Why Is Netflix So Dark? [Quick Way To Make It Brighter]

Watching your favorite TV shows or movies on Netflix is one of the most entertaining experiences. But this experience becomes worst when Netflix becomes dark, or Netflix keeps auto-dimming. 

I have seen that most of the time, the problem is not with Netflix itself; the problem might be with your TV display settings, HDR settings are out, or you might be using the outdated version of Netflix.

But you don’t need to worry!

I have some quick solutions that will help you to deal with the dark screen of Netflix. I used this solution and got 100% success. So here are the solutions. 

If your Netflix keeps crashing, you can refer to this guide.

#1 Power Reset Your TV

Most of us use Netflix on a smart TV, and most of the time, Netflix keeps auto-dimming due to the internal firmware issues of the TV. 

Luckily, power reset is one of the dominant solutions that Netflix officially recommends. The power reset will clear temporary glitches and resolve display problems. 

The good thing is power reset is one of the easiest solutions that barely takes 2 minutes. So instead of rushing to alter display settings, you must first try power reset your TV. 

Here are the steps to power reset your smart TV. And these steps are the same for all TV brands and models. 

Note: You can repeat this process 2 or 3 times; if one attempt fails, the other will work. 

#2 Turn On HDR On Your TV

HDR conflicts are one of the primary causes that can make Netflix so dark. If you’re playing HDR movies and your TV doesn’t have HDR, it will dim the Netflix.

Most of the latest movies and TV shows come in High Dynamic Range (HDR). The purpose of HDR is to make the dark scene brighter and enhance the contrast levels. 

So if you have turned off the HDR on your TV or your smart TV doesn’t support HDR, you’re in trouble. 

In this scenario, you need to turn on HDR settings on your smart TV. 

What To Do If  Your TV Supports HDR?

You can check the user manual of your TV to check whether your TV supports HDR. If your smart TV has HDR, then you need to enable it. 

The process of turning on HDR is different for every smart TV. But if you have a user manual, you can read the steps there. Or you can also search the steps on Google or YouTube. 

What To Do If Your TV Doesn’t Have HDR?

And if your smart TV doesn’t support HDR, you need to lower the content resolution from the Netflix Settings. 

If you’re Streaming content in 4K HDR and your TV doesn’t support this resolution, it will make your Netflix screen darker.

Here are the steps to lower the screen resolution of Netflix content. 

Hopefully, this will solve your problem; if your Netflix screen still dims on a darker scene, follow the next solution. 

#3 Turn Off the Ambient Light On Your TV

The ambient light sensor adjusts the screen brightness according to the surrounding lightning conditions. If your TV is in a darker room, the ambient light automatically dims the screen and vice versa. 

The latest smart TVs come with ambient light sensors that can also dim down the Netflix screen. Especially if any object is placed near the screen blocking the light, the TV screen automatically dims. 

Sometimes there comes a fault in ambient light sensors, which delivers inefficient performance. 

So you should turn off the ambient light sensor on your smart TV; that can solve your problem. 

• Samsung smart Tv: General > ECO Solution > and turn off the “Ambient Light Detection.”
• Hisense TV: Settings > Picture > Backlight > Turn off “Automatic light sensor.” 
• Sony TV: Settings > Display & Sound > Picture > Turn off “Light Sensor.” 

Similarly, if you’re using Netflix on your phone or laptop, turn off the auto brightness. 

Related Post: Netflix Loads But Won’t Play On Tv

#4 Update The Netflix app 

If you’re using an older version of the Netflix app, it might dim the screen due to bugs. Netflix frequently launches new updates to keep the app bugs free. 

That’s why if you’re using an older version of the Netflix app, you should try to update the app. Whether you’re using Netflix on your phone or smart TV, updating the app is easy. 

Most of the time, Netflix and other streaming apps automatically update if you have a stable internet connection. But if there is unreliable internet, you must manually update the Netflix update to enjoy a seamless streaming experience. 

#5 Manually Increase The Brightness 

 If you have turned off the ambient light sensor, but Netflix still keeps auto-dimming on dark scenes, it probably means that your device brightness is low from settings. 

I know without a bright screen, watching Netflix seems neutral and monochromatic. That’s why you should increase the brightness of your smart TVs or phones before watching any movies or series on Netflix. 

You can easily adjust the brightness level if you’re a mobile phone user. Simply tap on the screen and then swipe the brightness slider up. 

Whereas, to increase the brightness of a smart Tv, you should go to display settings, and there you can adjust the brightness according to your eye comfort.

Make sure to increase the brightness enough to view dark scenes easily on Netflix. 

#6 Update The Firmware Of Device

Just like an outdated app, the outdated firmware also causes glitches in the resolution that can make your Netflix so dark. 

To avoid bugs and glitches, you should regularly update the firmware of your smart tv. 

The firmware of your smart tv automatically updates if your tv is connected with a stable internet connection. But if you have slow internet or unstable connection, you must manually update the firmware to prevent bugs. 

If your smart tv is operated on outdated firmware, the display or graphics drivers might conflict with the HDR content of Netflix, making it dim. 

Moreover, new firmware updates bring new features to your TV and improve your streaming experience. 

Here are the steps to update the firmware of a few famous Smart TVs.

Why Is Netflix So Dark: Summary 

If your Netflix screen keeps auto-dimming, you should power reset your smart TV. The power reset is the ultimate solution that solves the problem in most cases. 

If the power reset won’t be worthwhile, then try to turn on the HDR option on your smart tv. Especially if you’re playing video content in 4K HDR, you must enable the HDR on your TV; otherwise, Netflix becomes so dark. 

Apart from that, you can also try alternative solutions to eliminate the dark screen of Netflix. 

I hope you will find this article helpful and that it has solved your problem. If you have any queries, you can ask me via email. We love to reply to our audience.