After a Lion upgrade, my 2009 MBP's backlit keyboard does not function.

Hraedon wrote:

The system seemingly does not even detect that a backlit keyboard is installed: there are no options in the keyboard preference pane that pertain to keyboard backlighting.

Just to confirm, you don't have this then, right?

You could try deleting this file; it's harmless, save that any system preferences you've set across the OS will return to default:

1. In Finder, click the 'Go' menu and hold down the option key.

2. Choose 'Library' (you must have the option key held down)

3. Navigate to 'Preferences > com.apple.systempreferences.plist

4. Drag it to Trash

5. Restart Lion

What happens now is that Lion will recreate this property list file to default settings. That may nor may not solve your problem, but its the first step to do before looking elsewhere.

Same issue with my 2009 MBP. Tried the above mentioned solution. It didn't work for me either. I'm going to call apple today about another issue, I'll ask about this at the same time and post a response/solution (if they have one).

I have exactly the same problem. Mid 2009 MBP, fine under Leopard, installed OS X and the Keyboard menu changed and I lost the menu option as per the screenshot. Tried resetting the SMC but no result.

Thanks for the Labtick suggestion. Just installed it and it works fine. Can't understand why a simple fix hasn't been included yet in an OS update, especially as new MacBook Airs are shipping with backlit keyboards and it's one of the main advertising points.

My 2007 MacBook Pro just experienced this snafu after I ran software update to upgrade teh latest Java. It worked fine until then.

If it weren't for the fact I have iPhone 4S I'd go back to Snow Leopard like yesterday.

I tried teh .plist removal and that did not work. Any suggestions?

I found an app called Labtick that restored my backlit keyboard functionality and put a little aqpplet on my menu bar with a slider so I can dim and brighten the backlit keyboard.

It is too bad that Apple's improvements to their OS caused built-in functionality on my MacBook Pro to go poof!

did you read the comments on the labtick app?

I haven't palyed with it much yet. I nistalled it and when I ran it the first time my backlit keyboard came to life.

I rarely use the backlit keyboard but it is annoying that it once worked in Lin and now it doesn't.

Labtick is not malware is it?

Labtick is not Malware. It works great. Hopefully Apple fixes this soon.

I pulled up the read me file for Lab Tick. It is just the basic disclosure and a warning about the use of a non-documented API. Oh well, it cannot get much worse than what Lion has done. And if it does, I'll jut go back to Snow Leopard and toss iCloud out the window.

Word to the wise:

Yes I have this problem a long time...through many upgrades.

MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2010), now on Yosemite 10.1.1

Just tried solution offered by Softwater (deleting "plist" file).

Two things:

1: Now called "com.apple.systemprefs.plist" instead of com.apple.systempreferences".plist"

2: when I tried dragging to trash as above I got error message #41 (i think) -- file not found.

I learned UNIX before any other OS, so only attempt this unless you really know what you are doing. Enable admin user if not already.

Use Terminal to get to the file and remove it:

cd /Volumes/MacIntosh\ HD/Library

Did not work for me anyway :-(

Will have to try that Labtick software

thanks