How to Install Brightness Controller on Ubuntu

Brightness Controller is a free, open-source GUI application that adjusts screen brightness and color temperature on Linux systems. Whether you work late at night and want to reduce eye strain, manage brightness across multiple monitors from a single interface, or create custom color profiles for different viewing conditions, this tool provides a straightforward solution. By the end of this guide, you will have Brightness Controller installed and ready to use on your Ubuntu desktop.

Update Ubuntu Before Installation

Before installing new software, refresh your package lists and upgrade any outdated packages. This step helps avoid dependency conflicts and ensures you install the latest available version of Brightness Controller.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

The first command refreshes the list of available packages from Ubuntu’s repositories. The second command upgrades any packages that have newer versions available.

Import the Brightness Controller PPA

Brightness Controller is not available in Ubuntu’s default repositories. Instead, install it from a Personal Package Archive (PPA) maintained by Archisman Panigrahi. PPAs provide a direct channel to obtain software and updates that may not be available in official repositories.

This guide supports Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and 24.04 LTS installations. The Brightness Controller PPA may not provide packages for newer or older Ubuntu releases. Flatpak and Snap versions are not available, so the PPA method is the primary installation path. If you prefer Flatpak for other applications, check the project’s GitHub for alternative installation options.

Add the PPA to your system with the following command:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:apandada1/brightness-controller -y

After adding the PPA, refresh the package list to include packages from the new repository:

sudo apt update

Install Brightness Controller

With the PPA configured, install Brightness Controller using the standard APT package manager:

sudo apt install brightness-controller

APT downloads and installs the package along with any required dependencies. Once the installation completes, verify the package is properly installed by checking the version information from the package manager:

dpkg -s brightness-controller | grep Version

Expected output:

Version: 2.3.4-4~ubuntu24.04.1

This confirms the package is installed and shows which PPA version is active on your system.

Launch Brightness Controller

Launch from Terminal

For quick access, start Brightness Controller directly from the terminal. This method is useful for troubleshooting or when you prefer command-line workflows:

brightness-controller

Launch from Applications Menu

Alternatively, launch Brightness Controller through Ubuntu’s graphical interface. Navigate to your applications menu following this path:

Activities > Show Applications > Brightness Controller

Manage Brightness Controller

Update Brightness Controller

Since Brightness Controller is installed from a PPA, updates arrive through Ubuntu’s standard package management system. Run the following commands to check for and install updates:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

This command updates all APT-managed packages on your system. As a result, Brightness Controller receives updates automatically when new versions become available in the PPA.

Remove Brightness Controller

If you no longer need Brightness Controller, you can remove it along with any orphaned dependencies. First, uninstall the package and then clean up unused dependencies:

sudo apt remove brightness-controller
sudo apt autoremove

The first command removes the Brightness Controller package. The second command cleans up any dependencies that were installed automatically and are no longer needed by other packages.

Remove the PPA

Removing the Brightness Controller package does not remove the PPA from your system’s repository list. If you want to keep your repositories clean, remove the PPA as well. For more details on managing PPAs, see our guide on removing PPAs from Ubuntu:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:apandada1/brightness-controller -y
sudo apt update

After running apt update, the package cache refreshes to reflect the removed repository. To confirm the package and PPA are both removed, run:

apt-cache policy brightness-controller

Expected output when both the package and PPA are removed:

brightness-controller:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: (none)
  Version table:

Troubleshooting

Brightness Controller Does Not Work on Wayland

Brightness Controller relies on X11 APIs to adjust display brightness. Wayland uses a different architecture that does not expose the same controls, so Brightness Controller cannot function on Wayland sessions.

To check if you are running Wayland or X11, run the following command:

echo $XDG_SESSION_TYPE

Expected output for X11:

x11

If the output shows wayland, log out and select “Ubuntu on Xorg” from the gear icon on the login screen before signing back in. Brightness Controller will function normally once you switch to an X11 session.

Brightness Settings Keep Resetting

If your brightness or color temperature settings reset unexpectedly, another application is likely overriding them. Common culprits include Ubuntu’s built-in adaptive brightness, Night Light, Redshift, or f.lux. Because Brightness Controller cannot prevent other applications from changing display settings, you must disable the brightness or color adjustment features in the conflicting application to resolve this issue.

Conclusion

You now have Brightness Controller installed on Ubuntu with the ability to adjust screen brightness and color temperature for both primary and secondary displays. This tool works best on X11 sessions and provides a simple interface for reducing eye strain during extended use. If you work with multiple monitors or prefer software-based brightness control over hardware buttons, Brightness Controller offers a practical solution that integrates directly with your desktop environment.