Calibrate Monitor Brightness and Gamma in Windows 11

Calibrating your display ensures accurate color representation, clear text readability, and balanced lighting to reduce eye strain. Windows 11 includes a built-in utility called Display Color Calibration that guides you through adjusting your screen’s gamma, brightness, contrast, and color balance. Following the step-by-step instructions below will help you properly configure your monitor for optimal viewing.

Step 1: Open the Display Color Calibration Tool

  1. Click the Start button or press the Windows Key.
  2. Type Calibrate display color in the search bar and press Enter, or press Win + R, type dccw.exe, and click OK.
  3. The Display Color Calibration wizard will open. Click Next to begin.

Step 2: Set Monitor to Default Settings

Before adjusting software controls, prepare your physical monitor:

  1. Use the physical buttons on your monitor to open the on-screen display (OSD) menu.
  2. Reset the monitor to its factory default settings or choose the standard sRGB color profile.
  3. Click Next on the Windows calibration window to proceed.

Step 3: Adjust Gamma

Gamma determines the relationship between the input signal and the output brightness of pixels.

  1. Review the sample images provided in the wizard. The goal is to make the central dots blend in with the background stripes so they become barely visible.
  2. Click Next to access the gamma slider.
  3. Move the slider up or down until the small dots in the center of the circles disappear into the background pattern.
  4. Click Next when finished.

Step 4: Adjust Brightness

Brightness controls the intensity of dark tones and blacks on your display.

  1. Click Next past the brightness explanation screen.
  2. Using the physical brightness controls on your monitor, adjust the brightness until you can clearly distinguish the subject’s shirt from the suit jacket, and the “X” in the background is barely visible.
  3. Click Next.

Step 5: Adjust Contrast

Contrast controls the intensity of bright highlights and whites.

  1. Click Next past the contrast explanation screen.
  2. Using the physical contrast controls on your monitor, increase the contrast until the wrinkles and buttons on the shirt are clearly defined without washing out the bright background into pure white.
  3. Click Next.

Step 6: Adjust Color Balance

Color balance corrects unwanted color tints (such as an overly warm yellow tint or cool blue tint).

  1. Click Next to view the Red, Green, and Blue sliders.
  2. Adjust the sliders to remove any color cast from the gray reference bars until they appear as neutral gray.
  3. Click Next.

Step 7: Apply the Calibration

  1. Click Previous calibration and Current calibration to compare the before-and-after results.
  2. Check the box labeled Start ClearType Tuner if you also want to optimize font rendering on your screen.
  3. Click Finish to save and apply the new display profile.