MAC
How to change the keyboard backlight on a MacBook
Real screenshot · MacBook Pro, macOS 26In short
Open System Settings, click Keyboard, and drag the Keyboard brightness slider. Adjust keyboard brightness in low light lets the Mac set the level by itself. Turn keyboard backlight off after inactivity chooses how long the Mac is idle before the light goes out.
If your Mac laptop has a backlit keyboard, you can adjust the level of backlighting or turn it off. Three settings control it: an automatic mode, a brightness slider and a timer.
The screenshots show System Settings on macOS Tahoe 26.
5 of 5 steps show a real screenshot from our MacBook Pro.
Steps
- 1
Open System Settings
Click the Apple menu in the top left corner of the screen and choose System Settings.
- 2
Click Keyboard in the sidebar
Keyboard is near the bottom of the sidebar. Scroll down to find it.
- 3
Set the brightness
Drag the Keyboard brightness slider to adjust the level of backlighting. Apple says dragging it all the way to the left turns the backlighting off.
- 4
Decide about the automatic mode
Adjust keyboard brightness in low light is on in the picture. With it on, the Mac adjusts the backlighting automatically in low-light conditions.
- 5
Set a timer
Turn keyboard backlight off after inactivity is set to Never in the picture. Click the menu to choose how long the Mac is idle before the backlighting turns off automatically.
If you do not see this option
- There are no keyboard brightness settings. Apple says the automatic and timer options are for when your Mac has a backlit keyboard. Source: Keyboard settings on Mac
- Your Mac has System Preferences, not System Settings. Apple says that on macOS Monterey you choose System Preferences, Keyboard, then Keyboard. The timer there is a tick box, Turn keyboard backlight off after a set time of inactivity. Source: Change Keyboard preferences on Mac
- You want a quicker control. Apple says that if your Mac has keyboard brightness keys, you can use them. You can also add keyboard brightness to the menu bar or Control Centre. Source: Turn your Mac keyboard's backlighting on or off
If this does not work
- The keys do not light up in a dark room. Apple says the light sensor is at the top of the Mac near the camera. Make sure nothing covers it, or switch off the automatic mode and drag the slider yourself.
- The light goes off while you are reading. The inactivity timer turns the backlighting off when your Mac has been idle. Choose a longer time in the Turn keyboard backlight off after inactivity menu, or Never, as in the picture.
- No Keyboard Brightness button in Control Centre? Apple says that if the button is missing, you can add it through Customize Control Center. After that, open Control Centre from the menu bar, click Keyboard Brightness and drag the slider.
- The brightness keys change the screen instead? Apple's key instructions apply only if your Mac has keyboard brightness keys. If your Mac does not have keyboard brightness keys, use the slider in Keyboard settings, which Apple says works on all Mac computers, or in Control Centre.
Good to know
These options are for Mac computers with a backlit keyboard.
To return to the old setup, switch Adjust keyboard brightness in low light back on and choose the timer you had before; ours was Never.
For more ways to save battery, see MacBook battery draining fast.
About this guide
- Device
- Mac
- Shown on
- macOS Tahoe 26 (MacBook Pro)
- App
- System Settings
- Path
- System Settings › Keyboard › Keyboard brightness
- Real screenshots
- 5 of 5 steps
- Checked
- October 2026
- Sources
- 3 official, linked below
Sources
Links checked October 2026. Menus and features can change with updates.Did this guide work for you?
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