TV brightness settings are very often overlooked by TV owners. However, choosing the right brightness settings can massively improve your viewing experience. If brightness is set too low, then images will appear too dark, and detail will be lost. If it’s too high then the image will appear washed out!

Much of the modern television industry is now focused on visual clarity. After all, with 4K TV resolutions now the standard, and HDR content now widely available, it makes sense that we want our favourite films and shows to look their very best.

One of the best things about smart TVs is how customisable they are. Not only are they full of different apps and smart features, but there are also all kinds of settings to play around with. Choosing the right visual settings on your smart TV is crucial for making content look its best. Most importantly, you want to make sure the brightness is just right.

But if you’re new to your TV, you might wonder what kind of impact brightness might have. You might also wonder what the best brightness settings are for your TV. If you want to make the most of your shiny TV, then be sure to read below. Our Reliant tech experts have everything you need to know!

What Is The Best Brightness Setting For Your TV?

Before we can decide on the perfect brightness level for your TV, it would be worth reminding ourselves what exactly “Brightness” pertains to. Despite its name, the brightness setting does not actually control the amount of light in your TV’s image. Instead, it directly controls how dark certain parts of your image are.

You want to make sure brightness is neither too high nor too low. If it’s too high, then darker parts of the image will appear as a dull grey. Too low, and everything will be enveloped in darkness!

When the brightness is set too high, the darkest parts of the image will appear rather muted and dull. What should ordinarily display as a dark black will instead display as a dull grey! When the brightness is set too low on your TV, then some visual details can end up being washed out! For instance, shadows on a wall might appear too dark, which sucks away all of the detail!

As such, you’ll want to strike a fine balance with your TV’s brightness. You want to make sure it’s not too bright or too dark. You’ll know it’s too bright if dark images appear washed out. So, for instance, if you’re watching a horror film, and you’re having trouble making characters out in the darkness, then the brightness may be too high. You’ll know it’s too dark if some of the finer details get lost in the image.

How Do You Adjust A TV’s Brightness Level?

It all depends on the TV model you are using. In most cases, brightness controls can be found within the system settings of your TV. Most likely, these controls will be located in a “Display” or “Picture” submenu.

Simply toggle the brightness setting until it meets your needs, and then cancel out of the system settings menu.

Some TVs allow you to access quick brightness settings menus. These are designed to be non-intrusive, so you can keep watching your favourite content uninterrupted!

If you have a Samsung TV connected to SmartThings, you can even use your smartphone to control your TV’s brightness. This is another convenient way to control the setting, in a way that doesn’t interrupt the viewing experience.

What Is The Difference Between Brightness And Contrast?

Brightness and contrast are very often confused with one another because they both go hand in hand. Contrast itself refers to the differences in brightness between the darkest and brightest parts of an individual image. When the contrast is higher, the difference between the two becomes much clearer, and images appear more dense with detail!

The perfect brightness settings will result in an improved visual contrast in your images. Improved contrast makes it much easier to notice distinct shapes within each image.

Brightness and contrast both go hand in hand. Your TV’s brightness setting controls how dark certain parts of an image appear. Contrast controls how bright other parts of the image appear!

While brightness controls how dark the dark parts of an image appear, contrast instead controls how bright the brightest parts of the image appear.

It’s worth playing around with your TV’s contrast settings to find the right balance. If you set the contrast too high, it can result in too much light showing up in the image. In such a case, the image will appear washed out, and some of the finer details may be lost. If you set contrast too low, then there won’t be enough light. The whole image will appear too dark, and you’ll have trouble making any image out!

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is The Best Brightness Setting For Your TV?

The best brightness setting for your TV will provide a balanced image that is neither too bright or too dark. If brightness is set too high, then all of the darker highlights in the image will appear washed out and dull. If the brightness is too low, then there won’t be enough contrast, and you’ll miss out on loads of detail!

Is It Better To Have Brightness High Or Low At Night?

When the sun has set, and bedtime approaches, it’s best to lower the brightness of your TV. If there’s little ambient light in your room, then intense brightness from your TV may cause significant eye strain. Lower brightness also exposes you to less blue light. Blue light is known to interrupt the release of melatonin in the brain. This key hormone is essential for sending you to sleep!

Should You Use 100% Brightness?

There are few situations where you would ever really need to use 100% of your TV’s total brightness. The only situation in which you may need to max out on brightness would be if your room was subjected to heavy ambient light levels. If you were to set your TV to max brightness at all times, you may be putting its lifespan at risk. High brightness puts a significant strain on your TV’s display!