How to Make Your Keyboard Light Up on Chromebook

I have been a Chromebook user for several years now, and one feature that I absolutely love is the backlit keyboard. However, I understand that not everyone may be familiar with how to turn on and adjust the keyboard backlight on their Chromebook.

If you’ve been wondering how to make your keyboard light up on Chromebook, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, I’ll guide you through the steps to enable the keyboard backlight and address common problems you may encounter. So let’s get started!

How to Make Your Keyboard Light Up on Chromebook

To make your keyboard light up on Chromebook, you will need to follow these steps:

1. Check for Keyboard Backlight Support
   Before proceeding, it’s important to ensure that your specific Chromebook model supports keyboard backlighting. While most modern Chromebooks have this feature, a few older models may not. To check if your Chromebook supports keyboard backlighting, look for the backlit keyboard icon on one of the function keys. The icon typically looks like a keyboard with a glowing light.
2. Adjust the Keyboard Backlight Brightness
   Once you have confirmed that your Chromebook supports keyboard backlighting, you can proceed to adjust the brightness level. To do this, follow these steps:

• Press the ALT key + the screen brightness key (usually located on the top row of the keyboard).
• Each time you press the screen brightness key while holding the ALT key, the keyboard backlight brightness will increase incrementally. Release the keys when you’ve reached your desired brightness level.

1. Disable Keyboard Backlight
   If you prefer to turn off the keyboard backlight on your Chromebook, you can do so easily by following these steps:

• Press the ALT key + the screen brightness key.
• Keep pressing the screen brightness key while holding the ALT key until the keyboard backlight turns off completely.

Common Problems

Even though enabling and adjusting the keyboard backlight on your Chromebook is usually straightforward, you may encounter some common issues.

Here are a few problems you might face and their possible solutions:

1. Keyboard Backlight Not Working

• Restart your Chromebook and try again. Sometimes, a simple restart can resolve temporary issues.
• Make sure you have the latest updates installed on your Chromebook. Outdated software can sometimes cause compatibility issues.
• If your Chromebook has a removable battery, try disconnecting and reconnecting it to reset any hardware-related problems.
• If none of the above solutions work, it’s possible that your keyboard backlight is faulty and requires professional assistance. Reach out to Chromebook support for further troubleshooting.

1. Dim Keyboard Backlight

• Adjust the keyboard backlight brightness using the ALT key + screen brightness key combination (as mentioned in the previous section).
• Check if there is any debris or dust obstructing the light sensor or keyboard backlight. Use compressed air or a soft brush to clean the area gently.

1. Keyboard Backlight Stays On

• By default, the keyboard backlight on most Chromebooks automatically turns off after a period of inactivity. However, if your keyboard backlight stays on even when not in use, you can adjust the timeout duration in the settings.
• Click on the system tray (bottom right corner of the screen), then click on the gear icon to open the Settings menu.
• Scroll down and click on “Advanced”, then click on “Power and sleep”.
• Under the “Keyboard backlight timeout” section, choose the desired duration or turn off the backlight after a specified period of inactivity.

Extra Tips

1. If the ALT key on your Chromebook doesn’t have a label for the screen brightness key, look for an icon that resembles a light bulb or a moon symbol. This key is usually located on the top row near the function keys.
2. Remember that enabling the keyboard backlight on your Chromebook may slightly reduce battery life. To conserve power, adjust the brightness to a level that suits your needs.
3. Some Chromebook models offer additional customization options for the keyboard backlight, such as changing the backlight color. Check your Chromebook’s user manual or support website for specific instructions on how to customize the backlight color, if available.

FAQs