A backlit keyboard is handy, especially if you work in a low-lit environment or the dark. Many Lenovo laptops feature a backlit keyboard, which is easy to light up using a keyboard shortcut.
To light up the keyboard on Lenovo, press the Fn (function) key and the backlight shortcut key (the Spacebar in most cases) together. You can also increase or decrease the brightness by pressing the two buttons again and cycling through the different brightness levels.
This article discusses determining if your Lenovo laptop has a backlit keyboard, how to light it up, and what to do if you can’t get it to work.
How To Activate Your Lenovo Keyboard Backlight
To light up your Lenovo keyboard, you first need to ensure it is backlit and then use a keyboard shortcut. Let’s look at both stops in more detail.
Step #1: Check if Your Laptop Has a Backlit Keyboard
It’s effortless to determine if your laptop has a backlit keyboard. All you need to do is look for the keyboard backlight shortcut, which is usually on one corner of the space bar and looks like an illuminated lamp. If your laptop doesn’t have backlighting, this shortcut won’t be present on the keyboard.
Step #2: Use a Keyboard Shortcut
If you have a Lenovo ThinkPad or IdeaPad, you need to press the Fn and backlight shortcut key, which is the space bar in most cases. This will light up the keyboard.
Most Lenovo laptops have different levels of backlight brightness. To increase the brightness, you need to press the two buttons again. As you press the two buttons again, you can cycle through all the levels and even turn off the light.
Troubleshooting a Laptop Keyboard That Won’t Light Up
The most common reason you can’t light up the keyboard on a Lenovo laptop is that your laptop doesn’t have a backlight. Some models on the lower end of the price spectrum don’t have a backlight. If your keyboard doesn’t include the backlight shortcut, your laptop doesn’t have the feature.
However, if your laptop has the backlight function but fails to work, you can try the following fixes.
Fix #1: Restart the Laptop
Sometimes random glitches can prevent the keyboard from lighting up. Something can interfere with the keyboard’s function and prevent the backlight from working. However, simply restarting your laptop can help fix the issue. If it doesn’t, you should move on to the next fix.
Fix #2: Use Lenovo Vantage
The next thing you can try is setting up the keyboard backlight using Lenovo Vantage, a tool that allows you to customize any Lenovo product. Here’s what you need to do to set up the keyboard backlight using this software.
- Download, install, and run the program.
- Go to “Device” > “Input & Accessories”. Here, you can find all information related to the keyboard and adjust the backlight.
Many people have reported some issues with the software. If you have the software installed, but the keyboard backlight isn’t working, try updating the software in the Microsoft Store.
Fix #3: Do a Power Drain
Performing a power drain can help solve issues with the backlight, particularly if the system is interfering with the keyboard’s normal function. How you perform a power drain depends on whether you have a built-in battery or a removable one.
If you have a built-in battery, follow these steps.
- Unplug the adapter.
- Press and hold the power button for 10-15 seconds.
- Plug the adapter back into the laptop and turn it on.
If your laptop has a removable battery, follow these steps.
- Safely remove the battery from the laptop.
- Unplug the adapter.
- Press and hold the power button for 10-15 seconds.
- Plug in both the battery and the adapter.
- Turn on the laptop.
Once you turn on the laptop, the backlight should work. If it doesn’t, there’s only one more thing you can do.
Fix #4: Check the Backlight With BIOS
Hardware damage can prevent the backlight from working, and you can test that with BIOS. Here’s how.
- Restart the laptop. When you see the Lenovo logo on the screen, press and hold the F1 key or press the Enter key repeatedly to enter BIOS.
- In the BIOS, enter the Fn and space bar or Esc key to test if the backlight works.
- If the backlight works, you need to update the BIOS. Lenovo has released a BIOS update that solves the backlight issue, but it’s only available for a few Legion products. If the backlight doesn’t work, there’s something wrong with the keyboard. To get it fixed, take your laptop to a Lenovo service center or get in touch with online support.
Conclusion
Lighting up your Lenovo keyboard is easy; you need to ensure your laptop has the backlight function and press the function key and space bar together to light it up. But if that doesn’t work, you can try the above fixes to see if that solves the problem.
