Windows 11’s build 23466 includes an updated Dynamic Lighting setting. Earlier, Microsoft was testing an RGB lighting management section inside the settings app. It was a great move to eliminate the need of using third-party apps to individually control the lighting scheme of each device.

But what are the new Dynamic Light settings, and how do they work? We will discuss all the points in this post and share how to enable the feature on your Windows 11 PC.

What Is Dynamic Lighting on Windows 11?

Microsoft was testing a new lighting section that offered the option to enable ambient lighting for all the connected devices with RGB lighting. But in build 23466 and above, a new experimental feature replaced the old lighting section. Microsoft rebranded it to “Dynamic Lighting” which offers granular settings to tweak the lighting of connected devices.

Earlier, there was only a single option to enable the ambient lighting mode. You could tweak the effects and brightness of each connected device to some extent. Now, you get a homogenized way to tweak lighting according to apps in the Dynamic Lighting section. It will also permit apps to control the lighting when another app or game isn’t in use.

Not all devices will support Dynamic Lighting, but the support for that is arriving soon. Currently, a handful of Razer keyboards and mice are supported. Acer, ASUS, Logitech, HP, and more brands will soon join the bandwagon and build and release support for their devices.

How to Enable New Dynamic Lighting in Windows 11

At the time of writing, Dynamic Lighting is only part of the Windows Dev Insider channel. If you aren’t an Insider participant, you can use UUP Dump to download an Insider build and then install it on your PC.

You will need the help of ViveTool to enable Dynamic Lighting on your PC. Firstly, update your PC to the Dev Insider build 23466 or above. After that, download ViveTool from GitHub and extract it to a folder named “Vive” in the C: drive.

Repeat the following steps to enable Dynamic Lighting:

1. Press Win + R to launch the Run dialog box. Type cmd in the text box and press the Ctrl + Shift + Enter keys simultaneously.
2. UAC will launch. Click on the Yes button to open Command Prompt with administrator privileges.
3. Now, you must navigate to the folder in the C drive where ViveTool is present. If you followed our advice and extracted the tool to a folder, it will be very easy to access it. Type cd c:\ in the Command Prompt and press the Enter key:
4. After that, type cd [folder name]. In our case, the command is cd vive.
5. Now, you are in the ViveTool directory. Type the following command and press the Enter key: vivetool /enable /id:35262205

6. After successful execution of the command, close the Command Prompt window.
7. Restart your PC to apply the changes.

After your PC boots to the desktop, repeat the following steps to configure the feature:

1. Press Win + I to open the Settings app. Click on the Personalization option in the left-hand side menu.
2. Scroll down and click on the Dynamic Lighting option.

3. Click on the toggle next to the Use Dynamic Lighting on my devices option to activate the feature.

4. Move to the Compatible apps in the foreground always control lighting option and click on the toggle to enable it.
5. Use the Brightness option to adjust the color brightness of the lighting on connected devices.
6. Lastly, scroll down to the Effect option to apply an effect and change its speed and color.

Unlock Better Lighting Controls on Windows

The revamped Dynamic Lighting section showcases that Microsoft is serious about ending the dependence on the brand’s proprietary and third-party apps for menial tasks like lighting controls. However, the list of supported devices is very short and includes premium brands only. There is no mention of support for other smaller peripheral brands which mostly have budget options.