Bug 503268 - Brightness is not remembered across boots
Summary: Brightness is not remembered across boots
Status: CONFIRMED
Alias: None
Product: plasmashell
Classification: Plasma
Component: Power management & brightness (other bugs)
Version First Reported In: 6.3.4
Platform: Arch Linux Linux
: NOR normal
Target Milestone: 1.0
Assignee: Plasma Bugs List
URL:
Keywords:
: 508434 (view as bug list)
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2025-04-24 08:36 UTC by Riccardo Robecchi
Modified: 2025-10-08 16:58 UTC (History)
8 users (show)

See Also:
Latest Commit:
Version Fixed In:
Sentry Crash Report:


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Description Riccardo Robecchi 2025-04-24 08:36:10 UTC
SUMMARY
I have Endeavour OS (Arch Linux-based) installed on an old mid-2011 iMac. Every time I boot the computer, it resets the brightness to 95%, even when I had set it to a different level on the previous boot. The widget should enforce the previous brightness level on a new boot, rather than forcing the user to re-adjust the brightness every time.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Set the brightness to your desired level, e.g. 15%.
2. Reboot.

OBSERVED RESULT
Brightness goes back up to 95%.

EXPECTED RESULT
Brightness stays at the desired level, e.g. 15%.

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Linux/KDE Plasma: Endeavour OS/Arch Linux
KDE Plasma Version: 6.3.4
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.13.0
Qt Version: 6.9.0

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Comment 1 Nate Graham 2025-04-24 08:44:29 UTC
Does this happen on both X11 and Wayland, or only one session type?
Comment 2 Riccardo Robecchi 2025-04-24 15:01:21 UTC
Both session types.
Comment 3 John Kizer 2025-04-24 19:00:08 UTC
Hi - just to check, if you set the brightness to specifically 100%, is it remembered across boots then?

Thinking of what was reported in https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=501415 , even though that particular case seemed to spontaneously resolve for that user.
Comment 4 Bug Janitor Service 2025-05-09 03:46:40 UTC
🐛🧹 ⚠️ This bug has been in NEEDSINFO status with no change for at least 15 days. Please provide the requested information, then set the bug status to REPORTED. If there is no change for at least 30 days, it will be automatically closed as RESOLVED WORKSFORME.

For more information about our bug triaging procedures, please read https://community.kde.org/Guidelines_and_HOWTOs/Bug_triaging.

Thank you for helping us make KDE software even better for everyone!
Comment 5 Riccardo Robecchi 2025-05-15 20:23:21 UTC
I've just tried this - no it is not remembered when setting it to 100% either.
I'm now on Plasma 6.3.5, Frameworks 6.14, Qt 6.9.0.
Comment 6 TraceyC 2025-05-29 22:31:00 UTC
I'm not able to reproduce this on git-master

Just to double-check, can you take a look at
System Settings -> Power Management - Display and Brightness

Is the "Change screen brightness" checkbox checked?
Comment 7 Riccardo Robecchi 2025-05-30 07:30:48 UTC
No, because it's not there.
Comment 8 Nate Graham 2025-05-30 18:45:12 UTC
That definitely seems related. So there are no brightness controls in the KCM?
Comment 9 John Kizer 2025-05-31 03:14:33 UTC
For what it's worth, I actually don't have a "Change screen brightness" checkbox in Power Management either (on Fedora 42 Plasma 6.3.5, or on git master) - just dropdowns for Dim automatically and Turn off screen.
Comment 10 Riccardo Robecchi 2025-05-31 11:05:13 UTC
Same here for me as well, there are only dropdowns to dim and turn off the screen after a given amount of time.
I have checked on my laptop and the brightness controls are present there.
Comment 11 Nate Graham 2025-06-03 18:46:08 UTC
Do both of you have only desktop monitors plugged in?
Comment 12 John Kizer 2025-06-03 19:40:22 UTC
At least for me, I only have one monitor attached to my desktop (ASUSTek COMPUTER INC VG27AQL1A).

Just double-checking, we're talking about System Settings > Power Management, then the "Display and Brightness" section within that page, right? On System Settings > Display & Monitor > Display Configuration, I do have the checkbox for "Control hardware brightness with DDC/CI".
Comment 13 Riccardo Robecchi 2025-06-04 07:48:10 UTC
I experience this issue on an iMac that has an integrated screen and it's the only one; as far as I know it is treated like a laptop monitor.
Comment 14 Nate Graham 2025-06-06 17:13:54 UTC
Can affected people run `kscreen-doctor -o | grep -i bright` before rebooting, and then again afterwards?
Comment 15 John Kizer 2025-06-13 16:24:37 UTC
Updating the status of this report, pending the reporter being able to provide that info (I'm not affected by the reported issue). Thanks!
Comment 16 Bug Janitor Service 2025-06-28 03:47:39 UTC
🐛🧹 ⚠️ This bug has been in NEEDSINFO status with no change for at least 15 days. Please provide the requested information, then set the bug status to REPORTED. If there is no change for at least 30 days, it will be automatically closed as RESOLVED WORKSFORME.

For more information about our bug triaging procedures, please read https://community.kde.org/Guidelines_and_HOWTOs/Bug_triaging.

Thank you for helping us make KDE software even better for everyone!
Comment 17 Riccardo Robecchi 2025-07-09 09:06:26 UTC
(In reply to Nate Graham from comment #14)
> Can affected people run `kscreen-doctor -o | grep -i bright` before
> rebooting, and then again afterwards?

Funnily enough, it says that brightness control is not supported!
Comment 18 Riccardo Robecchi 2025-07-11 09:43:02 UTC
Update: after a reboot, it actually does say that it is supported:
        Brightness control: supported, set to 15% and dimming to 100%

What is happening with Plasma 6.4 is now slightly different to what it was when I opened the bug report: it now says that brightness is at 15% even though it is not, and when I change the brightness it adjusts it to the actual selected value - I can tell because the brightness is reduced dramatically when this happens.
Comment 19 Nath ROSET 2025-10-05 19:34:55 UTC
(In reply to Nate Graham from comment #14)
> Can affected people run `kscreen-doctor -o | grep -i bright` before
> rebooting, and then again afterwards?

Hello,
The output is the same before and after reboot:
> Brightness control: supported, set to 30% and dimming to 100%

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Operating System: Arch Linux 
KDE Plasma Version: 6.4.5
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.18.0
Qt Version: 6.9.2
Kernel Version: 6.16.10-arch1-1 (64-bit)
Graphics Platform: Wayland
Processors: 24 × AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 w/ Radeon 890M
Memory: 32 Gio of RAM (30.5 Gio usable)
Graphics Processor: AMD Radeon 890M Graphics
Manufacturer: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
Product Name: ASUS Zenbook S 16 UM5606WA_UM5606WA
System Version: 1.0
Comment 20 Nath ROSET 2025-10-05 20:27:14 UTC
I went to check if my other device was affected, but surprisingly it isn't.
It's a laptop connected to two external displays, and the brightness for all displays is correctly set after reboot, whether the laptop is running on AC power or battery

It also seems that I do not have a "Change screen brightness" checkbox in the Power Management KCM on this machine

How can I help diagnose this issue ?

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Operating System: Kubuntu 25.04
KDE Plasma Version: 6.3.4
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.12.0
Qt Version: 6.8.3
Kernel Version: 6.14.0-29-generic (64-bit)
Graphics Platform: Wayland
Processors: 12 × AMD Ryzen 5 5600H with Radeon Graphics
Memory: 27.3 Gio of RAM
Graphics Processor 1: AMD Radeon Graphics
Graphics Processor 2: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
Manufacturer: LENOVO
Product Name: 82JU
System Version: Legion 5 15ACH6H
Comment 21 David Edmundson 2025-10-07 08:22:31 UTC
*** Bug 508434 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 22 Michael Limiero 2025-10-07 22:50:42 UTC
I have the same issue on an Intel laptop (Lunar Lake):

Operating System: NixOS 25.11
KDE Plasma Version: 6.4.5
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.18.0
Qt Version: 6.9.2
Kernel Version: 6.16.7-zen1 (64-bit)
Graphics Platform: Wayland
Processors: 8 × Intel® Core™ Ultra 7 258V
Memory: 32 GiB of RAM (30.9 GiB usable)
Graphics Processor: Intel® Graphics
Manufacturer: LENOVO
Product Name: 83LC
System Version: Yoga 9 2-in-1 14ILL10

Same as others, `brightnessctl` and `kscreen-doctor` both report the same value before and after sleep. I do have the "Change screen brightness" checkbox in Power Management.
I had the same issue on Fedora 42, with both KDE Plasma and Cosmic desktops, but not on GNOME.
Comment 23 TraceyC 2025-10-08 16:58:23 UTC
I'm marking this confirmed, since multiple people are able to reproduce it