How to Turn on Keyboard Lights on Windows and Mac

If you’re wondering how to turn on keyboard light abilities, we’ve got you. The methods might differ depending on what kind of system you have, so we’ll cover Windows, Mac, and Lenovo products. The complexity or simplicity will differ based on your system, so we’ll be sure to include lots of steps to make it easy for you. Lastly, keep in mind that not all laptops and keyboards have backlighting. We’ll also cover ways to tell if yours does or not. If backlit keyboards aren’t your only woes, here’s how to fix a laggy mouse on your MacBook.

Quick Summary:

If you don’t want to be inundated with all things on keyboard lighting, here’s a real quick rundown of what to try. We’ll get more into specific steps further down, including what to do to access keyboard functions through your computer itself, which will be helpful if the keyboard shortcuts don’t work.

How to turn on keyboard lights on Windows:

Many Windows systems have a backlit keyboard or other such lighted feature, but it can be different depending on which Windows product you have. Usually, this ability will be in the form of a function light key. Some keys will simply be to turn the keyboard light on or off, whereas others have more nuanced options, such as brightness levels.

The most commonly used keyboard shortcut buttons for activating a Windows keyboard light are:

• F5
• F9
• F11

You may also have to troubleshoot through the Control Center, which we’ll get into with more specifics soon.

How to turn on keyboard lights on Mac:

For MacBooks and Macs, usually the keyboard light is controlled by keys as well. There’s generally good customization too, such as increasing and decreasing the brightness through button controls. The most common lighting keys on Macs are:

• F5 to decrease the brightness
• F6 to increase the brightness
• Note: For some models, these are actually F1 and F2 instead
• For other models, there might actually be keyboard brightness keys, such as shown here:

Besides these actual keys, some Macs have a Touch Bar, in which case you will expand the Control Strip to access the correct buttons. There are, of course, other methods to access keyboard light capabilities, which will be covered in more detail.

How to turn on keyboard lights on Lenovo:

Lenovo has several different products, so it’s no surprise that the methods to activate and adjust keyboard brightness are equally diverse. If you want to know how to turn on Lenovo keyboard lights, laptops will likely have a function key that is frequently some form of illumination symbol, such as a sun, and located near the top row of the keyboard itself. If this isn’t shown, try this to turn keyboard lighting on:

• Press “Fn” and the spacebar key simultaneously. You might be able to use the arrow keys to adjust the brightness too
• If you have a Lenovo ThinkPad, you’ll activate the ThinkLight by pressing “Fn” with the “PageUp” key. You may even see a light symbol on the “PageUp” button for reference. To turn it off, just press that same combination again. Here’s an example of what the ThinkPad keyboard looks like for reference:

Steps to Turn on Keyboard Lights on Windows

Being able to see your keyboard properly in low-light conditions is handy for a number of reasons. That said, not every keyboard has this function, even for newer systems. Ironically, as I sit and type this, it is on a keyboard that is tragically un-lightable. My point? If you happen to know the model of your keyboard, you should be able to look it up and see if it even has backlighting before you start. Many modern keyboards do, especially if you’re using a laptop or tablet. Thankfully, my laptop does have keyboard backlighting, huzzah!

Alright, let’s get to it. Here are some troubleshooting steps on how to make your keyboard light up.

Try different keyboard combinations

Depending on if you’re using PC or a laptop, different function keys may do the trick. We already covered some of this earlier in the article, but here’s a more detailed breakdown:

• Try a combination of pressing Fn + F4, or Fn +F5, Fn +F9, or Fn + F11, if that doesn’t work
• You can also try Fn + the Spacebar if the above step isn’t working. Your system manufacturer will be able to provide you with the exact combination. You can look for this info on the bottom of your keyboard where it should have a sticker
• Look to see if there is an actual key dedicated to your keyboard light, usually with a sun icon of some kind
• If you’re using a Dell, try pressing F10 or Fn + F10 to turn on keyboard backlighting. You can also try pushing Esc + Fn + F10
• To increase brightness, try pushing the key with the backlight symbol (assuming you have one) multiple times to adjust the intensity of the light. You may even have a decrease brightness button to work with, though some will make you cycle through different brightness levels through just one key

Go through the Windows Mobility Center

This is only available on laptops, so keep that in mind:

1. Type in Windows Mobility Center in your Windows search bar, this will be on the bottom left of your taskbar
   
2. Look for the area in the Mobility Center for your Keyboard. There will be different boxes with things like display brightness, etc. Find the one for your keyboard.
3. From there, you can control if your keyboard brightness is on as well as the strength of your keyboard backlighting

Some things to note! There are plenty of laptops that don’t have this keyboard section in the mobility center, so that’s not abnormal if you don’t have it. Also, if you have a gaming laptop, you may not be able to disable your keyboard lights if you’re actually trying to find a way to turn them off instead of on.

Steps to Turn on Keyboard Lights on Mac

Mac is fairly straightforward in terms of activating a backlit keyboard, thankfully! Most Mac computers are similar as far as instructions so you should have consistent success across different Apple systems. We’ve already covered the increase brightness key and the function keys earlier in the article. Now we’ll get into more detailed instructions on adjusting your keyboard light.

Manually Adjust Keyboard Backlight

1. Click on the Apple icon to open the Apple menu
2. Go to System Settings (or System Preferences depending on how old your model is)
3. Find and click the keyboard in the sidebar
4. You’ll see a Keyboard brightness slider which you can adjust to your preference. Sliding it all the way to the left will turn backlighting off

Make backlight adjustments automatic

If you decide you want to make your keyboard light utilize automatic features, you’ll want to follow steps 1-3 in the previous section. Then, continue on as laid out below:

1. You should also see the option to “Adjust keyboard brightness in low light,” if you choose to have it automatically make such adjustments as the room gets darker
2. There are options on the keyboard section to “Turn keyboard backlight off after inactivity.” A pop up menu will allow you to select a time so you can decide how long this “inactivity” lasts for

Steps to Turn on Keyboard Lights on Lenovo

Lenovo encompasses various PCs and laptops, so activating your keyboard’s backlight will vary depending on which model you’re using. Some may not even have that feature available, you’ll need to do some hunting to determine if it’s possible for you. In the meantime, we’ve already covered some possibilities to try earlier in our article, but here is some more in-depth information that might be applicable.

Lenovo Chromebook keyboard lights

Most Lenovo Chromebooks already have a preinstalled backlit keyboard. Some models illuminate each key individually while others have the entire keyboard lit up.

For a Chromebook specifically:

• Press Alt + Brightness Up key at the same time to quickly turn it on via shortcut

If you want to turn on the keyboard light through the Chromebook system itself:

1. Go to Settings
2. Click Device
3. Find and click Keyboard
4. From here you can toggle the Keyboard backlight via the “on” option

Lenovo laptops

Like Chromebooks, most Lenovo laptops have a built-in backlit keyboard already. To turn it on:

• Press “Fn” + “Spacebar” at the same time. You may even be able to cycle through the brightness settings by pushing the spacebar multiple times
• You can also try holding the “Fn” key and one of the brightness keys at the same time to turn the keyboard light on or off
• Also, remember from earlier, if you have a Lenovo ThinkPad, you simply press “Fn” and “PgUp” at the same time, repeating the action to turn it off again

Why won’t my keyboard backlight turn on?

There are several possibilities for why your keyboard light won’t turn on, assuming you even have a backlit keyboard feature. Here are some common reasons as well as some solutions.

Your USB ports are malfunctioning

This is more for those with desktop PCs or who are using external keyboards. Try unplugging your keyboard and putting it in a different port, or even a different computer USB port altogether. If it works under those circumstances, you know it’s not the actual keyboard causing the problem and it can help you narrow down what needs to be addressed. Same thing with the cable itself. It could be the actual USB cable, not the port, so be sure to try switching that out too. This should be one of the first fixes you try, by the way. You don’t want to get in the weeds needlessly with the more complex solutions on this list.

Your Keyboard brightness is set too low

If your backlight is already on but it’s too dim to tell, you can fiddle with the brightness level keys or even go into your settings and see if your brightness level slider is set too dim, or turned off completely. This is handy if you’re worried keyboard backlighting drain to the battery will be too great. That said, many models don’t experience this too much.

Light sensor issues

If you’re wondering, “Why does my keyboard light keep turning off,” it could be your actual light sensor. Is it blocked by something? Do you have a bright light that shines right on it, fooling it into thinking it’s daylight? If your keyboard light is set to turn on according to the brightness and darkness of the room, be sure that your actual surroundings aren’t throwing off the sensor.

Troubleshoot via your keyboard app

Depending on the keyboard, you may be using particular software to enable keyboard backlighting. This will be more common if you’re using an external keyboard of some kind, as most laptops come with lighting features already. Besides actual apps that are specifically for your keyboard, there are broader use apps that can affect your hardware that you may want to look into. An example would be Lenovo’s Vantage app, which helps optimize your computer performance, give you greater security, and even customize your hardware settings. Hardware like…keyboards? See where I’m going with this? Time to put on your detective fedora and start snooping around.

Glitches, bugs, and other problems that can be fixed with a Keyboard Troubleshooter

If you’re using a Windows device, the Keyboard Troubleshooter is a handy tool to nudge things back to working again. Sometimes updates can actually cause problems if they’re buggy, or other times there are weaknesses or propensities for failure already within the system. The Troubleshooter can often address these. Here’s how:

Windows 10:

1. Access your settings
2. Choose Update and Security
3. Choose Troubleshoot, it’s on the left side
   
4. Choose Additional Troubleshooters
5. Run Keyboard Troubleshooter

At this point, the Troubleshooter will scan your system and often fix problems for you automatically when possible. You’ll be given a list of findings and you can select “View Detailed Information,” to learn more.

6. If problems have been fixed, you will be notified
7. Select Next/Close
8. You may be asked to restart your computer

For Windows 11:

1. Open Settings, you can right click on the start menu if need be for this
2. Scroll until you see the Troubleshoot tab then select it
3. Select Additional troubleshooters
4. Find the Keyboard troubleshooter from the list
5. Select Run, next to the keyboard
6. Cross your fingers and hope it works!

Your drivers need updating

If your keyboard drivers need updating it could cause your backlight to not turn on. Drivers are all about communication between hardware and the operating system. Here’s how:

Type in the Windows Search Bar at the bottom left of your screen, “Device Manager”

Choose Keyboards

Right click on your Keyboard

Click Scan for Hardware Changes or Update Driver, depending on your option

Here’s a link to Microsoft’s support page for keyboard problems that can help walk you through it

Your BIOS needs updating

BIOS stands for basic input/output system. The computer’s microprocessor starts the system through this program, but it also manages the flow of data between several attached devices (like the keyboard!) and the OS. Updating your BIOS might help improve your computer’s communication with your keyboard, if there is something wonky going on. That said, newer computers don’t use BIOS as much anymore, so this may or may not be helpful depending on the age of your system. Instead, many newer options use UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface). Here’s a Microsoft resource about UEFI for those who want to learn more.

If your computer does still use it, updating BIOS can be complex. The most important thing is that every system is different so you will want to access your specific manufacturer’s instructions when making this update. Also, you’ll want to backup any critical systems, data, etc., beforehand. Lastly, only update BIOS if it’s necessary. An example would be that your keyboard backlight used to work and stopped and all your sleuthing leads to a needed BIOS update. Don’t just jump right into this method without being sure you really need it. If you want some helpful tips, here’s how to open BIOS on Windows 11.

Issues with your motherboard

If your motherboard is buggy or malfunctioning, it can affect your keyboard as well. Obviously this is where things get into more complex territory and it can require opening up your computer if there is physical damage or malfunction to it. Depending on what system you use, such as Mac, this might void your warranty, so be careful if you decide to go that route. Before you do something that drastic, though, you can try updating your motherboard’s drivers or BIOS (if that’s applicable).

How do I know if my laptop keyboard has light?

It’s not uncommon for desktop and USB based keyboards not to have a light, but most modern laptops do come equipped with this feature, especially gaming laptops. First thing to look for is the backlight icon, also known as the illumination icon, which would indicate a brightness and/or decrease brightness key. It generally looks like a sun of some kind (or even a lightbulb) and it’s often located near the top of the keyboard where the function keys are. That said, there are plenty of exceptions.

If you don’t see any of these icons, it might not have backlighting. That said, you can make sure by finding the model number and looking up the information on the manufacturer’s website. Usually there is a sticker at the bottom of the laptop with the manufacturer and model info on it. While you’re on the site, you can also see if they have any listed key combinations that would activate your keyboard’s backlight. This might be on the specifications page or even in the manual, which is usually available online.

What if you don’t have a backlighting keyboard?

Good news! You can simply buy one! Thanks to USB ports, it’s easy to buy an external keyboard with all the bells and whistles you could want. If you do decide to go external, here’s how to disable your laptop keyboard. Regardless, there are lots of great products to provide you with keyboard illumination:

• Luminescent inlay keyboard stickers
• Monitor light bar that shines on the keyboard
• USB reading lamp that shines on keyboard
• Light up gaming keyboards

They even have keyboards with waterproof covers, so you don’t have to worry about spills. Honestly, some of them are gorgeous. Of course, if you really want to see your keyboard in the dark but you want to save some dough? You could always…turn a light on. Sometimes classic is best.