Laptop screen backlight not working / No backlight

Question

how to fix my keyboard backlight that suddenly goes off while it was being used

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Answer 1

Hi Shamsudeen Idris,

Thanks for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A Forum. I understand that your laptop keyboard backlight suddenly turned off while you were using it and you’re looking for a way to restore it.

Please make sure you already tried the Q&A Assist steps. In addition, please try the following.

Before we proceed, I’d like to narrow this down a bit to better understand the scope:

1. Does the keyboard backlight turn on briefly during startup or stay off the entire time?
2. Are you using the built‑in laptop keyboard only, or do you also have an external keyboard connected?

In the meantime, you can try these steps:

1, Check keyboard backlight settings in Windows

• Open Settings
• Go to System and then Power and battery
• Look for any keyboard backlight or input device related options and ensure they are not disabled by power saving

2, Disable aggressive power saving for input devices

• Open Device Manager
• Expand Keyboards and Human Interface Devices
• For each listed keyboard or HID device, open Properties and check the Power Management tab
• Clear the option that allows the computer to turn off the device to save power, then restart the device

3, Update or reinstall keyboard related drivers

• In Device Manager, right‑click the built‑in keyboard device and select Uninstall device
• Restart the laptop and allow Windows to reinstall the driver automatically
• Then run Windows Update and install any optional driver updates

4, Check manufacturer utility or firmware control

• Some laptops control keyboard backlight through manufacturer software or BIOS settings
• Restart the device and enter BIOS/UEFI
• Look for keyboard backlight or illumination settings and ensure they are enabled

5, Test under a clean startup environment

• Perform a clean boot to rule out third‑party software disabling the backlight
• After booting, check whether the keyboard backlight stays on

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Answer 2

Windows does not have control over the keyboard backlight function, that is almost always controlled by a keyboard shortcut, I need some information about your laptop model to provide you with a solution.

Click your Start Button, then just type msinfo and press Enter, please provide a screenshot of the resulting System Information window.

Answer 3

Use these steps to restore a keyboard backlight that suddenly turns off:

1. Check the backlight hotkey
   • On many newer Surface devices, the F5 key cycles through four keyboard backlight levels (off → low → medium → high → off).
   • Press F5 several times to see if the backlight comes back on.
   • If nothing happens, press Fn once to toggle Fn mode, then try F5 again (older models used F7 for backlight control).
2. Confirm the keyboard itself is working
   • Press Caps and Fn a few times and check if their LED indicators turn on and off.
   • If the LEDs do not light at all, there may be a hardware issue with the keyboard or its connection.
3. Test in UEFI (for Surface devices)
   • Shut down the device and wait 10 seconds.
   • Press and hold Volume Up, then press and release Power while still holding Volume Up.
   • Release Volume Up when the UEFI screen appears.
   • Use the arrow keys to move through the menu:
     • If the keys work here, the keyboard hardware is OK and the issue is likely with Windows or drivers.
     • If available, open the Devices menu, disable the keyboard/Type Cover port, exit UEFI, then re-enter UEFI and re-enable it to reinitialize the connection.
4. If the keyboard works in UEFI but not in Windows
   • The problem is likely software-related. Reset Windows while keeping files:
     1. In Windows, open Start, type reset, and select Reset this PC.
     2. Choose Reset this PC > Keep my files > Cloud download, then follow the prompts.
   • This reinstalls Windows, keeps personal files and built‑in apps, but removes installed apps, drivers, and custom settings.
5. If the backlight and LEDs never work
   • If the Caps/Fn LEDs and backlight never turn on in Windows or UEFI, the keyboard/Type Cover backlight or its connection may be faulty and may require service or replacement.

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References:

• Special keys and function keys for Surface Keyboards or Type Covers
• Troubleshoot Surface Pro Keyboard or Type Cover
• Backlit keyboard - Microsoft Q&A