Adjust brightness and volume on your Mac
Mac keyboards from Apple — including the built-in keyboard on MacBook models and the Magic Keyboard — have dedicated brightness and volume keys in the top row. Press them to adjust one step at a time. Hold Option while pressing to jump straight to Display or Sound settings in System Settings.
If your keyboard doesn’t have these keys, or you want a slider for more precise control, open Control Center in the menu bar and drag the Brightness or Sound slider. This works on any Mac, regardless of which keyboard you’re using. To mute from Control Center, click Sound and drag the slider all the way down, or click the volume level to toggle mute.
Increase brightness Press the increase brightness key in the top row. Hold Option while pressing to open Display settings. | Decrease brightness Press the decrease brightness key to dim the display. Hold Option while pressing to open Display settings. |
Increase volume Press the volume up key. Hold Option while pressing to open Sound settings. | Decrease volume Press the volume down key. Hold Option while pressing to open Sound settings. |
Mute Press the mute key to silence audio instantly. Press it again to unmute. | More display and sound options Go to Apple menu > System Settings, then click Display or Sound to choose an output device, set Night Shift, or adjust other options. |
Tip: If your keyboard is set to use standard function keys, hold the Fn key while pressing a brightness or volume key to use its media function.
Want to learn more?
Control Center Quickly change settings like screen brightness, connect to Wi-Fi, and turn on Do Not Disturb. | Notification Center Get all of your notifications from apps like Messages and Mail, in one place. | Spotlight Search for anything on your Mac with Spotlight. |
Or if you’re ready for something new, check out how you can customize your wallpaper on your desktop to add a personal touch. Then, get familiar with Safari (the built-in browser on your Mac) by searching the web, take a screenshot using a keyboard shortcut, or download a new app to your Mac.