Tech Reference

How to turn on the keyboard light on your Mac computer, or set it to turn on automatically

Written by Steven John
mac keyboard light
To turn on the keyboard light on your Mac computer, press the F6 key. Shutterstock
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Today, we use laptops anywhere and everywhere — from the office, to a plane, to your living room, and beyond. 

This means you may expect easy access to your computer in a range of different conditions, even if they may not be the most optimal for work. 

Luckily, using a Mac computer in the dark is a simple task, thanks to the backlit keyboard that gives every key a certain glow so you can type as you normally would. 

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Macbook Pro (From $1,299 at Best Buy)

How to turn on the keyboard light on a Mac computer

To brighten a Mac keyboard with a keyboard light, just tap the F6 until the keys reach your desired brightness. To darken them again, tap F5.

How_to_turn_on_keyboard_light_Mac_ _1
Holding down F5 or F6 will make the keyboard light steadily decrease or increase, respectively.  Steven John/Business Insider

How to get your Mac keyboard light to turn on automatically 

You can also set your Mac to automatically adjust the key brightness to the lighting conditions, thanks to a light sensor built into the top of the screen near the laptop's camera.

Open the System Preferences by clicking on the Apple logo, then click Keyboard on the window that opens.

Click the box beside the words "Adjust keyboard brightness in low light."

How_to_turn_on_keyboard_light_Mac_ _2
You can enable automatic adjusting of keyboard brightness, and set an interval of inactivity to turn it off.  Steven John/Business Insider

This window also allows you to set an interval of inactivity after which the backlighting will shut down.

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Steven John
Steven John has been a freelance writer for more than a dozen years and has been a regular contributor to Business Insider since 2017. His work includes a focus on the tech world, covering companies including Apple, Microsoft, Meta, Google, and others. He also reviews restaurants, shares how-to cooking articles, and writes general interest pieces.Steven also writes for publications including Architectural Digest, The Daily Beast, Forbes, and more. In the past, he also wrote for New York Magazine, Mashed, U.S. News & World Report and other outlets. He runs his own outdoor lifestyle site, Dad Gear Review, and co-hosts the Fact Trekkers podcast with his son. He has had two novels published, Three A.M. and Outrider. He graduated from Emerson College with a degree in communications focused on filmmaking.He is an avid outdoorsman and can be frequently found in a kayak or on a mountain trail, often with his family along for the adventure.Expertise:Tech industryTech hardwareOutdoorsCookingRestaurantsDIYPopular articles:Microsoft: A history of the software giant co-founded by Bill Gates, its products and services, jobs, layoffs, and moreYouTube is a major entertainment force. Here's the platform's history, plus how to create a channel and upload videos.Inside the life and career of Bill Gates, the Microsoft co-founder, billionaire, and philanthropistTim Cook net worth: How the Apple leader earns and spends his moneyBecoming an Amazon seller is a simple process. Here's what's involved, plus how you make money and get paid.