Keyboard Illumination?

[Killerbob]

Hi,

Whenever I open up my MA, while I am typing my password, the keyboard illumination is not on. The second I hit enter though, it is all fine.

Is this a "feature", or something I do something about?

KB

[thejadedmonkey]

While I don't know what's causing that to happen, I can confirm that it is an issue that shouldn't be happening [incase you are like me and thought maybe backlite illumination doesn't happen unless you are currently logged in. I did not try this from a cold boot, rather just locked the screen]

[jonswan]

Well, my keyboard illumination comes on in a dim room but goes off in a dark room - work that one out! I can't (yet).

[ayeying]

The light is software based. When you log on, the system didnt load those drivers yet I guess.

And my ambient light sensors work properly. When its dark, the keyboard led comes on. When its bright, it goes off. Never had a problem with the keyboard light doing funky things.

[juro]

My backlight turns on right at the log in window - provided it is in a darker room, of course.

[newmacuser13]

Well, my keyboard illumination comes on in a dim room but goes off in a dark room - work that one out! I can't (yet).

I have the same problem - if I hold my hand slightly in front of the sensor, so that the LED screen light reflects off my hand, the keyboard lights come on, move my hand away, or cover the sensor, and the keyboard lights go off. Exactly the opposite of what it should be.

[newmacuser13]

I have the same problem - if I hold my hand slightly in front of the sensor, so that the LED screen light reflects off my hand, the keyboard lights come on, move my hand away, or cover the sensor, and the keyboard lights go off. Exactly the opposite of what it should be.

Found the solution at this thread to calibrate the lights.

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=474585&highlight=keyboard+light

[Killerbob]

OK, so I am not the only one to have problems in this area; the keyboard illumination works fine when I am using the MA, but when I close the lid, wait a while, and open it back up, the illumination only comes back on when I have entered my password, and hit enter. This is of course a BIG problem when I am sitting in a dark room, as I am trying to find the keys for entering my password.

I tried the "calibration", but that did nothing. I have re-started the MA a few times, all with no effort.

Anyone have any ideas?

[jwtadmin]

Same problem, unfortunately there is not a lot of info on this. It's very hard to google for

"mac book air keyboard back light not on for password window after locked screen saver"

Yet this is what I have found.

I also had the problem when the back light would turn off after 1 min of inactivity, it never came back on with out my hitting the brightness adjustment.


I'm not sure who I should turn to for this?

[jonswan]

Mine doesn't come on in a dark room = not so bad but pretty annoying. Clearly Apple need to issue a firmware update for this, so the more people contact Apple the better - use the MBA contact page and maybe we'll see a solution soon.

[Mr X]

Its a known issue but finally fixed in 10.5.3! Mine now works perfectly:)

[NC MacGuy]

Its a known issue but finally fixed in 10.5.3! Mine now works perfectly:)

Mine seems better too except the displays ambient light sensing seems too sensitive and rails display brightness with light changes. Oh well, guess I can turn that off now and keep auto-keyboard lighting on.

[Nilonym]

Its a known issue but finally fixed in 10.5.3! Mine now works perfectly:)

10.5.3 does appear to have fixed the flaky sensor. However, I still have the issue that the keyboard light does not turn on until I have logged in.

[Killerbob]

I don't know what makes it work, and what doesn't. Since I upgraded to 10.5.3 it seems to be right, i.e. the illumination is there when I open the lid, and while I type the password. However, I am in the midst of reinstalling OSX on my MA and my MP, so perhaps I come back in a few days saying it doesn't work again.

KB