Have you ever noticed your WhatsApp screen brightness cranked up to maximum after scanning a QR code? It’s a peculiar issue that many users have reported, and it can be quite jarring, especially in low-light environments. If you’re struggling with WhatsApp brightness staying stubbornly high after using the QR code scanner, you’re not alone. The good news is, this isn’t a permanent problem, and there are several easy fixes you can try right now to get your screen brightness back to normal.
Understanding the WhatsApp Brightness Issue After QR Scan
The problem seems to stem from WhatsApp’s behavior when you use its QR code scanning feature, often used for WhatsApp Web or linking devices. For optimal scanning, the app temporarily boosts the screen brightness. However, in some instances, particularly on iOS devices, WhatsApp fails to revert the brightness back to its previous setting after the QR code activity is complete. This leaves your WhatsApp interface excessively bright, which can be annoying and drain your battery faster than usual.
Users have reported this issue occurring after:
- Scanning a QR code for WhatsApp Web login.
- Using QR codes to add new contacts.
- Sharing their WhatsApp account via QR code.
While the exact cause isn’t officially confirmed by WhatsApp, user experiences suggest it’s a software glitch within the app, possibly related to how it manages screen brightness settings after QR code scanning. Thankfully, the solutions are generally straightforward and don’t require any technical expertise.
Quick Fixes for WhatsApp High Brightness After QR Scan
Here are several effective methods to resolve the WhatsApp brightness issue, ranging from the simplest to slightly more involved, ensuring you can quickly get back to comfortable WhatsApp usage.
Solution 1: Manually Adjust Brightness While in QR Code Mode
This is often the quickest and most direct solution, as highlighted by several users. The trick is to reduce the brightness while the QR code scanner is still active on your screen. Here’s how:
- Open WhatsApp and navigate to the QR code scanner (as if you’re about to scan a code for WhatsApp Web or linking a device).
- While the QR code screen is displayed and your brightness is likely at maximum, access your phone’s control center or quick settings. (On iPhones, swipe down from the top-right corner; on Android, swipe down from the top of the screen).
- Locate the brightness control and manually reduce it to your preferred level.
- Return to WhatsApp. In many cases, users report that WhatsApp will now retain this reduced brightness level even after you exit the QR code scanner.
This method essentially forces WhatsApp to recognize and apply your manual brightness adjustment, preventing it from getting “stuck” on maximum brightness.
Solution 2: Force Quit and Restart WhatsApp
If manually adjusting brightness within the QR code screen doesn’t work, force quitting and restarting the WhatsApp application is the next easiest step. This action closes the app completely and restarts it, often clearing temporary glitches.
- On iPhones: Swipe up from the bottom of the screen (or double-click the Home button on older models) to open the app switcher. Swipe up on the WhatsApp preview to force quit the app. Then, relaunch WhatsApp from your home screen.
- On Android: The method varies slightly by device. Generally, you can open the recent apps menu (often by swiping up from the bottom or tapping a dedicated button), and then swipe WhatsApp off the screen or tap a “close all” button to force quit it. Relaunch WhatsApp afterwards.
Restarting the app often resets the brightness setting to the default or your system-wide brightness preference.
Solution 3: Restart Your Phone
For a more thorough reset, restarting your entire phone can be effective. This not only restarts WhatsApp but also clears any temporary system-level issues that might be interfering with the app’s brightness control.
- On iPhones: Press and hold the power button and volume up (or down) button simultaneously until the power-off slider appears. Drag the slider to turn off your iPhone. Wait a few seconds, then press and hold the power button again until the Apple logo appears.
- On Android: Press and hold the power button until the power menu appears. Tap “Restart” or “Reboot.”
A phone restart is a general troubleshooting step that resolves a wide range of minor software problems, including app-specific glitches like the WhatsApp brightness issue.
Solution 4: Reinstall WhatsApp (As a Last Resort)
If none of the above solutions work, reinstalling WhatsApp should be considered as a final step. This process involves deleting the app from your phone and then downloading and installing it again from the App Store (for iPhones) or Google Play Store (for Android).
Important: Before reinstalling, ensure you have a backup of your WhatsApp chats. WhatsApp typically prompts you to back up to iCloud (for iOS) or Google Drive (for Android). Reinstalling the app will delete all app data, including chats if not backed up.
- Back up your chats: In WhatsApp, go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup and tap “Back Up Now.”
- Delete WhatsApp:
- On iPhones: Press and hold the WhatsApp app icon on your home screen until a menu appears. Tap “Remove App” and then “Delete App.”
- On Android: Go to Settings > Apps > WhatsApp > Uninstall (the exact path may vary slightly by Android version and device).
- Reinstall WhatsApp: Open the App Store or Google Play Store, search for “WhatsApp,” and install the app.
- Restore your backup: During the setup process after reinstalling, WhatsApp will prompt you to restore your chat history from your backup. Follow the on-screen instructions to restore your chats.
Reinstalling provides a fresh installation of the app, eliminating any potentially corrupted files or settings that might be causing the brightness glitch.
Conclusion
The issue of WhatsApp brightness getting stuck on high after scanning a QR code, while inconvenient, is usually easily resolved. By trying these simple solutions – manually adjusting brightness in QR mode, restarting the app, restarting your phone, or as a last resort, reinstalling WhatsApp – you should be able to quickly restore your screen brightness to normal and continue using WhatsApp comfortably. Hopefully, WhatsApp will address this minor bug in a future update to prevent it from occurring altogether.
