Computer

Adjust the brightness and take care of your eyes with these alternatives to F.Lux

Windows night light settings

Now we must click on “Night light configuration” that we find on the right side, within the “Brightness and color” section. In the new screen we only have to click on “Activate Now”.

Activate night light in Windows

If we wish, we can also program it by activating the “Program night light” section as activated. This will make it possible to set it automatically from dusk to dawn or define the hours in which we want it to be active.

Windows schedule night light

F.Lux, the most popular option for eye care

It is a free and multiplatform application that we can use on computers with Windows, macOS and Linux, well known for apply blue light filters, allowing us to apply them for each application, being possible to choose if we want a program to have a certain filter or not. With this program it is possible to adjust the brightness of our PC’s screen higher or lower depending on the time of day.

This software uses the Google Maps positioning service to create a personalized lighting schedule, adjusting the parameters based on it, so our monitor must be governed. Thanks to this we can protect our eyes from the dangers of the color blue, allowing us to adjust the equipment in case we have an intelligent lighting system in our home. In addition, we can always see a preview of the result before applying any change.

Despite the good intentions of this program, the truth is that not always suitable for all types of userss, since there are some who complain that they damage their eyes in the long term, even causing headaches. That is why, given the number of applications that we can find of this type, we must know what the best alternatives are in case we do not like this software.

Other alternatives

Next, we are going to talk about the best options that we can find as an alternative to F.Lux to take care of our eyes when we are in front of our computer screen.

Lightbulb, adjust the color between day and night

We are talking about an ideal open source application to take care of the health of our eyes since it will allow us to adjust color temperature day and night, as well as the transition between the two. With it we can preview a complete 24-hour cycle, so that we can check the change color and brightness for the whole day. In case the temperature does not fit our needs, we can modify it to our liking. It also allows you to deactivate its functions for a certain time and be restored later.

light bulb

This software also has a geolocation system through which it will allow us to configure the sunrise and sunset times manually, as well as synchronize the program over the Internet so that it adjusts according to the time of year. We can download Lightbulb for free from its GitHub page.

RedshiftGUI, change screen color based on weather

It is a free application with which we can change the color of the screen of our monitor depending on the environmental conditions. In this way, with natural lighting it will be associated with cooler tones such as blue, while interior lighting will cause orange and red tones to be adopted, thus avoiding visual fatiguel. The software runs directly in the system tray adjusting the color and brightness based on the time. It also allows you to preview the entire day during which it is possible to check the different colors that will occur throughout the day.

RedShift GUI

The program will allow us to adjust the brightness, temperature and colors manually with the help of a slider bar, as well as day and night temperatures and the speed of transition. Although it works well, the truth is that it has been without updates for a long time, so it can put some users off. If we want to bet on RedshiftGUI we can download it for free from the SourceForge page.

SunsetScreen, changes the hue of the screen with sunrise and sunset

Another interesting option with which to be able to change the tonality of the screen depending on the sunrise or sunset, being able to configure the color range both at night and during the day. We can also set presets or enter color ranges, setting the hue by moving its slider. Another option available is the ability to set the time of sunrise and sunset and adjust day and night color gamut. Once everything is done, the software will run in the background from the system tray taking care of adjusting the color and brightness.

SunsetScreen

We can consider SunsetScreen as an alternative to F.Lux since the transitions from one phase to another are made in a more gradual and satisfactory way in view of our needs. Of course, to be able to use it, it will be necessary to pay for its license, which has a cost of 5 dollars. We can also download a fully operational trial version for a week.

Dimmer, adjust the color on multiple monitors simultaneously

We are talking about an application specially developed to be able to adjust the brightness of the screen of any kind of monitor, as it is compatible with all kinds of technologies such as TFT, LCD and LED. It will even be possible to use it with an old CRT monitor. Another important feature is that it can be used on multiple screens and adjust each one individually. It can be run on all versions of Windows, it is easy to use, intuitive and lightweight, making it ideal for our day to day.

Dimmer multiple screens

Although Dimmer is a good application, not everything is perfect in it, since it lacks some important functions such as the possibility of programming the brightness or setting the temperature of the screen. The software is free and can be downloaded directly from this link to the developer’s website.

Gammy, set maximum and minimum brightness levels

Another alternative to F.Lux that we can use is a program like Gammy that will allow us to set the minimum and maximum brightness levels, so we can adjust to our needs so that it never increases or decreases too much. Also, we can go adapting it according to the programs and screens that we use, as well as control the adaptation speed so that we can configure how fast the brightness adapts. Another important feature is that we can adapt the brightness and temperature automatically.

Gammy temperature option

Of course, we must take into account that, despite being a useful tool to take care of our eyesight, the truth is that the constant changes in brightness can be annoying, so there may be users who feel uncomfortable using it. . Gammy is an application that we can download for free from its website.

Iris, reduces eye fatigue by controlling brightness

This application will help us prevent eye fatigue, optimizing the touches on the screen and controlling the brightness without PWM, allowing us to use the computer for longer without headaches. Iris will match the brightness of the screen to the light around us, for which it has various settings presets that will adjust it automatically. It will also adjust the blue light during the day and night, helping our body to produce more melatonin at night and thus sleep better.

Iris

The program has 9 presets such as health, sleep, reading, schedule, sunglasses, dark, biohacker, movie, and overlay, allowing you to set modes to auto, manual, and pause. In order to use Iris on a regular basis, it will be necessary to pay for its license, which costs 15 dollars. In addition, we can download a free trial version that we can use without limitations for 7 days.

Brightness Slider, control brightness with slider

It is a small open source application that will add a slider to our system tray that we can use to change the brightness of one or more monitors connected to our computer simultaneously. All this thanks to its compatibility with Twinkle Tray. Is very simple and basic to use so it is suitable for all types of users.

Brightness Slider

Given its simplicity, it cannot compete with other options in terms of functionality and configuration, so it is indicated for users who are looking for something tremendously simple with which to be able to adjust the brightness of the screen manually whenever we need it. We can download Brightness Slider for free from the Windows Store.

Twinkle Tray: Brightness Slider
Twinkle Tray: Brightness Slider

Developer: Xander Frangos

Which one to use?

As we have been able to verify, we have a good amount of software that we can use as real alternatives to the popular F.Lux. When deciding on one or the other, we must ask ourselves if we require a free application or if we don’t mind paying a small amount for others. The good thing is that we will always be able to test all of them so that, in this way, we can select the one that best suits our uses and needs.

Of all of them, possibly light bulb is the most suitable option as an alternative to F.Lux since it allows us to adjust the day and night color temperature, as well as the transition between the two, using the geolocation service for this.

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