Method and apparatus for reducing driver energy consumption of drivers of a display device each supplied by an input codeword as e.g. for data drivers of a plasma display panel supplied by sequences of subfield data bits in form of a codeword comprising a predetermined number of bits are recommended, wherein the apparatus comprises a driver transition energy limitation circuit for toggling bits of the input codeword applied to the driver transition energy limitation circuit and providing a codeword reducing the driver energy consumption. A toggle map, which is generated from a combination of a transition map determining a bit in the input codeword if toggled reduces energy consumption and a flag map determining a number of least significant bits exceeding a cell energy limit value, is applied to an input codeword for the driver to toggle bits of said input codeword for reducing driver energy consumption without a perceivable image quality degradation. Method and apparatus are advantageously applicable for driver overheat protection and eco mode to reduce driver energy consumption without a perceivable image quality degradation.