graphics drivers. Ensure that you have the correct drivers installed for your graphics card.

You can also check for any additional drivers available under Additional Drivers settings.

Following these methods should help you control the brightness on your Ubuntu 19.10 system. If you encounter any specific issues, feel free to ask for further assistance!