adjust Mac Mini/Dell U2720Q Brightness with keyboard

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adjust Mac Mini/Dell U2720Q Brightness with keyboard

Running new Mac Mini attached to Dell U2720Q via Thunderbolt 3. OS is up-to-date Catalina. I can't adjust the Dell's screen brightness using the appropriate keys on Mac keyboard (the ones with the larger and smaller brightness icons). Currently I'm doing this via the buttons on the monitor, which is clumsy and time consuming. I have used the Color Calibration Assistant but that doesn't address the difficulty I'm having. Suggestions much appreciated, TIA!

Mac mini, macOS 10.15

Posted on Oct 28, 2020 9:09 AM

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Answer 1

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Fearsome Author

Level 1

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Oct 29, 2020 11:16 AM in response to woodmeister50

YES re auto settings for photo editing. That's why I want to be able to control display brightness. BTW at least a partial solution is made by Lunar, a one person shareware company. You can control brightness from the keyboard with Lunar --- it works, but I have not completely gotten comfortable with it yet. If you download it you should contribute to the guy who wrote it, amounts as small as $3, voluntary. It's easy to find on the net.

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Answer 2

Oct 28, 2020 11:30 AM in response to Fearsome

If you can control the brightness from SystemPreferences->Displays and

if you have an Apple keyboard, check SystemPreferences->Keyboard

and see if the "Use F1,F2, etc. as standard function keys" check box

is checked.

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Answer 3

Oct 29, 2020 6:56 AM in response to hcsitas

hcsitas wrote:

No can do Woody. Must reach out and touch Dell. Dell no speak Apple, Apple no care Dell. ‘nuf said.

I guess macOS, unlike Windows, does not control display

brightness via video card output. Seems dumb but oh well.

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Answer 4

hcsitas

Level 6

11,924 points

Oct 29, 2020 7:09 AM in response to woodmeister50

It's designed and meant for iMacs and Mac displays only - both are Apple-designed products and not "open" for adaptation. For everyone else, there's night shift. How often does one change brightness? I can't remember the last time I did. Not a big deal, really.

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Answer 5

Oct 29, 2020 11:12 AM in response to hcsitas

hcsitas wrote:

...How often does one change brightness? I can't remember the last time I did. Not a big deal, really.

I do, when I first set up a display and turn off everything "automatic".

Those "auto settings" are a disaster for photo work, especially auto brightness.

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Answer 6

hcsitas

Level 6

11,924 points

Oct 28, 2020 10:01 AM in response to Fearsome

You’re welcome. They could be clearer, but they can’t afford me...

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Answer 7

hcsitas

Level 6

11,924 points

Oct 28, 2020 9:43 AM in response to Fearsome

Not possible on non-Apple monitors unfortunately, only volume controls.

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Answer 8

Fearsome Author

Level 1

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Oct 28, 2020 9:59 AM in response to hcsitas

Thank you! How unfortunate it is that Apple neglects, somehow, to be clear about this in their promotional literature and otherwise.

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Answer 9

den.thed

Level 9

78,394 points

Oct 28, 2020 10:02 AM in response to Fearsome

I would settle on a Dell brightness level and just leave it at that. You also need to be careful about manually re-calibrating a color profile, because it could mess with printing color photos.

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Answer 10

hcsitas

Level 6

11,924 points

Oct 28, 2020 11:32 AM in response to woodmeister50

No can do Woody. Must reach out and touch Dell. Dell no speak Apple, Apple no care Dell. ‘nuf said.

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Answer 11

Fearsome Author

Level 1

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Oct 28, 2020 12:32 PM in response to woodmeister50

Thanks, but the brightness option isn't available when using a non-Apple monitor. Go figure, I thought they had some smart people working at Apple, but I think they've been leaving.

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Answer 12

hcsitas

Level 6

11,924 points

Oct 29, 2020 11:25 AM in response to woodmeister50

Yeah, once, when setting it up, so does everyone. At any rate, you’re interested in the full-blown OSD, which a brightness key won’t provide.

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adjust Mac Mini/Dell U2720Q Brightness with keyboard

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