No keyboard backlighting

Question

I have bought an MS-industral Fusion keyboard.The keyboard supports backlighting and I have tested it on my friends Windows 7 and it worked.I am using Ubuntu 14.10 and backlighting does not work.All the multimedia keys do work.

Backlighting control is actually on the same key as scroll lock and that also does not seem to work.

The only reason I bought this keyboard is because of backlighting.It is helpful for late night programming,gaming and text writing sessions.

Edit: I tested it on Openmandriva and Kali Linux right now and it does not work. I also tested it on the alpha/beta Ubuntu desktop next with unity8(15.04) and it worked.When I pressed the button it also activated scroll lock.So maybe if we fix scroll lock.

Edit2:It also works during boot time all the way until the login screen appears. Ediit3:It also works during shutdown.However I noticed if I use it during boot or shutdown it can hang the whole system.

score 14 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 08 '17 at 10:36

14

Open Terminal then type:

xset led

enter, and see the magical happen!

answered Mar 08 '17 at 10:36

arif ardiansyah

419
4
6

1

for turn off keyboard backlight, just type "xset led off" on terminal ubuntu – arif ardiansyah Mar 09 '17 at 02:07
thx great ! (worth an alias in bashrc) – mikakun Mar 20 '17 at 09:15
2

actually xset led is disabling numpad on my keyboard -> xset led 3 it is in my case at least – mikakun Mar 20 '17 at 09:33
@mikakun: oh, thanks, I just figure it out, xset led 3 turn on my keyboard backlight and my numpad working perfectly, thanks – arif ardiansyah Mar 21 '17 at 07:32
1

"xset led" turned my numpad into a joystick!! – m4l490n Jul 31 '17 at 20:26

score 5 · Answer 2 · edited Jun 03 '16 at 21:22

5

Run this command in termial (ctrl+alt+t):

xmodmap -e 'add mod3 = Scroll_Lock'

However, you have to do that each time you open a session.

Therefore, I suggest you define this command as a startup application, so that it's run automatically upon login :)

edited Jun 03 '16 at 21:22

You'reAGitForNotUsingGit

14,809

answered Jun 03 '16 at 21:18

Dmo

51

THE BEST! Works as a switch! + does NOT turn off the num lock! - perfect solution :) ! – jave.web May 18 '20 at 13:22
Strange thing - even though all the keys seem to work in a "regular" places, like browser, file explorer, etc., they are not working in a video player x) guess that's a minor issue though – jave.web May 21 '20 at 07:57

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Jul 04 '22 at 02:05

0

For my Lenovo Thinkpad using Ubuntu 20.04 and Ubuntu 22.04 , just use Fn+Space to toggle keyboard backlight.

answered Jul 04 '22 at 02:05

Muhammad Dyas Yaskur

517

score -1 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 08 '22 at 17:56

-1

xset led named "Scroll Lock" to turn on

xset -led named "Scroll Lock" to turn off

answered Mar 08 '22 at 17:56

Johan Adrián

1

score -1 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 18 '15 at 13:12

-1

I found my answer here in this link: https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/262205

answered Feb 18 '15 at 13:12

Mario Kamenjak

1,043
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that's a link not an answer – mikakun Sep 19 '18 at 08:23
1

Please do not post answers depending on external links. Put the relevant part into your answer (or post the link as a comment to the question if you have enough reputation). See [answer] for details. – Melebius Oct 22 '18 at 14:01

No keyboard backlighting

5 Answers5

Linked