My MBP won't let me turn on my keyboard backlight in a lit room

[Kahnyl]

...and if I press the F5 or F6 buttons I get this icon.

If I go into some shade it'll come on. This is normal behaviour. I'm able to see the keyboard fine but now I'm just wondering if it's normal for a Mac to tell me I don't require more lighting. I could have sworn I was able to override the sensor manually by just pressing the buttons.

 

[iLog.Genius]

That's normal. You shouldn't be able to turn on the backlight when the room is brightly lit. The backlight will only come on if the sensor feels that the lighting is poor. Don't worry about it, it is not a defect.

 

[miles01110]

The light sensor is located in the speaker grills. Cover them with paper or something and the backlight can be turned on and off if you really want.

 

[iLog.Genius]

The light sensor is located in the speaker grills. Cover them with paper or something and the backlight can be turned on and off if you really want.

I believe the sensor is by the iSight camera, not the speaker grills?

 

[aristobrat]

I believe the sensor is by the iSight camera, not the speaker grills?

Unibody models = by iSight. Prior models = by speaker grills.

 

[Gryfon19]

Have any of you found the illuminated keyboard wonky when using Windows (Boot Camp or virtualization)? Mine has a tendency to come on so I turn it all the way down, but it then glow off and on periodically; which is annoying because it kills the battery and I have to repeatedly hit F5 to get it to turn off.

 

[iLog.Genius]

Have any of you found the illuminated keyboard wonky when using Windows (Boot Camp or virtualization)? Mine has a tendency to come on so I turn it all the way down, but it then glow off and on periodically; which is annoying because it kills the battery and I have to repeatedly hit F5 to get it to turn off.

Nope. Try reinstalling the drivers off the install DVD again.

 

[Ariaray]

I believe the sensor is by the iSight camera, not the speaker grills?

My 2010 (troubled child) macbookpro backlight use to be in my control until an update or after a motherboard replacement I'm not sure which, it thinks it's bright enough but I don't..

Thank you, I tried it & tis isight, this was driving me crazy!

 

[LeeM]

That's normal. You shouldn't be able to turn on the backlight when the room is brightly lit. The backlight will only come on if the sensor feels that the lighting is poor. Don't worry about it, it is not a defect.

completely wrong.

go to keyboard in system preferences, uncheck "adjust keyboard brightness in low light" its all manual then.

 

[papet88]

Unibody models = by iSight. Prior models = by speaker grills.

The light sensor is on the left of iSight camera. Specular to the green led. You can just about see it in this image http://iamshanan.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/img_7796_1.jpg