diff --git a/feature/mobile/player/src/main/java/com/flixclusive/feature/mobile/player/PlayerScreen.kt b/feature/mobile/player/src/main/java/com/flixclusive/feature/mobile/player/PlayerScreen.kt
index 4bba72eb8..50b8e62cc 100644
--- a/feature/mobile/player/src/main/java/com/flixclusive/feature/mobile/player/PlayerScreen.kt
+++ b/feature/mobile/player/src/main/java/com/flixclusive/feature/mobile/player/PlayerScreen.kt
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import android.content.pm.ActivityInfo
 import android.media.AudioManager
 import android.os.Build
 import android.os.Build.VERSION.SDK_INT
-import android.provider.Settings
 import android.view.KeyEvent
 import androidx.activity.ComponentActivity
 import androidx.annotation.OptIn
@@ -65,6 +64,7 @@ import com.flixclusive.core.util.android.getActivity
 import com.flixclusive.core.util.film.FilmType
 import com.flixclusive.feature.mobile.player.controls.PlayerControls
 import com.flixclusive.feature.mobile.player.util.PlayerPipReceiver
+import com.flixclusive.feature.mobile.player.util.getBrightness
 import com.flixclusive.feature.mobile.player.util.percentOfVolume
 import com.flixclusive.feature.mobile.player.util.setBrightness
 import com.flixclusive.model.provider.SourceData
@@ -277,12 +277,7 @@ fun PlayerScreen(
             context.toggleSystemBars(isVisible = false)
 
             // Initialize brightness
-            val userDefaultBrightnessLevel = Settings.System.getInt(
-                context.contentResolver,
-                Settings.System.SCREEN_BRIGHTNESS,
-                -1
-            ) / 255F
-
+            val userDefaultBrightnessLevel = context.getBrightness()
             viewModel.updateScreenBrightness(userDefaultBrightnessLevel)
 
             // Initialize volume level
diff --git a/feature/mobile/player/src/main/java/com/flixclusive/feature/mobile/player/util/PlayerUiHelper.kt b/feature/mobile/player/src/main/java/com/flixclusive/feature/mobile/player/util/PlayerUiHelper.kt
index 9856a6a49..59c58acd4 100644
--- a/feature/mobile/player/src/main/java/com/flixclusive/feature/mobile/player/util/PlayerUiHelper.kt
+++ b/feature/mobile/player/src/main/java/com/flixclusive/feature/mobile/player/util/PlayerUiHelper.kt
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package com.flixclusive.feature.mobile.player.util
 import android.app.Activity
 import android.content.Context
 import android.media.AudioManager
+import android.provider.Settings
 
 internal fun Context.percentOfVolume(
     volume: Int? = null
@@ -15,10 +16,56 @@ internal fun Context.percentOfVolume(
     return ((volume ?: currentVolume) / maxVolume.toFloat()).coerceIn(0F, 1F)
 }
 
-internal fun Activity.setBrightness(strength: Float) {
-    window?.apply {
-        attributes = attributes?.apply {
-            screenBrightness = strength
+internal fun Activity.setBrightness(
+    strength: Float,
+    useTrueSystemBrightness: Boolean = false
+) {
+    if (useTrueSystemBrightness) {
+        try {
+            Settings.System.putInt(
+                contentResolver,
+                Settings.System.SCREEN_BRIGHTNESS_MODE,
+                Settings.System.SCREEN_BRIGHTNESS_MODE_MANUAL
+            )
+
+            Settings.System.putInt(
+                contentResolver,
+                Settings.System.SCREEN_BRIGHTNESS, (strength * 255).toInt()
+            )
+        } catch (e: Exception) {
+            setBrightness(
+                strength = strength,
+                useTrueSystemBrightness = false
+            )
+        }
+    } else {
+        window?.apply {
+            attributes = attributes?.apply {
+                screenBrightness = strength
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+}
+
+internal fun Activity.getBrightness(useTrueSystemBrightness: Boolean = true): Float {
+    return if (useTrueSystemBrightness) {
+        try {
+            Settings.System.getInt(
+                contentResolver,
+                Settings.System.SCREEN_BRIGHTNESS
+            ) / 255F
+        } catch (e: Exception) {
+            // because true system brightness requires
+            // permission, this is a lazy way to check
+            // as it will throw an error if we do not have it
+            return getBrightness(false)
+        }
+    } else {
+        try {
+            window?.attributes?.screenBrightness ?: 0F
+        } catch (e: Exception) {
+            0F
         }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file