Twinkle Tray is an open-source application for Windows that makes managing the brightness of multiple monitors seamless and intuitive. Available on GitHub, this lightweight utility is especially beneficial for users with multi-monitor setups or monitors with non-functional physical controls. Twinkle Tray leverages WMI (Windows Management Instrumentation) or DDC/CI (Display Data Channel/Command Interface) protocols to communicate with connected displays, providing precise and reliable control over their brightness.
Ease of operation
After installation, Twinkle Tray adds an unobtrusive icon to the system tray. Clicking on the icon brings up a list of all connected monitors, each accompanied by a slider that allows users to adjust brightness levels independently. This eliminates the need to fiddle with physical monitor buttons, making it a practical solution for hardware issues or setups with awkwardly placed displays.
Main Features
Twinkle Tray boasts a variety of features designed to enhance the user experience:
- Automatic Startup: The app can be configured to run automatically when Windows starts, ensuring brightness control is always just a click away.
- Persistent Settings: Users can enable the option to apply the last known brightness levels at startup, ensuring a consistent experience across sessions.
- Display Information: The app provides detailed information about each connected monitor, including the communication method (WMI or DDC/CI), current brightness, maximum brightness, and the brightness normalization range.
- Adjustable Brightness Update Rate: For supported monitors, users can fine-tune how quickly brightness changes are applied, allowing for smoother transitions or faster updates based on preference.
- Hotkey Support: Twinkle Tray supports custom hotkeys, enabling users to adjust monitor brightness or toggle displays without opening the app interface.
- DDC/CI Feature Viewer: Users can explore DDC/CI features for displays that support this communication protocol.
Why Twinkle Tray?
Twinkle Tray shines in scenarios where physical monitor controls are inaccessible or unresponsive. For multi-monitor setups, managing brightness individually through on-screen menus or physical buttons can be tedious. With Twinkle Tray, users can control brightness centrally from the system tray or through hotkeys, saving time and effort.
Moreover, the app allows users to turn off monitors directly from the notification area, offering additional utility for power management or privacy. Its compatibility with a wide range of monitors and ease of use make it a must-have tool for professionals, gamers, and general users alike.
Conclusion
Twinkle Tray offers a convenient way to control brightness from the comfort of your desktop. Its robust feature set, combined with its lightweight design, ensures it integrates effortlessly into your workflow. For Windows users seeking an effective brightness management tool, Twinkle Tray is a really good choice.
You can download Twinkle Tray from https://github.com/xanderfrangos/twinkle-tray.