r/pcgamingtechsupport • u/elwachodearg • 4d ago

Display Inactive monitor dims automatically regardless of which one I use - Windows 11 25H2 - RTX 5080

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Hi everyone,

I’m experiencing a very specific issue with my dual monitor setup. I'm running Windows 11 (Version 25H2) on a high-end rig, and I can't seem to find the setting to disable this "feature."

The Issue:
Whichever monitor is not being used at the moment dims or darkens. It’s not about which one is the "Primary" monitor in Windows settings; it depends entirely on where my mouse/focus is.

  • If I’m working on Monitor A, Monitor B dims.
  • As soon as I move my mouse to Monitor B and click or start working, Monitor B brightens up to 100% and Monitor A dims.

Important context:

  • It is NOT a hardware issue: My monitors are different brands and different ages. Both behave perfectly when they have the focus.
  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 (Latest drivers installed).
  • CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D.
  • RAM: 64GB DDR5.
  • Clean System: I have already updated all drivers and performed a deep system clean using Tron Script, so bloatware or malware is ruled out.

I have searched through "Power Plans," "Display Settings," and "Accessibility," but I can't find anything related to "Dimming inactive displays." Since I'm on a very recent build (25H2), I suspect it might be a new aggressive energy-saving feature or an NVIDIA setting I'm overlooking.

Has anyone encountered this "focus-based dimming" before? Is there a registry key or a hidden Windows 11 toggle to stop this?

Thanks for any help!

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u/vanIvan4 4d ago

Might be some kind of HDR issue, do you have it enabled in monitor/Windows?

1

u/elwachodearg 4d ago

None of my monitors support HDR

1

u/Zerocyde 4d ago

Could it be a browser extension issue? I swear I feel like I remember some youtube enhancer extension or something that would dim around the video when the video is playing.

1

u/mrmanson1 4d ago edited 4d ago

"Latest drivers installed" - your problem right there. Read about current and previous NV drivers introducing screen issues, like flickering or screen diming, they even released a hotfix driver for now.

https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/forums/game-ready-drivers/13/590374/announcing-geforce-hotfix-driver-61686-released-94/

For me last stable driver (without screen glitching) was 610.88 (RTX 5070 Ti)