How to turn on laptop keyboard light?
A Step-by-Step Guide
Laptop manufacturers have designed many modern laptops with backlit keyboards to enhance the typing experience, especially in low-light environments. If you have a laptop with a backlit keyboard, you may find yourself wondering how to turn on the keyboard light. This blog will provide a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to activate the backlit keyboard on various laptop brands and models. Whether you’re working late at night or in a dimly lit room, knowing how to use this feature can make a significant difference in your productivity and comfort.
What is a Backlit Keyboard?
A backlit keyboard is a type of keyboard where the keys are illuminated with an integrated light source. It is especially useful in low-light conditions, making it easier to type and navigate your laptop without straining your eyes. Some backlit keyboards offer adjustable brightness levels, while others have automatic sensors that adjust the light intensity based on ambient light conditions.
How to Check if Your Laptop Has a Backlit Keyboard
Before you begin searching for ways to turn on the keyboard light, you need to ensure that your laptop is equipped with a backlit keyboard. Here are a few methods to check:
- Look for a Backlight Symbol on the Keyboard: Many laptops have a symbol that indicates the presence of a backlit keyboard. This symbol is usually a small light bulb icon on one of the function keys (F1-F12). If you see this icon, your laptop likely has a backlit keyboard.
- Check the Laptop Specifications: You can also check the specifications of your laptop on the manufacturer’s website or in the user manual. This will confirm whether your device has a backlit keyboard.
- Try Typing in a Dark Room: If you don’t see any specific symbols, you can also try typing in a dark room to see if the keyboard lights up automatically.
Now that you know whether your laptop has a backlit keyboard, let’s explore how to turn it on.
How to Turn On Laptop Keyboard Light
The method for turning on the keyboard light can vary depending on the laptop manufacturer and model. In general, there are three main ways to activate the backlit keyboard:
- Using the Keyboard Shortcut
- Adjusting Settings Through the Operating System
- Using Manufacturer-Specific Software
We’ll cover each of these methods in detail.
1. Using the Keyboard Shortcut
Most laptops with backlit keyboards have a dedicated shortcut key to toggle the keyboard backlight on and off. The shortcut generally involves pressing a combination of the Fn key and one of the F1-F12 function keys, which will have a backlight symbol (often represented by a small keyboard icon with light beams or a lightbulb).
Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how to use the keyboard shortcut on different laptop brands:
On Dell Laptops
Dell laptops often feature backlit keyboards, and the shortcut to turn the keyboard light on or adjust its brightness is quite simple.
- Turn on the backlight: Press the F10 key or the Fn + F10 key combination. This toggles the backlight on and off.
- Adjust brightness: Some Dell laptops also allow you to adjust the brightness level of the backlit keyboard. Press the Fn + Up Arrow key to increase brightness or the Fn + Down Arrow key to decrease brightness.
On HP Laptops
HP also provides backlit keyboards in many of their laptops, especially in higher-end models.
- Turn on the backlight: To turn on the backlight, press the F5 key or the Fn + F5 key combination.
- Adjust brightness: Depending on the model, you can adjust the backlight brightness by pressing the F5 key or using Fn + F5 to decrease brightness, and Fn + F12 to increase it.
On Lenovo Laptops
Lenovo laptops, including ThinkPad series and IdeaPad, come with the option to use a backlit keyboard.
- Turn on the backlight: For most Lenovo laptops, press the Fn + Spacebar to toggle the backlight on and off.
- Adjust brightness: In some models, you can adjust the brightness level by pressing the Fn key in combination with the Right Arrow (to increase brightness) or the Left Arrow (to decrease brightness).
On Apple MacBooks
Apple MacBooks are known for their high-quality backlit keyboards. The keyboard lighting can be controlled using specific shortcuts.
- Turn on the backlight: On MacBooks, press the F6 key to increase the brightness of the backlit keyboard. If your MacBook has ambient light sensors, the keyboard brightness will automatically adjust based on the surrounding light.
- Adjust brightness: You can also decrease the brightness by pressing the F5 key. On MacBooks without a dedicated F5 and F6 key, you can control the keyboard backlight through the system preferences.
On ASUS Laptops
ASUS laptops often include an adjustable backlit keyboard, especially in their gaming laptops and premium ultrabooks.
- Turn on the backlight: To turn on the backlight on ASUS laptops, press the Fn + F4 keys.
- Adjust brightness: Use the Fn + F4 (to decrease) and Fn + F3 (to increase) to adjust the brightness.
On Acer Laptops
Acer laptops with backlit keyboards typically have a quick shortcut for activating and adjusting the keyboard light.
- Turn on the backlight: Press the F9 key or Fn + F9 to turn the keyboard light on or off.
- Adjust brightness: To increase or decrease brightness, you can press Fn + Up Arrow or Fn + Down Arrow.
2. Adjusting Settings Through the Operating System
If the keyboard shortcut doesn’t work, you can also try adjusting the settings through your operating system (OS). Here’s how to enable or adjust keyboard backlighting in Windows 10, Windows 11, and macOS.
On Windows 10 and Windows 11
In some cases, the keyboard backlight can be controlled through the system settings in Windows. However, this depends on your laptop model and whether the manufacturer has integrated this functionality into the system.
- Open the Start menu: Click the Windows icon on your taskbar.
- Go to Settings: Select the Settings (gear icon) option.
- Navigate to Devices: Under Settings, click on Devices and then Typing.
- Adjust Keyboard Settings: If your laptop supports this feature, you should see an option like “Turn on backlight.” If it’s available, toggle it to “On.”
For certain models, you may also find additional software, such as Lenovo Vantage or Dell QuickSet, that allows more control over keyboard backlighting and other system settings.
On macOS
On a MacBook, the keyboard backlighting is usually automatically controlled by ambient light sensors, but you can manually adjust the brightness as well.
- Control keyboard brightness: Go to System Preferences > Keyboard, and check the box that says “Adjust keyboard brightness in low light.”
- Manual adjustment: You can also use the F5 and F6 keys to manually adjust the brightness of your MacBook’s keyboard backlight.
3. Using Manufacturer-Specific Software
Some laptop manufacturers provide proprietary software that allows you to customize various hardware settings, including keyboard backlighting. These programs may offer more control over the lighting behavior, such as adjusting brightness, setting lighting patterns, or even customizing lighting colors.
Here are some examples:
- Dell QuickSet (Dell laptops): This software suite includes an option to adjust backlit keyboard settings, allowing you to turn the light on, off, or change the brightness levels.
- HP OMEN Command Center (HP Omen gaming laptops): Provides the ability to control backlit keyboard settings, including color and brightness.
- ASUS Aura Sync (ASUS ROG and TUF series): For gaming laptops, Aura Sync lets you customize the keyboard’s RGB backlighting, if supported.
- Corsair iCUE (Corsair and some other brands): If your laptop uses Corsair components for its keyboard lighting, the iCUE software allows you to control various aspects of the lighting, including its color and brightness.
Additional Tips for Using a Backlit Keyboard
- Power Consumption: Keep in mind that backlit keyboards may consume more battery, especially when the brightness is set to its maximum. Adjust the brightness to save battery life if you’re working on the go.
- Automatic Adjustment: Some laptops automatically adjust the keyboard backlighting based on the surrounding light. If your laptop has this feature, you can disable or adjust it in the system settings if you prefer manual control.
- Keyboard Backlight Does Not Turn On: If you’re unable to turn on the backlight, make sure that the drivers for your keyboard are up to date. Visit your manufacturer’s support page to download the latest drivers.
- Different Keyboard Layouts: Some laptops may have a different key layout, so the backlight shortcut might vary. Always refer to the manual or the manufacturer’s website for specific details.
Conclusion
Turning on and adjusting the backlit keyboard on your laptop can make a significant difference in your typing experience, especially when you’re working in low-light conditions. Whether you’re using a Dell, HP, Lenovo, Apple, or any other brand, the process for enabling the keyboard light is typically straightforward. By following the steps mentioned above, you can easily turn on the keyboard back
