Keyboard backlight settings query (MacBook Pro 2011)

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Level 1

59 points

Keyboard backlight settings query (MacBook Pro 2011)

Recently, I've noticed that the system preferences for the keyboard backlight settings only seem to be partially working on my Mac Book Pro 2011. This might be since I updated to 10.7.4 or applied the firmware update EFI 2.7; I can't say which since I did the two close together. The keyboard still lights up and the slider that sets the time-out for illumination still works as do the F5 and F6 keys to dim and brighten the light. However, the preference setting seem to completely ignore the tick box to select whether you want the illumination function on or off. Has anyone else had this problem or is it just me?

Posted on Jun 30, 2012 12:43 PM

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Answer 1

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dominic23

Level 10

83,910 points

Jun 30, 2012 1:08 PM in response to Peter_M

I do not know why this happens.

For:

The keyboard backlight appears to behave incorrectly (on Mac computers that have this feature).

Reset SMC. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964

Choose the method for:

"Resetting SMC on portables with a battery you should not remove on your own".

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Answer 2

Peter_M Author

Level 1

59 points

Jul 1, 2012 11:52 AM in response to dominic23

Thanks for your suggestion dominic23. I think my system might have been working correctly all along. After a bit of experimentation with the backlight settings I have found the following:

The tick box in the keyboard preferences is labelled "Automatically illuminate keyboard in low light".
If the tick box is unchecked the keyboard illuminates at all times, no matter how bright the ambient light is.
You can dim the keyboard or make it brighter with the F5 and F6 keys respectively. Setting the level to zero effectively turns it off.
If the tick box is checked then when you shine a bright light at the sensor (which is near the camera) the keyboard illumination automatically shuts off whilst the light is present.

So things seem to be working OK, if somewhat counter-intuitively.

It might be just me but I think it would have made more sense if Apple had labelled the tick box "Automatically turn off keyboard illumination in bright light".

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