How to Turn On Your Keyboard Light (ThinkPad, Dell, HP, MacBook)

Keyboard backlight not on? The keys to light up your keyboard on Lenovo ThinkPad, Dell, HP and MacBook laptops, plus what to check if nothing happens.

Typing in the dark and can’t see the keys? Most laptops have a backlight; it’s just hidden behind a key combination. Look for a small keyboard-with-rays icon on one of your keys: that’s the one to press.

Lenovo ThinkPad

On most ThinkPads, hold Fn and press the Space bar. Each press cycles through off, low and high. The short above shows it on my ThinkPad.

Dell

On most Dell laptops it’s F10, F5 or Fn + F10 (look for the backlight icon). Press it again to change the brightness.

HP

On most HP laptops it’s F5, F9 or F11, sometimes with Fn. Look for the icon with three dots and a line.

MacBook

Newer MacBooks adjust the backlight automatically. To change it yourself, open Control Center in the menu bar and use Keyboard Brightness. Older models have dedicated brightness keys on F5 and F6.

Nothing happens?

Check for the icon. If no key has a backlight symbol, your model may not have a backlight.
Try with and without Fn. Some laptops swap the function keys, so you need Fn for one and not the other.
Check the manufacturer’s app. Lenovo Vantage, Dell’s keyboard settings and HP’s tools can turn the backlight on and set a timeout.
Wait, then tap a key. Many backlights switch off after a few seconds without typing and come back when you press a key.

Want more?

There’s another quick short here: how to make your keyboard light up. And if you’re on a desktop keyboard, the shortcut library is the next best upgrade.