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Keyboard won't light up

noobinator

noobinator

macrumors 604
Original poster
Jun 19, 2009
7,228
6,793
Los Angeles, CA
Just got my new Space Gray rMB base model yesterday. Messed around with it for a few hours last night. Just tried to use it now and the keys won't light up. I press the buttons to turn up the illumination and it shows a circle with an X light I have it on the lowest setting. This happens no matter if I press up or down on the illumination.

I Googled and saw something about resetting the SMC and I tried to do it but no luck. Well tried the best I could on the new MacBook since the directions were all for MBA or MBP.

Any suggestions?
 
redheeler

redheeler

macrumors G3
Oct 17, 2014
8,419
8,841
Colorado, USA
If you're in a brightly lit environment it will sense that and the keys won't light up (it will show a circle with a line through when you try to adjust the backlight). Try covering the area around the camera or moving to a darker environment and they should light up.
 
F

fatefulwhisper

macrumors regular
Jul 24, 2008
171
21
noobinator said:
Just got my new Space Gray rMB base model yesterday. Messed around with it for a few hours last night. Just tried to use it now and the keys won't light up. I press the buttons to turn up the illumination and it shows a circle with an X light I have it on the lowest setting. This happens no matter if I press up or down on the illumination.

I Googled and saw something about resetting the SMC and I tried to do it but no luck. Well tried the best I could on the new MacBook since the directions were all for MBA or MBP.

Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

Are you in a dimly-lit or dark room? Keyboard illumination doesn't work if it's too bright or if you're out in the sun (assuming you have auto settings for it checked on in the keyboard settings). There's a way to "force" it to turn on, regardless of the ambient light surroundings:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202310

You can also cover the light sensor (located near the facetime camera) to simulate a dark environment to force it to turn on.
 
noobinator

noobinator

macrumors 604
Original poster
Jun 19, 2009
7,228
6,793
Los Angeles, CA
Thanks, you were both right. I turned off a setting in the keyboard options and was able to force it on. Just showing it off to a co-worker and it wouldn't work. lol
 
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