Teams Adjust Brightness Setting

This is a screenshot of Settings -> Devices ->Camera, which was taken after an update released a week ago:

However, I'm using Teams Personal with an Insider build. Nevertheless, the option to change brightness was available in a video call, and after that the issue has not resurfaced again.

Hi @AnudariJakubowska-4702,

After reading through your description, I did a quick check on my own Microsoft Teams setup and can see that the Adjust brightness option is still available and working as expected on my side.

That said, I also spent some time looking into this more broadly and noticed that a number of users have reported similar behavior over the years, where the Adjust brightness option suddenly becomes unavailable or greyed out during Teams meetings, even though no intentional policy changes were made. Given that context, it’s completely understandable to suspect that a recent Teams update may be contributing to what you’re seeing.

To better understand what’s happening in your specific environment, would you mind sharing a bit more detail?

• For the affected users, is the Adjust brightness option completely missing, or is it visible but greyed out?
• Are these users primarily on Windows or macOS devices?
• Have you had a chance to test the same scenario using Microsoft Teams on the web, to see if the option appears there?

I’d also like to gently mention that this is a user‑to‑user support forum, and moderators like myself are simply fellow users. We don’t have the ability to directly access back‑end systems or influence product behavior, but we’re always happy to share experiences, observations, and community‑based insights where possible.

If you come across any new findings or have updates to share, please feel free to leave a comment under this post. That’s the best way for me to receive notifications and continue the conversation with you.

Thank you again for raising this.

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The provided information does not confirm any known Teams-specific bug related to the “Adjust brightness” camera setting in recent updates.

From the available context, only the following are documented for camera/brightness-related behavior:

1. General Teams camera issues
   • Teams camera problems are commonly caused by:
     • Other apps using the camera (Skype, FaceTime, etc.).
     • Outdated OS or Teams client.
     • Missing app permissions (especially on macOS or when using Teams on the web).
   • Recommended checks:
     1. Close all other apps that might be using the camera.
     2. If using an external camera, unplug and re‑plug it.
     3. Restart the device.
     4. Ensure Windows or macOS and the Teams client are fully updated.
     5. On macOS, verify camera permissions under System Settings → Security & Privacy → Privacy → Camera and ensure Microsoft Teams (work or school) is allowed.
     6. For Teams on the web, ensure the browser is allowed to use the camera in its site permissions.
2. Teams meeting camera controls
   • During a Teams Free meeting, the Camera control allows:
     • Turning the camera on/off.
     • Adjusting brightness and soft focus.
     • Applying/customizing background effects.
   • These are client-side features; there is no mention of an admin policy that disables only “Adjust brightness” while leaving the camera usable.
3. OS-level brightness/autobrightness issues
   • There is a known Windows issue where automatic screen brightness (via Ambient Light Sensor) fails to respond until a brightness-related action occurs, and a separate Windows 8.1/Server 2012 R2 bug where the automatic brightness option becomes disabled in PC settings.
   • These issues affect display brightness, not the Teams camera “Adjust brightness” feature, but they can cause confusion if users conflate screen brightness with camera image brightness.

Based on the context, there is no documented, verifiable Microsoft-confirmed bug specifically stating that a recent Teams update broke the in-meeting “Adjust brightness” camera setting. For an enterprise deployment where policies have been checked and camera drivers/settings are up to date, the next supported steps are:

1. Confirm scope and client type
   • Check whether the issue reproduces in:
     • Teams desktop client (latest version) vs. Teams on the web.
     • Different browsers (Edge, Chrome, Safari, Firefox) if using web.
   • If the feature works in one client but not another, this helps narrow whether it is client-specific.
2. Validate OS and permissions
   • Ensure OS is fully updated on affected devices.
   • On macOS, re-check Security & Privacy → Camera permissions.
   • On web, verify browser camera permissions are set to allow or “Ask before accessing.”
3. Compare with unaffected environments
   • Test with a clean profile or test device in the same tenant to see if the behavior is tenant-wide or device-specific.
4. Escalate to Microsoft support
   • Since this appears to be recent and widespread in the environment, and no official bug is documented in the provided material, open a support case with Microsoft, providing:
     • Teams client version(s).
     • OS versions.
     • Whether the issue affects desktop, web, or both.
     • Screenshots or recordings of the missing or non-functional “Adjust brightness” control.

References:

• My camera isn't working in Microsoft Teams
• What can I do during a meeting in Microsoft Teams Free?
• Automatic brightness option is disabled unexpectedly after you switch between PC settings pages in Windows
• My laptop no longer adjusts screen brightness - Microsoft Q&A