Laptop keyboard light · Settings guide
How to turn on the keyboard light on a laptop
Sources checked · how we check
Keyboard lights are controlled from a function key with a small light icon, usually pressed together with Fn. Each press steps through the brightness levels.
01 · Before you start
Check these first
- Look for a backlight icon on one of the keys. Dell says if no key has a backlight icon, the keyboard isn't backlit.
Source: Dell: turn the keyboard light on and off on a Dell laptop
02 · Change the setting
Step by step, by device
HP laptop
Fn + F5, F9 or F11 (the key with the light icon)
- Find the backlight key, usually F5, F9 or F11, marked with a keyboard light icon.
- Press Fn together with that key. On some models, the right arrow key controls the backlight.
- Press the combination again to cycle through the brightness levels, until the light turns off.
Source: HP: how to turn keyboard lighting on and off on HP laptops
Dell laptop
Fn + the backlight key (F5, F6, F7 or F10)
- Find the backlight key: F5, F6, F7 or F10, or the right arrow key on some XPS models.
- Press and hold Fn, then press the backlight key to cycle Off, Low, High, Off.
If Fn Lock is on, press the backlight key on its own. Toggle Fn Lock by holding Fn and pressing Esc.
Source: Dell: turn the keyboard light on and off on a Dell laptop
If the setting doesn't change
If the keyboard light won't come on, Dell says to check the Keyboard Illumination setting in the BIOS, where a Keyboard Backlight Timeout setting can also make the light switch off after a few seconds. If the Fn combination does nothing, toggle Fn Lock with Fn + Esc and try again.
Source: Dell: turn the keyboard light on and off on a Dell laptop
Frequently asked questions
Why won't my laptop keyboard light turn on?
Check the keyboard has a backlight icon on one of its keys. On a Dell, also check Keyboard Illumination in the BIOS, and try toggling Fn Lock with Fn + Esc.
Which key turns on the keyboard light on an HP laptop?
Usually Fn with F5, F9 or F11, whichever has the keyboard light icon. HP says some models use the right arrow key.