Is it possible to backlight the keyboard on a laptop?

• December 3, 2020
• Electricity
• Olga Klimkovich

Quite a lot of people use their computers at night. In this regard, popular computer manufacturers are equipping new laptop models with keyboard backlighting to make using their products more comfortable.

Backlit gaming keyboard models are in great demand among gamers and programmers. The backlight is also installed on regular keyboards, laptop keyboards, and wireless keyboard models.

Unfortunately, not all users know how to backlight a laptop or a regular desktop computer keyboard, as a result of which working indoors in dim lighting at night becomes very problematic.

Materials and tools

First of all, you need to prepare materials and tools. To carry out the work you will need:

• soldering iron;
• diode strip;
• power cable;
• battery cells (if built-in lighting is provided);
• screwdriver;
• adapter from 2/4-pin to 1/6-pin;
• switch;
• insulating tape;
• glue (for certain devices with a collapsible keyboard panel);
• sharp knife;
• tester for checking the operation of the entire electrical circuit.

Reference! Almost all the necessary improvised tools and accessories, if required, can be purchased at an electrical goods store. This also applies to LED strips for Multi-color lighting.

Wireless

If the keyboard takes a long time to respond to key presses, the reason is a breakdown in communication with the signal receiver. What to do:

• Replace the batteries;
• Make sure that the device is at the optimal distance from the PC;
• Check if the power is turned on (if present). "ON" position.

Bluetooth is turned off

Press "Win+I", select:

Further:

How to turn on the backlight

Technology of the XXI century. Available in factories with a variety of built-in capabilities. The manufacturer strives to make its products easier to use and increase their attractiveness to the buyer. An option such as backlit keys is in demand, but it is not available on all laptop models.

On desktop PCs, the problem is easier to solve; you can buy a removable backlit keyboard and update your operating system to the required version, which supports the necessary options. Sometimes, in order for the symbols to glow, you need to install additional drivers on your PC.

The laptop keyboard is equipped with an inconspicuous Fn, or Function button, which enables additional functions of the device. In combination with it and another key, in most cases you can turn on the backlight. Gadget manufacturers usually turn on the interior light by pressing Fn and a series of F1–F12 keys. You can detect the hidden backlight by pressing Fn and arrows or Fn and spacebar.

Solution Run the hcontrol.exe module

The ASUS software suite for each laptop model includes an executable file, hcontrol.exe, which is used to control all hotkeys and functions associated with them. In addition, it is also responsible for controlling other modules such as the backlight. If it is not present in background processes, that is, it does not start automatically when the system boots, then try starting it manually and see if it makes a difference.

Press Windows + E keys simultaneously, navigate to the following file path:

C:\Program Files (x86)\ASUS\ATK Package\ATK Hotkey

Find the hcontrol.exe file and double-click on it to run it.

Now check if the backlight on your laptop is working properly.

HP

Not all HP laptops have backlit keyboards. And it is also not always possible to determine from the keyboard whether such a function exists or not. The most reliable way to get to the bottom of the truth is to look at the technical parameters of your gadget model.

As a rule, on HP laptops that have a backlight, you can control the mode with the key combination Fn + F5 or Fn + F4 . But on some models, pressing F5 or F4 without a function button is enough. On other models, other keys from the F series are used. But what is consoling is that they most often have a backlight icon.

To increase or decrease the brightness of the backlight, press the Fn + F5 or Fn + F4 several times: the modes will change one after another in a circle.

If you find a key with a backlight emblem, but it does not turn on the backlight, then make sure the settings in the BIOS . Reboot the system and enter the BIOS and select BIOS Setup (this section may also be called Setup Utility). The arrow navigation keys on your keyboard will help you navigate through the tabs. Now you need System Configuration . Action Keys Mode is active .

Here you can also adjust the backlight timeout, that is, the time at which the backlight will be active after the last touch on the keyboard or touchpad. To do this, you will need the Advanced , the Built-in Device Options and the Backlit keyboard timeout . If you set the mode to “Never”, the backlight will be on constantly, which can lead to rapid battery drain.

How to make it yourself

Remote lamps

In this case, we proceed according to the following scheme:

• turn the keyboard over and unscrew all the screws,
• drill or carefully burn a small hole in the top cover with a soldering iron (above the F12 button),
• we twist two 20-30 cm fairly “hard” copper wires in red and black insulation into a “pigtail”,
• we strip the wires on both sides and tin the resulting copper ends,
• using a multimeter we determine the plus and minus on the keyboard board, between which there should be about 5V),
• Using a low-power soldering iron, carefully solder the red wire to the plus, and the black wire? to the minus,
• stretch the wire to the hole on the top cover,
• tie a knot to secure the wire in the housing and insert it into the hole,
• turn the keyboard over and screw the bottom cover back in place,
• turn the device over again to solder the LED to the base of our lamp,
• We put a heat-shrinkable tube on the base and secure it to the cable and part of the diode using heat.

All. External lighting is ready. The “lamp/s” will bend in different directions, and the lighting will be sufficient for trouble-free work on the computer in the dark.

LED Strip Light

• take a photo of the keyboard on your smartphone so you don’t forget the location of the buttons,
• snap off three keys from each row on the left side,
• drill a small hole in the body on the left edge so that it is located between rows 1 and 2,
• remove the remaining keys on the main part of the keyboard,
• we measure the length of the row and, based on these calculations, cut out three identical chains of LEDs from the LED strip (we make the cut in a specially indicated place),
• we connect these chains to each other using flexible wires and a soldering iron,
• we place the resulting tape in the gap between the rows with the diodes down (to reduce the brightness of the glow) and fix them with glue through two or three keys,
• We connect the backlight to the 12-volt power supply and install the buttons on the keyboard.

Plug in the power supply and enjoy the effect.

Read also: How to make a choker from beads

Luminous stickers

We buy luminous stickers with a Russian layout on AliExpress. We are not looking for cheapness, since low-quality goods will last no more than a couple of months. Therefore, in this case we focus on customer reviews.

• we snap off the keys to remove dirt and degrease the surfaces by washing with a special product,
• We place the dried buttons in place and, using tweezers, carefully glue the corresponding stickers onto them.

In conclusion, I would like to especially note that each of these methods, of course, to one degree or another solves the problem with the keyboard backlight. However, in terms of quality, your homemade product will in any case be inferior to industrial designs, which are actually not that expensive. On the other hand, there have always been many “Kulibins” in Russia, whose homemade products surprised professionals. Share your experience with other users so that the most interesting ideas become available to the public.

Very often, people who work at a computer, or simply spend their free time on it, are faced with the problem that in order to type any text or message, they have to strain their eyes. At the same time, the lamp standing on the computer desk glows from the monitor, and it is not clear how to make a backlit keyboard. With all this, the main lighting of the room is also blocked by the person sitting at the table.

So is there a way out of this situation? As it turned out, yes.

Do-it-yourself keyboard backlighting, and at a minimum cost, could be such a solution. After all, it’s always interesting to create something yourself, at home.

You need to understand whether it is difficult to make a backlight for a laptop or a backlit keyboard for a desktop computer. How much time and effort will be spent on this?

There are several options for making such a backlight with your own hands, both simple ones, accessible to a person who has never encountered such work in his life, and more complex ones, the manufacture of which requires knowledge of both computer technology and radio electronics. But you should probably start with simpler methods.

Peculiarities

While backlighting is a handy option for night-time work when the light from the screen creates glare on the buttons rather than illuminating them, it isn't available on all laptops.

In particular, this option is not available on older models, as well as on economy class devices from this brand.

Therefore, if all the instructions below for turning on the backlight did not help, it is possible that such a function simply does not exist on your device.

Backlighting is not always convenient. For example, in the case where the buttons are smooth and glossy initially (or have become so as a result of rubbing during long-term use), the backlight can interfere, as it will create additional glare on the keys, and as a result, the images of the letters will become indistinguishable.

The exceptions are when the letters are also illuminated and when the backlight is optimally balanced in power.

Advice! Look at the buttons on your laptop. If the images of the letters on them are translucent, then your device almost certainly has a backlight.

Also, right next to the keys you can sometimes see LEDs, and they are clearly visible if the button is removed.

<Fig. 1 Backlight>

Software or driver failure

Keyboards with older PS/2 connectors are more susceptible to software glitches. However, there are still quite a lot of such keyboards in use, although manufacturers have almost stopped producing them.

To resolve the problem of your keyboard not working due to software, you need to turn on your computer and log into your desktop. Since the keyboard has stopped working and does not print, and a password may be set on the account, you will need to use the on-screen keyboard and type the password with the mouse.

Now that you are on the desktop of your computer, you need to get to Device Manager.

In Windows 8 and Windows 10, to do this, right-click on the Start and select Device Manager .

Start button . Next, right-click on the word Computer and select Computer Management - Device Manager .

Device Manager displays information about all devices on your computer. Expand the Keyboards branch. If there is an orange question mark next to your keyboard, it means the device is not installed correctly on the system.

Right-click on your keyboard and select Uninstall .

After that, click Action - Update hardware configuration .

The computer will rescan all devices and install the keyboard correctly.

Driver installation

Often, as a result of replacing the operating system, certain functions are disrupted. To decide how to turn on the keyboard backlight on an HP laptop, you need to check for the availability of the appropriate driver. After changing the system, it may not function or work incorrectly. The only solution is to install the appropriate driver.

To solve such a problem as making a backlight on a laptop keyboard, you will need to perform the following steps:

• Go to the official website of the equipment manufacturer in the “Service” section;
• Go to “Support”;
• Enter the exact model of the equipment in the column;
• Select the appropriate name from the list that appears;
• Go to the section that contains utilities and drivers for the selected model;
• Specify the version of the operating system and carefully study its ranks;
• In the provided list of files, find the “ATK” version and download;
• Open the downloaded file and install (select setup.exe);
• After installing the program, restart the equipment and check whether the lights are turned on and off.

If installing the program did not produce results, then it must be removed. After that, install the old version of the drivers. Also, to solve the problem, they use special programs that independently analyze the equipment and operating system, after which they find suitable files and download them. Solving the question of how to turn on the keyboard backlight on an Asus laptop becomes a trifle.

Important! If the laptop has a backlight, but it does not turn on, then you should contact a service center. Perhaps the problem lies in damaged contacts. It is impossible to do without repairing or replacing damaged parts.

Checking USB settings in BIOS

If the computer's power supply fails, the BIOS settings may change, which contains an item about enabling or disabling support for USB keyboards on the computer.

Additionally, in this way you can check the serviceability of the keyboard in principle, since it may not work in Windows, but work in the BIOS. In this case, the failure is caused by software or drivers.

To enter the BIOS and check the settings, do the following:

• Turn on your computer.
• Press the DEL button on your keyboard until the BIOS settings window appears.
• In the BIOS settings, find the USB Keyboard Support or Legacy USB menu.
• Make sure the setting is in the Enable state. If it says Disable, then switch to Enable.

You can also set the remaining BIOS settings related to USB to Enable. You may be able to get ports on the front panel of your computer case that once stopped working.

Mac

If your portable gadget from Apple has a backlit keyboard, then you can control it using a special button with a light icon. To make the brightness stronger, simply hold it down. If you want to turn off the illumination, also hold the button for a while until the light goes out.

Also on MacBooks, you can enable automatic adjustment of the brightness level depending on the lighting around you, and you can also set the time after which the system will turn off the keyboard backlight when inactive. All these settings can be found in this path:

" Apple " " System Preferences " " Keyboard " and " Keyboard "

There are also Mac models where the keyboard backlight control is located in the Touch Bar. Here in the Control Strip block you can control the brightness of the illumination.

Dell

Dell Keyboard
Dell models are also not necessarily backlit. You can find out whether this mode is available or not using the product data sheet. However, if this document is missing or lost, this can be done experimentally.

The easiest method is to inspect the F10, F6 or right arrow key. These buttons may have a symbol indicating illumination. If it is there, the function is present.

But various combinations can control it:

• Fn + F6;
• Fn + Space;
• Fn + F10;
• F10.

If you cannot turn on the lighting using these keys, the problem may be that the Fn button is blocked. To unlock it, hold down this key and then press Esc.

Like Lenovo, Dell has three backlight modes:

• disabled;
• low brightness;
• strong lighting.

If using the above combinations does not allow you to switch from one mode to another, it is worth checking whether the latest BIOS version is installed on the device and what settings it has. To do this you need:

• go to BIOS;
• open system configuration;
• go to “Keyboard Illumination”;
• Now you need to select the required mode – Dim for low brightness or Bright for strong.

Here you can also adjust the time the lighting turns off after the last use of the device.

Question to the expert

How to change the backlight color?

Some laptop models are equipped with multi-colored backlighting. To choose the most comfortable glow color, it is recommended to install the Steel Series Engine application and use it to adjust this indicator.

Sony

Sony also does not install the keyboard backlight function on all of its laptops. To find out if your gadget has such a function, refer to the “User Guide” or the company’s website.

If such a function is present, then it can be controlled through the VAIO Control Center system utility. You can find it this way:

" Start " " Control Panel " " System and Security "

VAIO Control Center settings window itself, we will need the “Keyboard and Mouse” block (in some models it may be called “Input Devices”), and there the “Keyboard Backlight” subsection. Here you can also specify the time before the backlight turns off when there is no keyboard activity.

No. 2 Installation of LEDs in the body of the 760 keyboard

Before installing the backlight strips, you need to draw up a diagram of all the exit points of additional elements. This applies to:

Thus, the diagram must include:

Since all the planks are connected into one assembly, a well-thought-out plan for laying this part is needed. So that its volume does not interfere with the installation of the panel with keys.

Do-it-yourself keyboard backlighting requires some care. When installing the tape, the first task is to dismantle the housing. All fastening elements must be carefully disconnected, paying attention to the possible outputs of the various connectors.

In the case of a solid key panel, it makes sense to melt holes for the output of the diodes with a soldering iron. For such a manipulation it will be necessary to accurately calculate the location of the diode along the guide and the places where the keys are attached. It makes sense to attach the wire connected to the beginning of the circuit with adhesive tape to the main wires of the keyboard for greater ease of use.

A connector adapter for the power wires of the diode strip is mounted on the wire. We connect it directly to the power source. The button to turn off the backlight can be inserted into the place where the boards exit by breaking out one strip.

Turning off the backlight

To turn off the backlight on the keyboard of an Asus laptop, you need to press the same button that turns it on. But there are also exceptions. The functionality of the buttons depends on the model of equipment. In some cases, turning on and off is carried out using different buttons or their combinations. Therefore, experts recommend carefully studying the documentation.

Here are some possible options for changing the color:

• Press Fn and spacebar, Fn-F4 or Fn –Space at the same time;
• Some models have a separate button for adjustment, which has a specific designation;
• If the backlight has several modes, then press Fn or another button responsible for this function several times.

Assuming normal operation of the equipment, the lighting automatically turns on and off when it is started and turned off. If this does not happen, then it is necessary to find out the possible cause of the deviation. This could be due to missing or incorrect software being installed. The contacts may also be damaged. In any case, under such conditions, the laptop keyboard backlight will not work correctly.

Keyboard backlight on a laptop - capabilities and use

The keyboard backlight on all laptops can be turned on and off using keyboard shortcuts. For example, to enable it on a Lenovo ThinkPad T series, you need to use the Fn+Space key. Many laptop users often ask if Windows 10 has a special setting to adjust brightness. The answer is yes and no.

Setting the backlight color on the laptop keyboard.

Shutdown

When it comes to saving battery, one of the most effective methods is to turn off the device's keyboard backlight. This feature is a huge advantage of all portable gadgets. But, unfortunately, not all laptop models support it. Let's look at turning off the lighting using the Microsoft Surface Pro as an example. Surface Pro has a built-in sensor that activates a diode under the buttons to make them stand out better. If your Surface is plugged into a wall outlet, you won't have any problems with power consumption. But if it is powered by a battery, activating the diodes will speed up the discharge of the battery several times!

IMPORTANT. The developers at Linus Tech Tips recently conducted power-saving tests that showed that turning off the backlight extended battery use by about 16%.

Other useful settings to save battery power:

• Remove peripherals, mouse and keyboard (20%-30% more battery life per charge).
• Reduces display brightness by up to 50% (16% more battery life).

The lighting turns on and off automatically using a built-in sensor. There are also manual option controls, but older versions of the Surface Keyboard may not have them. The first two keys next to Esc are the function buttons F1 and F2, which control the lighting on the device. If you just click on them, nothing will happen. More precisely, pressing F1 or F2 will not change the brightness of the backlight or turn it off/on. To access special Surface Keyboard features, you need to hold Alt:

• Increase brightness – Alt+F2.
• Decrease brightness – Alt+F1.

If you need to squeeze maximum battery life out of the Surface, you'll have to give up such goodies. Of course, in some situations, for example, in the dark, backlighting is simply necessary, so the manufacturer has provided an increase or decrease in brightness.

Asus

Asus keyboard
Different models from the manufacturer have different backlight control systems and their own “hot keys”. First you need to find buttons that have an image of a keyboard from which rays diverge.

Typically this symbol is located on F3 and F4. If there is a sign, control is carried out by a combination of the Fn keys and these two buttons.

The control system is organized as follows:

• to increase brightness, hold Fn + F4;
• To reduce the lighting intensity, you need to press Fn + F3.

In gadgets from this manufacturer, drivers are responsible for lighting the keyboard. Accordingly, if you have problems with the backlight, first of all you need to take care of updating the driver. Its name is ATKPackage. You can always download the latest version on the company portal.

Why the backlight does not work, possible reasons and solutions

If your laptop model has backlighting, but it is not turned on by the required key combination, there may be several reasons. They are different from each other, so you need to understand each one:

1. Backlight is disabled in BIOS. The most common situation is when you need to enter the BIOS, find the corresponding tab and put a dot next to enable (or remove opposite to off). The features depend on the laptop model; there is detailed information on the Internet, so it’s not difficult to figure it out.
2. It is necessary to update Windows 10. Often violations occur due to hardware failures or outdated drivers, which leads to conflicts and the backlight stops working. Updating and troubleshooting will help resolve the issue.
3. If the backlight sensor is responsible for turning on, it may be causing the problem. Due to the failure of the sensor, the light will not turn on even through the buttons, so it will have to be replaced.
4. Sometimes the problem is in the backlight control circuit on the motherboard. In this case, you need to take the laptop to a service center to fix the problem.
5. It could also be due to moisture getting into the keyboard. In this case, you can try to clean it, if this does not help, you will have to replace the button block.

If the keyboard is filled with liquid, you will have to replace it.
It’s not difficult to figure out how to turn on and configure the keyboard backlight on a laptop if you study the features of the model and activate it in the BIOS. If after this the problem is not solved, you need to look for the problem and fix it.

Problem with the cable or keyboard port

The first step is to assess the physical condition of the keyboard.

Look at the indication of the Caps Lock and Num Lock buttons. Most likely, if they work, then physically everything should be fine with the keyboard.

Visually inspect the keyboard cable. It may be pinched or cut. For example, many pet owners have pets that chew through cables.

Also, visually check the keyboard connection port to see if there are any fractures or bends in it. There are two types of keyboard connection ports: USB and PS/2.

It often happens that when people try to connect to a computer in a PS/2 port, they break off the tip of the wire and the keyboard does not connect.

If the keyboard's USB cable and connection port look good, then try plugging the keyboard into another USB port on the computer. The port on the computer itself may be damaged. If the keyboard works in another port of the computer, then you have a problem with the USB port. Usually there are several of them on the computer and you can simply leave the keyboard connected to the port that works.

In the case of a keyboard with a PS/2 port, you should check the functionality of the keyboard connection port on another computer, since there is only one such port on the motherboard. To test the functionality of your computer's PS/2 port, you will have to find another such keyboard.

Honor MagicBook

Just like Huawei, Honor laptops use the F3 . The backlight has three modes: off, weak and strong. This allows you to use the keyboard quite comfortably at any lighting level.

These laptops have one feature - a preset timeout for the keyboard backlight of only 15 seconds. And this parameter cannot be changed either in the system settings or in the BIOS.

Multi-color rainbow backlighting of a regular keyboard

The multicolor lighting system is based on the use of RGB diode strip. For this option you will need:

• keyboard with transparent key symbols;
• RGB diode strip;
• RGB controller designed for 12v;
• power unit;
• mode switching remote control;
• power connector;
• signal reception sensor.

The ribbons are unraveled into the required lengths. They are attached in a clearly defined place under the keys. They are connected in parallel and connected to the controller. Additionally, the remote control signal reception sensor is displayed. A groove is cut into the housing to remove the power connector. When the final preparations are made, the body is assembled.

Join the discussion!

MSI

Most models from this label are equipped with a keyboard lighting feature, but not all. If the device has such a mode, there should be a button with the corresponding symbol on the keyboard. Pressing it turns on the light.

If nothing happens after pressing the key, the brightness settings may be set to the minimum level. To change its intensity, you must use the following combination:

• to increase brightness – “Fn” + “+”;
• to decrease intensity – “Fn” + “-”.

If this does not lead to success, you should take care of updating the SSE / Dragon Center driver.

Samsung

Turning on the backlight in Samsung Settings
Laptops of this brand that have the corresponding function are equipped with the following “hot keys” to control the backlight: Fn + F9.

If pressing these buttons does not turn on the desired mode, you need to configure the function:

1. This is done using a special Samsung Settings application, which must be downloaded from the Microsoft Store and installed on the device.
2. When using Windows 8, you can use the update center.
3. After taking these steps, you need to reboot the system and then try the Fn + F9 combination again.

If after this you cannot solve the problem, you cannot do without contacting Samsung support.