[BUG] When the (Desktop) app loses focus, my monitor darkens

[Aragorn-E]

Happens if I click or do anything that makes the app lose its current focus.

[MSOB7YY]

we dont touch brightness for desktop.. try these settings in ur windows

1. disable HDR Settings → System → Display → HDR → toggle off.

2. disable “Content adaptive brightness control (CABC)” same Display settings page → Brightness → turn off “Change brightness automatically when lighting changes.”

3. turn off color management Settings → System → Display → Color management → automatically manage color for apps → toggle off.

4. turn off hardware acceleration in your GPU control panel for that app (NVIDIA/AMD settings → Manage 3D settings → add your exe → disable “Image Sharpening” and “Adaptive Contrast”).

[Aragorn-E]

You closed this before I even respond? How (Un)professional.

Anyway:

HDR was already turned off.

Color Management was already turned off.

"CABC" is not called that anymore on the latest Windows 11 version (nor is "Change brightness automatically when lighting changes". That option doesn't exist anymore). If it is, feel free to point out where it can be found, but everything that could be it is turned off already.

I disabled hardware acceleration for that app as mentioned.

End result: The problem still persists.

Also, I'm not the only one having this problem.

https://github.com/namidaco/namida-snapshots/issues/35

[MSOB7YY]

i closed bcz i couldn't reproduce and we literally do nothing for desktop regarding brightness etc + no logs and not even mentioning the version u using... that's what we can call professional logs show exact windows version so it can reveal that the issue is related to a specific windows update..

if u using 5.4.4, does v5.4.1 or earlier versions work properly?

[Aragorn-E]

I actually did initially mention the version, then I removed it as my initial perception of how the problem start was completely off. I simply forgot to re-add it, and I WAS about to re-add the version, along with my GPU Driver, monitor type, etc, when I responded earlier. The post was still being edited, so no need to start deflecting.

As for v5.4.1 I will give that a try and report back.

[Aragorn-E]

v5.4.1 has the same problem.

GPU: RTX 3060 12GB - Driver version: 581.57

Windows version specs:

Monitor type (no idea if relevant): Samsung Odyssey G40B

[MSOB7YY]

this confirms its a windows issue

can u try this (source) Nvidia Control Panel > Manage 3D Settings > Vulkan/OpenGL - Present Method > Prefer layered on DXGI Swapchain

also check this for the same issue https://www.reddit.com/r/WindowsHelp/comments/1olr9qz/comment/nmo4epx

another ref: https://www.reddit.com/r/WindowsHelp/comments/1iea2mo/turn_off_windows_11_content_adaptive_brightness

let me know if any of these worked

[Aragorn-E]

Alright. What I did:

I set: Prefer layered on DXGI Swapchain on the App - failed to resolve the problem

I set: Prefer layered on DXGI Swapchain Globally - failed to resolve the problem

I tried to find the settings on Elevenforums articles - they don't exist. Either because it's an old Win build or because my PC is not a laptop

I applied the registry & bat files from Elevenforums articles then restarted my PC - failed to resolve the problem

I looked for the enhancement service - it was stopped by default for me

[MSOB7YY]

alright

here are some suggestions that seems useful https://windowsreport.com/windows-11-screen-dimming

another ref: https://www.reddit.com/r/techsupport/comments/1aj6laf/dimming_problem_after_closing_game_windows_11/

check and lemme know

[Aragorn-E]

Tried the proposed solutions on Windwosreport. Nothing there worked.

And that Reddit comment speaks about a filter automatically being applied when switching apps? I was watching all those and none of them changed with the Namida app. As a matter of fact, the behavior doesn't have any option that I can see in settings to imitate it, so that reddit comment didn't seem relevant to this situation.

However, I did find something while trying to see about the "auto-dimming" feature (which my monitor doesn't have, and if it does, every suspectable option is turned off already). What I found was that brightness indeed goes to 0 every time I put Namida app in focus then leave it from focus. This is 100% reproducible every time, and it ONLY happens with this app. Again, this has never happened with anything else I've used, no program or a game exhibited this behavior before, except the Namida app.

I'm thinking something wonky is going on when Windows interacts with this app. What is that thing, I've no idea.

[Aragorn-E]

For the sake of it, I also just tried to change the resolution and refresh rate (this is a 240hz monitor). 60/120hz exhibits the same behavior. Setting the resolution to 1280 x 720 gives the same result.

[Aragorn-E]

Logs:

logs_5.4.4-beta_251028183.txt

[MSOB7YY]

thanks for logs. as much as im sure its not caused solely by namida, ill keep it opened till further clues are discovered

[MSOB7YY]

this comment suggests that turning hdr on and off using win+alt+b can fix similar problem https://www.reddit.com/r/techsupport/comments/684oft/comment/lycon24

also if not im still very suspicious about 25H2 as mentioned in https://github.com/namidaco/namida-snapshots/issues/35

[Aragorn-E]

this comment suggests that turning hdr on and off using win+alt+b can fix similar problem https://www.reddit.com/r/techsupport/comments/684oft/comment/lycon24

also if not im still very suspicious about 25H2 as mentioned in namidaco/namida-snapshots#35

Turning HDR on/off was something I did already, and all it's done was reverse the brightness change for that one instance. If the App is back in focus and loses focus again? We're then back to square zero (problem recurs). So, I'm afraid this does nothing to fix the problem.

That said, have you considered using a system with 25H2? This could possibly allow you to troubleshoot the problem on your end.

[Aragorn-E]

In a desperate bid, I tried using all of these programs in order to block the app from changing brightness, but nothing worked. The only benefit I gained was that it was easier to reverse the brightness change with Monitorian, instead of manually changing that in the Monitor OSD.

https://www.ddcutil.com/windows_programs/

[MSOB7YY]

i see i still didnt find any clues on a quick confirmation, does the first windows release has the issue? https://github.com/namidaco/namida-snapshots/releases/tag/5.1.8-beta%2B250523199 if yes, then its smth introduced in between and we can dig in to possibly find it

[Aragorn-E]

i see i still didnt find any clues on a quick confirmation, does the first windows release has the issue? https://github.com/namidaco/namida-snapshots/releases/tag/5.1.8-beta%2B250523199 if yes, then its smth introduced in between and we can dig in to possibly find it

Unfortunately, the same problem occurs with this build.

That said, if you're able to somehow get in contact with Mesters727, that could help, as I asked them what's their monitor model, but they haven't responded. I think it's important we rule out the possibility that this is something that happens with Samsung Odyssey monitors (like what I'm using right now). If Mesters727 is using the same monitor model/branch, then we may be able to narrow down the cause.

[Aragorn-E]

@MSOB7YY You can potentially narrow it down on your end. Assuming you don't use that type of monitor, if you update to 25H2, you can see if you're experiencing the same problem. If you don't, then we have better indication that this might be a hardware level problem.

[Mesters727]

@Aragorn-E I have 2 different monitors and the problem occurs on both of them (main one is indeed Samsung Odyssey)

[Aragorn-E]

@Aragorn-E I have 2 different monitors and the problem occurs on both of them (main one is indeed Samsung Odyssey)

Can you list the model of each monitor please?

[Mesters727]

[Aragorn-E]

Interesting. Your Samsung monitor is the exact one I'm using right now.

[MSOB7YY]

@Aragorn-E @Mesters727

i updated to 25H2 and tried to reproduce but couldn't (also restarted windows few times). since yall both have Odyssey G40B, i think we might know the reason now. it's either the monitor or the nvidia drivers

My monitor: Acer VG240ys Drivers: 580.97

what i suggest now is either:

• inspect the software for ur monitor for any related setting
• inspect hardware buttons for the same purpose (u might already done that)
• rollback drivers and test

[Aragorn-E]

@Aragorn-E @Mesters727

i updated to 25H2 and tried to reproduce but couldn't (also restarted windows few times). since yall both have Odyssey G40B, i think we might know the reason now. it's either the monitor or the nvidia drivers

My monitor: Acer VG240ys Drivers: 580.97 <img alt="Image" width="602" height="275" src="https://private-user- what i suggest now is either:

• inspect the software for ur monitor for any related setting
• inspect hardware buttons for the same purpose (u might already done that)
• rollback drivers and test

Do you still not experience the problem with driver ver. 581.80?

[MSOB7YY]

@Aragorn-E i actually updated to 581.80 and was able to reproduce only once, went to nvidia app -> settings -> automatically optimize newly added games and apps -> disabled then couldn't reproduce again, even enabled the option again but still can't reproduce, im not sure if that option fixed it or it was just 1 time thing

so maybe try it too, or revert to 580.97 etc and see

another ref: https://www.reddit.com/r/pcgamingtechsupport/comments/1mi8216/my_screen_brightness_got_turned_all_the_way_down

[MSOB7YY]

@Mesters727 can you try that too ?

[MSOB7YY]

@Aragorn-E @Mesters727 i disabled the screen brightness package entirely for windows cuz i noticed it attempted to do smth even without calling it, maybe that was the issue, can u test 5.5.0 and see ? https://github.com/namidaco/namida-snapshots/releases

[MSOB7YY]

as confirmed by Mesters in https://github.com/namidaco/namida-snapshots/issues/35#issuecomment-3598584312, it's fixed in v5.5.0, thanks for reporting and being patient ^^

[Aragorn-E]

@Aragorn-E @Mesters727 i disabled the screen brightness package entirely for windows cuz i noticed it attempted to do smth even without calling it, maybe that was the issue, can u test 5.5.0 and see ? https://github.com/namidaco/namida-snapshots/releases

Yes, I just managed to test it now. The problem is solved with this version. Thank you for fixing it!

[MSOB7YY]

good news, thanks for the patience and follow up :D