A disk drive is disclosed for optimizing write current settings relative to drive operating characteristics and an ambient temperature reading. Test data is written to and read from the disk using different write current settings to generate a plurality of corresponding quality metrics. The quality metrics are evaluated to generate an optimized write current setting for the ambient temperature reading. In one embodiment, the first write current setting is selected relative to a previously optimized write current setting that corresponds to the ambient temperature reading. This embodiment expedites the optimization process by testing write current settings surrounding a previous write current setting rather than testing the entire range of write current settings.