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Auto brightness only brightens, never dims

I noticed that the brightness only brightens but never dims back in automatic brightness display setting. I can reproduce this easy with turning the lamp on my desk on and off. It only goes back to the lower brightness if turning the screen off and on again.

Noticed this too but seems to only occur when I use a widget to toggle between Auto and 100%.
If I leave the setting in Auto from within settings then it seems to work. Brightness widgets seem to break the auto functionality.

Hmm, I don't use a brightness widget. The light of the softbuttons go on if I cover the light sensor, but the screens stays in high brightness.

Strahlenkanone said:
Hmm, I don't use a brightness widget. The light of the softbuttons go on if I cover the light sensor, but the screens stays in high brightness.
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Must be an all around bug then. If you turn the Atrix off and back on then the auto brightness functionality is restored.

Strahlenkanone said:
I noticed that the brightness only brightens but never dims back in automatic brightness display setting. I can reproduce this easy with turning the lamp on my desk on and off. It only goes back to the lower brightness if turning the screen off and on again.
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This must be an Android thing. My Atrix does the same thing, as did the Nexus One I had before. I've had several (high end) Nokia's that dimmed/brightened perfectly. After 5 seconds, they would brighten (or dim) accordingly. I was hoping Motorola was better at making phones than HTC (the KING of bad battery life). We ALL lose here. Our precious battery life is being drained by the poor execution of a simple function.

This is a stock android thing (problem). Custom ROMs can allow it to dim and change brightness smoothly rather than in discrete steps (Cyanogen).

That's what I thought. I found this free app called "esdimmer". It supposed to be for Galaxy phones, but it's somewhat working on my Atrix. Does this function work any better in Gingerbread?
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App

Well it's good to hear that it's a stock android problem and not the actual phone. I did find a way to get around this problem but it's very limited. You can get the screen to dim by first putting the phone into standby and then press the standby button once again (which gets you into the lock screen). You'll notice that the screen then dims (if coming from a well lit area/room to a darker one).

[Solved] Brightness dims very dark every wake?

Ever since as long as I can remember, my phones brightness will dim to a brightness so dark you just can't see it. Even if you manually set the brightness, once you lock and wake the screen, it's fine then suddenly switches to dark.
I've used multiple ROMs and they all do it. Is it a device issue, or could it be a kernel issue? I've not screwed with kernels so I don't know if it could be it. If it's a device issue, I'll be getting a replacement ASAP.
Any help is appreciated!

Now that I'm able to Google, I realize it's a common problem with the S4.
Sent from my SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 4

Serfma said:
Ever since as long as I can remember, my phones brightness will dim to a brightness so dark you just can't see it. Even if you manually set the brightness, once you lock and wake the screen, it's fine then suddenly switches to dark.
I've used multiple ROMs and they all do it. Is it a device issue, or could it be a kernel issue? I've not screwed with kernels so I don't know if it could be it. If it's a device issue, I'll be getting a replacement ASAP.
Any help is appreciated!
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The only time I had the screen go dim like you describe is I remember once following a phone call. It goes dark when you put the handset to your ear like it's supposed to, and lights back up when I pull it away from my head. I was stepping out of a truck into the broad daylight when I tried to hang up my phone, I couldn't see the screen very well. The other party ended the call, and my screen timed out while I was squinting at it. I pushed the home button and it lit right back up nice.
You got something going on, and if you tried all those different roms, say... can you nandroid back to stock? Did you try that?
I'd try everything I could on the outside chance of repair instead of replacement. If you get a replacement you might be stuck with that MF3 where you cannot install a custom recovery.

fukenbiker said:
The only time I had the screen go dim like you describe is I remember once following a phone call. It goes dark when you put the handset to your ear like it's supposed to, and lights back up when I pull it away from my head. I was stepping out of a truck into the broad daylight when I tried to hang up my phone, I couldn't see the screen very well. The other party ended the call, and my screen timed out while I was squinting at it. I pushed the home button and it lit right back up nice.
You got something going on, and if you tried all those different roms, say... can you nandroid back to stock? Did you try that?
I'd try everything I could on the outside chance of repair instead of replacement. If you get a replacement you might be stuck with that MF3 where you cannot install a custom recovery.
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Mf3? Is that something new with the S4s to prevent custom ROMs?
It does not go pitch black. It goes very dim every time I wake the device. If you Google S4 screen dimming it's a wide problem.
Once you wake it, it's fine for 2 seconds and dims quite dark. It is not screen timeout/sleep/etc since I can still see the screen.
Sent from my SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 4

I'm on MDJ and don't get any auto dimming of any sorts. Auto brightness is off, brightness controls about 1/3 brightness (indoors), but Power Saving mode is on with all three options on.

My S4 is MDL. I found out the problem (More than likely) was the Paranoid Android ROM. I was on ver. 3.69 and since switched to CM 10.2 Nightlies, latest as of today, and no screen dimming. I will install my usual apps and use it as normal and if it happens, it's probably an app. However, the only apps I use are ones such as SwiftKey, LightFlow, ASTRO, Chrome, and Dashclock.

I'm on stock MDL. It has only been occurring since I upgraded from MDB 3 days ago, and is a huge PITA because brightness controls are unresponsive during this time - I go into settings to adjust brightness since I have removed all the brightness controls from the notification panel as they've always worked just fine, and turn off auto brightness, scale it all the way to max, and it is still dim as crap.... Only fix I've seen is to reboot, which is obviously not ideal in most situations when I need to wake the device! I'm using STOCK kernel, STOCK ODEXED ROM as well, nothing crazy should be going on to screw with brightness settings being unresponsive either!

KryptosXLayer2 said:
I'm on stock MDL. It has only been occurring since I upgraded from MDB 3 days ago, and is a huge PITA because brightness controls are unresponsive during this time - I go into settings to adjust brightness since I have removed all the brightness controls from the notification panel as they've always worked just fine, and turn off auto brightness, scale it all the way to max, and it is still dim as crap.... Only fix I've seen is to reboot, which is obviously not ideal in most situations when I need to wake the device! I'm using STOCK kernel, STOCK ODEXED ROM as well, nothing crazy should be going on to screw with brightness settings being unresponsive either!
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Do you by chance use Light Flow?
I solved the problem. I had "lcd_backlight" control flipped on in the settings of Light Flow. It fixed it. To tell if it's an app problem, just factory reset and try, once you boot up, to lock and wake the device to see if it happens. If it doesn't, it's an app problem more than likely, or even a general setting. Troubleshoot for the win!

Serfma said:
Do you by chance use Light Flow?
I solved the problem. I had "lcd_backlight" control flipped on in the settings of Light Flow. It fixed it. To tell if it's an app problem, just factory reset and try, once you boot up, to lock and wake the device to see if it happens. If it doesn't, it's an app problem more than likely, or even a general setting. Troubleshoot for the win!
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I do use Light Flow, but I don't have either one of the LCD Backlight controls enabled, never have and never will, so I don't know how that could be affecting my phone at all.... That's a good start for some, but not for me, unfortunately! Good catch though
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S 4 using the XDA app

Serfma said:
Ever since as long as I can remember, my phones brightness will dim to a brightness so dark you just can't see it. Even if you manually set the brightness, once you lock and wake the screen, it's fine then suddenly switches to dark.
I've used multiple ROMs and they all do it. Is it a device issue, or could it be a kernel issue? I've not screwed with kernels so I don't know if it could be it. If it's a device issue, I'll be getting a replacement ASAP.
Any help is appreciated!
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Click to collapse
I had this issue before on my Galaxy S3. I ended up replacing the front glass because of a dead pixel. Come to find out I had a sensor issue and that was causing my brightness auto going to whatever level it wanted.
Perhaps you're experiencing that too. Haven't heard or read of any sensor issues yet with the S4 but you could be the lucky winner!

Auto brightness not working correctly

When I'm in a light room the screen goes brighter but if I walk into a darker room, the screen doesn't dim unless I lock and then unlock the screen.
Anyone else having similar issues?

Yep got the same here. Thought I had a faulty ambient light sensor but obviously not.
Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

Just tried it by covering the light sensor to make sure, no problem here (G935F). My only concern related to brightness is that the s7 just has auto brightness, but no adaptive brightness.

Uncheck the auto box and recheck. Then don't touch the slider. It's usually because in marshmallow the slider moves with the auto bright and most people touch it which makes it hold position.

jackdforme said:
Uncheck the auto box and recheck. Then don't touch the slider. It's usually because in marshmallow the slider moves with the auto bright and most people touch it which makes it hold position.
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There seems to be a bug somewhere still. I just tried to move the slider while auto brightness is ticked and to cover the light sensor afterwards again and it still worked and to my surprise it even took into account that I lowered the brightness and took also a lower brightness at the covered state and took my initial setting after uncovering, pretty nice, so there is indeed still adaptive brightness. After ticking und unticking auto it went back taking the default steps for brightness as before.

Having the same issue here

Definately not touched the slider.
Also, I have tested the light sensor and it appears to work fine so definately a software issue. Though I imagine we will see some software updates to fix bugs shortly after the official release date.

So you can adjust the slider with the box checked and get various levels of auto? Does it learn?

jackdforme said:
So you can adjust the slider with the box checked and get various levels of auto? Does it learn?
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Yes.
I can't tell for sure, when I change further steps the previous seems to stick, at least to some extend so there is a logic behind it, but I can't tell for sure if it really is based on each step and sets it accordingly or if it's just changes the range it operates in. Anyways I'm a happy camper.
Also, I could reproduce the device not changing the brightness, when I put it to full at darkness it won't move anymore in auto. But as soon as I lower it again it will also change accordingly again, maybe at those with the stuck brightness the min brightness is only raised, but not lowered anymore, but just an assumption and doesn't help anyone atm unfortunately.

Use lux in play store
Sent from my SM-N920W8 using Tapatalk

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.velis.auto.brightness

This is the first Galaxy phone I had, that Auto brightness actually works the way I like it.

It seems to be working fine now. It just takes a few seconds for the screen to dim (maybe I was being impatient).
After testing it further it's actually really good auto brightness.

It works, just takes some time to adjust to the lighting. Maybe the default settings are set to a certain time. Maybe with root we can adjust this..

AngioNicholai said:
It works, just takes some time to adjust to the lighting. Maybe the default settings are set to a certain time. Maybe with root we can adjust this..
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It seems to only do it quickly when the device is lay down (as 954wrecker said). Maybe Samsung did that so it doesn't annoy you when using your phone.

this is definitely a bug imo... the auto brightness doesn't change for me either...

CuBz90 said:
When I'm in a light room the screen goes brighter but if I walk into a darker room, the screen doesn't dim unless I lock and then unlock the screen.
Anyone else having similar issues?
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I also have an auto briteness issue, when I disable AutoBrite and set it manually about half my apps override the setting and enable AutoBriteness in the app's screen usually dimming the screen? SpadesFree one example and I do not see an override in the app.

Confimed that I'm having same issue, auto brightness not adjusting and slider not movingoing. Have to move it manually

Same issue. It needs to be fixed manually by editing services.jar (root needed)
Nothing else will work. None of google play apps will help with that issue. Does not matter what you do, it will always dimming if you don't fix it in framework.jar

Try it out: http://forum.xda-developers.com/s7-edge/development/auto-brightness-bug-try-fix-t3339858

Backlight Flickering issue and possible fix

Not sure if many of you have noticed but on the Moto X it seems the backlight will slightly flicker to adjust to colors on the screen. It is most noticeable when the brightness is on minimum setting in a dark room and occurs even though auto brightness is off. Simply going from my launcher page 1 to 2 will flicker my brightness 4 times.
I've seen this issue before on another device running a custom CM rom, so I figured it must be a software issue. Which I think I traced to being the color mode of the display. Go to Settings > Color Mode > Select Normal, this should fix the issue if it bothers you. If you use a custom kernel try using KCal to modify the display colors instead.
Let me know if you have this issue on your device, or if my eyes are just crazy. :silly:

Update: When watching youtube videos in full screen my display still flickers the brightness. I also set my lowest brightness to 1 in Gravitybox. So I don't understand why the brightness wants to flicker.

I noticed the same thing while using my phone in a dark room. My immediate thought was to change the color mode in the settings but it made no difference.
What rom and kernel are you using?
Sent from my XT1575 using XDA-Developers mobile app

Just tried to replicate the problem on cm13 but everything worked fine. I only get this issue with stock or stock based roms
Sent from my XT1575 using XDA-Developers mobile app

Screen flicker workaround

Hi everyone
I want to share a workaround to all of us who owns a defective S5
Symptom: You unlock your phone and it doesn't show anything. Actually, the phone is working. Capacitive buttons light up and you may heard some activity in the phone
Your phone has a defective screen. There are a lot S5 which have this problem, according to several forums. After several tries, unlock and lock over and over, the screen light up and you are able to use your phone. The problem is when you receive a call and you want to know who is calling you, the screen doesn't illuminate and you won’t be able to know who is.
Here's a workaround which makes your powerful S5 usable and take out from your drawer.
Solution:
The more effective way to fix it is: change defective screen! But sometimes it could cost as much as a new phone, or simply you can't afford it, and it's better to change your phone instead, and you put your S5 in a drawer.
The technical explanation of this problem is: Screen doesn't receive enough electrical current at low brightness levels (maybe the flex is defective, get old, etc)
Most probably the wake up problem exist together with screen flicker at low brightness levels
The wake up problem rises up more in dark environment, when light sensor make low bright screen
The lock screen light up screen, with a dim effect: when you lock the phone, it slowly turn screen off, and when you unlock, it make and effect of dim screen.
When you are is in dark environment, the effect is very slow, preventing the screen illuminate because the technical problem explained before.
When you are in very light environment, you lock screen and sensor light make the screen very brilliant and chances are you defective phone wakes up correctly.
We can use an app which give us complete control over brightness subsystem. I use an app called Velis AutoBrightness:
Once installed from Play Store, it shows a Setting Wizard. Follow the instructions. Below are some notes
• 1/7: Welcome Screen
• 2/7: How bright... Most probably is your phone always have flicker in low brightness. Choose "AMOLED" or "AMOLED bright". By the way choosing any one of those cure always minimum brightness failure!
• 3/7: Choose High sensitivity
• 4/7: On, if you want additional brightness when charging. Irrelevant for this thead. Choose your favorite setting
• 5/7: Same of 4/7
• 6/7: Choose enable: That enable the app
• 7/7: Some additional notes: Press Done
Now important settings: go to Menu > Settings > General: Settings Mode > Advanced
Service Activation settings:
• Disable system handler > ON: When you use Power saving mode, you surely noted screen flicker, which is very annoying, and make unusable power saving mode. By set this ON: Android doesn't set screen too dim; instead Velis have a minimum of brightness set by Wizard 2/7. (Surely you find out that you avoid screen flicker, by setting autobrightness off and slider in 8-10%)
Sensors settings:
• Screen-on sensor value override: Set this value to 30000. Read below this post if you want technical explanation of this setting
After you establish these settings, you'll be able to unlock your phone all the time!
This is the trick: When you unlock your phone, you'll note that the screen is very bright (because Screen-on to 30000) and quickly adjust to the environment light. The failure is that electrical current to screen is defective, and when exterior light is dark, the screen make a dim effect and doesn't light up.
Note to Marshmallow users:
• This app make use of Screen overlay permisions: And marshmallow is very restrict with this kind of app. This is specially true when you are installing an app. All you have to do is deactivate the app in notification screen: press "OFF" button, adjust system brightness upper enough to not flicker the screen, install your app, and activate Velis Autobrightness again
• Because of Doze mode, wake up from this mode may avoid your screen light up, the first time you use your phone. Let 10-15 seconds your phone wake up, lock again, and unlock again, and velis will make its work!
I hope this post make your smartphone usable. I barely apply this trick to two phones, but I think this is a good workaround!

I used this app & the flickering is still available

What worked for me is downgrading the firmware on my g900f all the way back to Android 4.0. My phone came with version 5.0 and I noticed the problem only after I kept installing samsung's system updates. Will report if the problem starts up again but I'm running rooted and running nougat just fine so I don't see a reason to keep upgrading the firmware.
Edit: nevermind, this didn't work

Reyse said:
The technical explanation of this problem is: Screen doesn't receive enough electrical current at low brightness levels (maybe the flex is defective, get old, etc)
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Does anyone know for sure if it's the flex cable or some capacitors? I notice only the lower half of my screen flickers.. I bet there's a simple electrical fix for it instead of replacing the whoooole display

fbs said:
Does anyone know for sure if it's the flex cable or some capacitors? I notice only the lower half of my screen flickers.. I bet there's a simple electrical fix for it instead of replacing the whoooole display
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Hello,
Have you change jour battery? If it s old it could cause some issues...
But try to buy a genuine one, I think that your battery must be old now.
Bye

cedouic said:
Hello,
Have you change jour battery? If it s old it could cause some issues...
But try to buy a genuine one, I think that your battery must be old now.
Bye
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it doesn't make any sense. the lower half of the screen flickers in green even on charger

fbs said:
it doesn't make any sense. the lower half of the screen flickers in green even on charger
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I noticed that screen only flickers at low brightness when using Boeffla kernel for LOS14 and others based on it.
No issue for the same device with LOS or Stock based kernels.

zlazaar said:
I noticed that screen only flickers at low brightness when using Boeffla kernel for LOS14 and others based on it.
No issue for the same device with LOS or Stock based kernels.
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Click to collapse
you're wrong
I was using los16 with stock kernel for months with flicker everyday

fbs said:
you're wrong
I was using los16 with stock kernel for months with flicker everyday
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+1 to that , i even went back to stock and the screen flicker appeared and such issues are well known already with samsung amoled panels back in 2014-even some panels from 2018 . So def not kernel related.

I was using los 15.1 and this problem got worse. The phone was barely usable as mentioned by the op. In my case, the screen would start flickering below 60%. Then I switched back to stock marshmallow. I noticed that 100% brightness in los 15.1 is actually only about 70% in the stock rom.
I have been using the phone at 80% brightness for some weeks now and the problem has significantly reduced. But not completely gone, it's much much better. Also, you might want to avoid using dark wallpapers.