How to Turn On Keyboard Light on Mac: A Quick Guide to Brighten Your Mac Keyboard

Turning on your keyboard light on a Mac is a quick and useful feature, especially in low-light environments. Most MacBook models with a backlit keyboard allow you to control the brightness of the keyboard light directly from your keyboard or through system settings.

Here's how you can enable or adjust your Mac's keyboard lighting:

1. Use the Keyboard: Look for the F5 (dim) and F6 (brighten) keys on the top row. They typically have a little light icon. Simply press F6 to increase brightness.
2. Touch Bar Macs: On newer MacBook Pro models with the Touch Bar, look for the keyboard brightness control in the control strip.
3. System Settings (macOS Ventura or later): Go to System Settings > Keyboard and adjust “Keyboard brightness” using the slider.
4. System Preferences (Older macOS): Go to System Preferences > Keyboard and check “Adjust keyboard brightness in low light.”

If you don’t see any response from pressing F5 or F6, your Mac might not have a backlit keyboard, or the feature could be disabled due to excessive sunlight detected by the light sensor.

As an interior designer, I often find that lighting—including the soft glow of a backlit keyboard—is essential for creating ambiance and comfort in both home and office settings. Good lighting isn’t just about what’s overhead—it can be as subtle as the tools you interact with. Meticulously planned room lighting can completely transform the workspace atmosphere, enhancing productivity and overall mood.

Tips 1:

For an even more personalized workspace, consider adjusting the color temperature of your Mac’s display (using Night Shift or True Tone features) alongside the keyboard backlight for eye comfort during long work sessions, ensuring both your environment and technology harmoniously support your workflow.

FAQ

Q: Why won’t my Mac keyboard light turn on?

A: Your Mac may not have a backlit keyboard, or it’s detecting too much ambient light, disabling the feature. Alternatively, it may be turned off in System Settings or Preferences.

Q: Can I adjust keyboard brightness automatically?

A: Yes, you can enable auto-brightness adjustment under Keyboard settings in System Preferences or System Settings, depending on your macOS version.

Q: What if my F5/F6 keys don’t change the keyboard brightness?

A: Ensure that the “Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys” option is not checked in Keyboard settings, or try holding the “Fn” key while pressing F5 or F6.

Q: Does every Mac have a keyboard backlight?

A: No, only certain MacBook models have a backlit keyboard. Desktop Macs and older MacBooks might lack this feature.

Q: Can I use third-party software to control my keyboard backlight?

A: Some third-party apps offer advanced keyboard lighting controls, but most users find built-in controls sufficient for daily needs.