What does Nit Mean?

A nit is a unit of measurement for the maximum brightness a monitor is capable of. One nit is equivalent to one candela per square meter (Light emitted from one candle per square meter). We use the nit to measure the light that's emitted from a particular surface, most commonly from screens like monitors and televisions.

What does Nit Stand For?

The measurement nit comes from the word “nitere” in Latin, which means "to shine."

How to Check Screen Brightness in Nits

Since the nit is a measurement of brightness, this value can be changed in your system's Display Settings. The value will be labeled as Brightness. In order to calculate your screen's current brightness in nits, you'll need to multiply the maximum brightness your monitor is capable of in nits by the current brightness setting percentage. For example, a 400 nit monitor set to 50% brightness will only emit 200 nits of light.