The best ways to make laptop screens and iPads readable in sunlight
Sitting outdoors certainly has its benefits (vitamin D and smiley faces!) but unfortunately comes with the frustrating problem of screen glare. We’ve listed below some advice and tips on how to tackle screen glare, we hope you find the information helpful.
10 tips for using your laptop in the sun:
1. Buy a screen protector
You can try anti-glare screen protectors which make seeing the screen a lot easier.
The screen protectors below are available in a wide range of sizes so whether you have a 15.6” sized screen or a 10.1” there’s one right for you!
Here are the core features:
• It has a matte, anti-reflective surface
• The surface is scratch-resistant
• Colour and image quality are not drastically affected
• Doesn’t leave any residues when removed
• Filters UV rays which helps protect your eyes
Anti-glare screen protector for laptops:
Anti-glare screen protector for iPad:
If you have an iPad try these screen protectors designed specifically for tablets. The matte finish on these screen protectors helps relieve glare.
2. Style it out
If you don’t already own a pair invest in some polarised sunglasses. Wearing polarised sunglasses can help – some have an anti-reflective coating on the lens to help reduce sun glare. These Ray-Ban polarised sunglasses are a great choice!
3. Keep cool
If you’re not a fan of sitting in the shade you may not be in favour of this idea, however sitting under a parasol will allow you to see your screen without having squinty eyes!
4. Kindle Paperwhite
If you mainly use your device for reading then you may want to ditch your tablet and go down the route of purchasing a Kindle. There are several variations of Kindle (some are tablets) so ensure you get the right one for you.
The Kindle Paperwhite is perfect for outdoor as well as indoor reading. It has a touchscreen display that reads like printed paper. Audible gives you access to audiobooks so you can take advantage of being read to if you want to give your eyes a rest.
The Kindle’s portability and long battery life are appealing. No screen glare, even when used in bright sunlight! A Kindle Paperwhite certainly ticks the box for outdoor reading.
5. Smart Writing Set
This Moleskine smart writing system allows you to digitise your handwritten notes.
6. Pen and paper
If your budget doesn’t stretch to a smart writing notebook, you could just use a pen and paper and type up your work digitally afterwards.
7. Laptop sock
The laptop sock is certainly not for fashionistas! However if you’re willing to sacrifice your fashion for sitting in the sun you may want to consider a laptop sock. Warning: you’ll also need to hide from the fashion police!
8. Pub Garden
Pub gardens can be a great way to enjoy sitting outside in the summer months. You may have so much fun that you’ll forget you’re working! Most pubs have parasols and WiFi, so you can simply take your laptop or iPad to your local pub, connect up to the WiFi and order a cold drink whilst you’re typing away outdoors.
9. Have the day off!
You could always just book the day off work and enjoy the sunshine.
10. Change your colour filter
Most users have a standard black on white set up but you can easily change this to white on black. You should drastically notice the ease of viewing on a dark background especially if you are working in bright light conditions or outdoors where there is plenty of sunlight. You can easily apply these settings on both Apple Mac and Windows based machines.
Windows users can follow these steps:
- Go into Settings
- Click on ‘Ease of Access’ then select ‘High Contrast’
- Press the toggle which says ‘Turn on high contrast’
- Choose a theme, once chosen click on ‘Apply’
Privacy screen protector
Whilst on the subject of screen covers you may be interested in having a privacy screen protector for your laptop, especially if you use your device in public areas or simply want peace of mind knowing that nobody is snooping over your shoulder!
Summary
All in all there are various things you can try out to enable you to better see your screen without the frustration of screen glare! Also, it’s important not to expose your electronic device to direct heat for long periods as this can result in overheating.
Let us know if you have any other tips you can recommend. Comment below 🙂
FAQs
How can I see my laptop screen in bright sunlight? ›
Adjust and Increase Brightness Settings
By increasing the monitor's brightness, you'll be able to see the screen more clearly, especially when working under direct sunlight. There is one catch, though! Make sure to check the computer battery often, as increased brightness uses more power and rapidly drains the battery.
There are many ways to improve your laptop screen's readability in the sun, such as adjusting screen brightness, using a laptop hood, and sitting under an umbrella. Even wearing polarized sunglasses and a darker shirt can reduce sun glare.
How can I see my computer screen outside? ›Even if it's sunny out, shade immediately increases the visibility of your laptop's monitor. If you're unable to find a shady nook such as a porch, awning, umbrella, tree or building, position your body so that your back is to the sun, casting your shadow over your laptop's screen.
How do I stop sun glare on my computer screen? ›Other Glare Solutions
Adjust your monitor's brightness. Monitor brightness should be equal to the area directly behind it. Try using supplemental task/desk lighting to directly illuminate writing and reading tasks. Do not shine the task light directly onto the monitor.
- Buy a screen protector. You can try anti-glare screen protectors which make seeing the screen a lot easier. ...
- Style it out. If you don't already own a pair invest in some polarised sunglasses. ...
- Keep cool. ...
- Kindle Paperwhite. ...
- Smart Writing Set. ...
- Privacy screen protector.
Adjust the screen brightness manually
To make your iPad screen dimmer or brighter, do one of the following: Open Control Center, then drag. . Go to Settings > Display & Brightness, then drag the slider.
Not really. Most digital tablets or computers screens are NOT designed to use in direct sunlight. If you attempt to use any tablet in direct sunlight, the glass tablet screen will absorb the heat from the sun, overheating the iPad and automatically shutting the iPad down to prevent thermal overheating damage.
How do I make my screen brighter in the sun? ›📲 On Android: Settings > Display > Tap the slider next to Adaptive brightness and switch it to the off position. Then, adjust the brightness bar until you've reached your desired level of brightness. Assuming your display isn't damaged, the most common culprit for a consistently darkened screen is power-saving mode.
Can I expose my screen in the sun? ›The best time to expose a screen using the sun is at noon on a sunny day. You'll get the most concentrated sunlight at that time. Make sure that you choose a sunny day to expose your screens, or you'll get disappointing results. Check the UV index on your weather app to coordinate the best days to expose your screens.
Can I sit in the sun with my laptop? ›Short periods of exposure are fine, but long exposure should be avoided. Plus, sunlight causes glare on screens, which can be more straining on your eyes. If you plan to work out in the fresh air, sit down in the shade. There is even water damage to consider.
Why are screens hard to see in sunlight? ›
Reflection is the major reason it is difficult to read a phone screen in bright sunlight, as the strong light reflecting off the screen's surface washes out the display.
Do anti glare screen protectors work in sunlight? ›A: Absolutely! They protect your screen from scratches while reducing glare, allowing you to read or work under direct sunlight.
How do you turn off sun glare? ›- Install Window Films® The most effective way to reduce sun glare, while still allowing natural light to enter your business or commercial space is by covering your windows in anti glare Window Films®. ...
- Consider Shutters. ...
- Redecorate your office space. ...
- Use Outdoor Plants and Trees.
Fortunately, an anti-glare screen reduces the amount of both direct and ambient light that hits your screen. Plus, it reduces the amount of visible dust, grease, and dirt on your display, so you enjoy your media without dealing with light or grime.
How do I make my iPhone screen more visible in the sun? ›Go to Settings > Display & Brightness. Turn on Automatic, then tap Options. Select either Sunset to Sunrise or Custom Schedule.
Why can't you see your phone screen in the sun? ›However, mobile device displays also contain polarising filters and it's the alignment of display and glasses that causes the problem. At a particular orientation, the visual part of the display can be extinguished, leaving you looking at a black surface, as all the light is filtered out.
How can I see my Macbook screen in the sun? ›Once you're looking at your accessibility options check your “invert colors” box. Then, when you want to invert the colors, use the shortcut command, option, control, 8. You can use this shortcut to invert the colors in strong sunlight and then use it again to switch back to a standard display when you go back indoors.
How can I use my iPad outside without glare? ›- Open the iPad's SETTINGS APP.
- Go to DISPLAY & BRIGHTNESS.
- Adjust the brightness slider to FULL BRIGHT (Right Side).
- Adjust the brightness slider to FULL BRIGHT.
- Open ForeFlight and go to MORE > SETTINGS.
- Ensure the brightness slider at the top is set to FULL BRIGHT (to the right).
If your iPad or iPhone screen is too dark even though you have set the brightness to 100 percent, do this: Go to Settings > Accessibility > Zoom. Check that zoom isn't activated if you don't need it, or… If you need zoom, check that Zoom Filter is set to None.
Can I read an iPad on the beach? ›You can also read in bright sunlight without any issues. An iPad is backlit, which means it's subject to glare. It also makes it very difficult to read outside in bright sunlight. If you try to read at the beach with an iPad, you may find yourself having to seek out shade just so you can see the screen.
Can you read a tablet in the sun? ›
LCD screens and sunlight don't mix
The backlit images on the LCD screen cannot compete with the brightness of even indirect sunlight, causing washed out images that are difficult to see. Trying to read under these conditions puts a lot of strain on your eyes, and may cause headaches.
A good sunlight readable display is typically considered to be an LCD with 1000 nits or greater screen brightness with a contrast ratio greater than 5 to 1. In outdoor environments under the shade, such a display can provide an excellent image quality.
How long does it take to expose a screen in the sun? ›Once you see it darken considerably it has been exposed....it should only take 2-3 minutes depending on how strong the sun it. If it is overcast it may take a few more minutes.
How much sun is blocked by a window screen? ›While screens do not block 100% of the sun's rays, they offer considerable protection by blocking out 30-80% of UV rays.
How do I expose my screen? ›Expose Your Screens
By placing your artwork positive between the light source and the screen, the art should block the light from hardening the emulsion, allowing you to wash it out and press ink through the image area.
While there's no escape from blue light – whether you're indoors or outdoors, the great news is that you can stay protected even while you're within the confines of your home. Apply sunscreen every two to three hours when you're having some screen time – TV, smartphone, laptop, or tablets.
How hot is too for a laptop? ›Laptops have been designed to work within a safe temperature range, typically between 50 to 95 degrees F (10 - 35 degrees C). This range refers to the optimal usage temperature of the outside environment and the temperature the laptop should be warmed to before using.
How hot can laptops get without damage? ›Above 81 degrees C (178 degrees F) is too hot and could cause damage to your computer if you run it for a sustained period. Beyond this, you should shut down your PC and let it completely cool down.
How can I see my LCD screen in sunlight? ›LCD brightness of 800 Nits or higher is generally considered sunlight readable, but most sunlight readable displays are 1000 nits. Increasing the brightness of the LCD panel backlight is the most common method of making an LCD panel sunlight readable.
Is anti-glare worth it? ›Benefits of Anti-Glare & Anti-Reflective Coatings
AG and AR coatings offer many benefits and are definitely worth the extra cost, especially if you find yourself bothered by glare. They can help you see better, look better, and feel better compared to wearing glasses with uncoated lenses.
Why can't I see my screen when its sunny? ›
Go to settings , then brightness, then enable auto brightness and it will adjust according to the environment. Invert the display colours and it will do the job. Unfortunately it is a multi tap function.
What makes a display sunlight readable? ›LCD brightness of 800 Nits or higher is generally considered sunlight readable, but most sunlight readable displays are 1000 nits. Increasing the brightness of the LCD panel backlight is the most common method of making an LCD panel sunlight readable.
Can barely see iPhone screen in sun? ›Adjust the screen brightness automatically
iPhone adjusts the screen brightness for current light conditions using the built-in ambient light sensor. Go to Settings > Accessibility. Tap Display & Text Size, then turn on Auto-Brightness.
- Open settings.
- Click on general.
- Accessibility.
- Turn on "White on Black"
- Now it's on. Give it a second......
- You see the change.
- Also works for iPad 1 & iPad 2 & iPod touch.
- An iPhone with white on black turned in.
However, mobile device displays also contain polarising filters and it's the alignment of display and glasses that causes the problem. At a particular orientation, the visual part of the display can be extinguished, leaving you looking at a black surface, as all the light is filtered out.
What screen protector allows you to see in the sun? ›The GreatShield Anti-Glare Screen Protector works by canceling out glare and blocking the reflection of UV rays. This allows users to see the display clearer in and outdoors, even while wearing polarized sunglasses.
How do I make my iPad anti-glare? ›- Open the iPad's SETTINGS APP.
- Go to DISPLAY & BRIGHTNESS.
- Adjust the brightness slider to FULL BRIGHT (Right Side).
- Adjust the brightness slider to FULL BRIGHT.
- Open ForeFlight and go to MORE > SETTINGS.
- Ensure the brightness slider at the top is set to FULL BRIGHT (to the right).
Sunlight readable LCDs perform optimally when viewed and used in direct sunlight, ideal for outdoor use whereas non-sunlight readable displays completely wash out in direct sun light.
Which display is best for outdoor? ›Outdoor Brightness
You may be surprised to learn that LED screens produce more brightness than their counterparts, even spending less electricity. This is why LED screens are preferred for outdoor displays because they are brighter and are more visible even at peak daylight.
You could rent an LED display with 4.1 millimeters pixel pitch, suitable for watching visual content nearby or 10 feet away. Weatherproof: LED screens are also weatherproof, making them ideal for outdoor use.