MacBook Pro keyboard backlight issue

[sMiK]

Now I have an answer for all of us, because I've got it from an Apple Genius in the Apple Store.

I went to the Apple Store to check my MBP on the HDD issues, because I was getting input/output errors. So while I was there talking to the Genius about the hard drive problems I remembered this discussion on the backlit keyboard fiasco. And there is something we got wrong about this:

the iSight lens if you're using MBP

The answer is NO it isn't there. There is a sensor for the light in there - and it works for the screen brightness. So in the Apple Store, while it was a bright day, and I closed the sensor to demonstrate the problem to the Genius and suddenly the backlit wouldn't allow me to turn it on at all, as it was too bright.

So the Genius said that the sensor for the backlit is located on the logic board and works through little speaker holes on the sides. And YES it works together with the sensor near by the iSight. So I closed the top of the screen and he had to put his both hands to close the speakers gently and the backlit went on only then.

So is the story solved - YES. Am I happy - NO. As it appears that places where I normally find myself in are not bright enough for the MBP to actually use the sensor in the way that it makes sense to me.

Cheers.

 

[ajriggy]

I have had my MBP 13" for about a month and a half and this morning i wake up and it wont let me illuminate the keyboard in 'bright' conditions.

Literally last night it would let me do it but this morning i now get the 0 with a / when i try do this. Is it software (or firmware) related or is it a hardware thing? I recently downloaded an update from apple but i cant remember what it was for. (**it does come on in dark conditions though**)

I would quite like to be able to at least slightly backlight the keys in so called 'bright' conditions because my eyesight aint that great and just putting it on one or two bars of brightness helped me better identify the keys.

I have read through the other comments on this thread and am confused as to whether its a problem i could get sorted or if i just have to deal with it?
(i have applecare and stuff)

any info or help you guys can give me is much appreciated.
Still getting used to the mac so am still a little bit mac ignorant at the mo.

thanks

 

[camcas9]

Solution

I was having the same problem with the keyboard lights after running the apple software update so I used one of the methods described above of covering the isight camera and it seemed to do the trick but the keyboard would turn back off if the light in the room was enough so I had to keep covering the camera for the lights to turn on and I found this a bit annoying. So what I did seemed to solve the problem I went into the keyboard system preferences and the light keys (F6 and F5) seemed to respond in here, then I just set them to never turn off and now they're working normally. Hope this helps.

 

[btrav13]

Mine just did the same thing. However, turning my lights off (IE getting rid of my bright, overhead kitchen light) fixed it. In the meantime (IE before testing the lighting issue), I installed LabTick. LabTick DID allow me to adjust keyboard brightness WITH the overhead lights on. Just an FYI.

 

[Troon]

dont call applecare. The backlight is controlled through the light sensor. If this sensor determines that the ambient light is too high you will not be able to turn on the backlighting. To test this take the laptop into a dark room and then turn on the keyboard. if you want to use the backlight when it is light try installing an application such as labtick

hope this helps

Thanks!!

Mine just died on me as i was typing and i was going to start a new topic asking how to solve this. Then i remembered how angry you guys get when newbies ask “silly” questions so used the search function

 

[Keysmark]

Fix For Keyboard Backlight Problem

I had the same problem. To fix it reset System Management Controller (SMC). It worked for me. Finally I can pay back for all the help I have received.

Here is the link:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964?viewlocale=en_US

Keysmark

 

[MBP4Lifeson]

Solved

Illumination HUD keyboard illumination with the "Ø" sign on,

To solve for me I just held down the "shift key" and then pressed the illumination key!

It was that simple for me

 

[leesa246]

Thank you

Hi guys,

I just joined MacRumors to post this fix. It started happening to me too a couple of minutes ago and I did what this guy said (put you hand over the speaker grill) and it worked for me!

http://gravitationalpull.net/wp/?p=443

To all this crap being spewed by people above, read the directions of this guy's post. It works. I put my finger over the ambient light sense right NEXT to the webcam, and you can watch your screen dim. Press the back light key [F6] to full setting, and then remove your finger. For me, this allowed me to have manual control again. If not for you, keep doing it. I had to do it 2 or 3 times!

 

[valerie.ssh123]

i found the solution. it's what the post above said

 

[vincentadmiraal]

How to repair your keyboard backlight.

How to repair your keyboard backlight.

Step 1. turn the macbook off.
Step 2. remove battery.
Step 3. press start button 10 second's. (SMB reset)
Step 4. place battery
Step 5. Start the macbook test the buttons.
Done

Vincent Admiraal

 

[johnnyribcage]

Here's the problem:

This literally just happened to me. I restarted my computer and the backlight would not work, just a O with a / when I pushed either backlight button. After reading through the ridiculous descriptions above about how the light sensor works, removing your battery , going to applecare, etc, I decided to just try to figure it out.

Here's what you do:

Go to System Preferences
Click "Keyboard"
UNCHECK "Automatically illuminate keyboard in low light"
Enjoy your backlight