How to Turn On or off Keyboard Backlight Dimming with Energy Saver in Windows 11

Keyboard backlight dimming in Windows 11 automatically lowers your keyboard lights to 70% brightness whenever Energy Saver runs, helping your laptop battery last longer. You can turn this battery-saving feature off completely or change the brightness level anywhere from 0% to 100% using the Settings ⚙️ app or the Windows Terminal command line.

Option 1Using Windows Settings

Windows Settings ⚙️ lets you manage windows 11 keyboard dimming when Energy Saver turns on. You can choose whether your keyboard backlight dims automatically to save battery life or stays bright while you work. Open Settings ⚙️ by pressing the Win+I on your keyboard. Click System on the left menu, and then click Power & battery on the right side to find your power options.

1. Open Settings. You can do this by pressing the Win+I on your keyboard.
2. On the left side, click on System. On the right side, click on Power & battery.
3. Click on Energy saver to see its options.
4. You will see an option called Lower keyboard brightness when using energy saver. Turn this on or off depending on what you want. By default, it is usually on.
5. You can now close the Settings ⚙️ window.

Option 2Using the Registry Editor (Advanced)

Registry Editor lets you control windows 11 keyboard dimming if the main Settings app ⚙️ does not give you the option. This built-in database stores low-level system settings that change how your hardware behaves when battery saver turns on. Be careful, because making mistakes in the registry can cause system problems. Open the Start menu ⊞, type regedit, and press Enter to open the tool.

This hidden setting automates dimming changes or helps when the main Settings app ⚙️ has problems. Adjusting this setting directly tells Windows whether to dim the keyboard light when Energy Saver is on.

The keyboard backlight behavior in Windows 11 changes when Energy Saver mode activates. The keyboard backlight will either dim or stay at its normal brightness. This dimming or brightness change depends on the specific setting the user chooses.

1. First, you need to open the Registry Editor. Press the Win+R, type regedit, and press Enter. You might need to click Yes if a User Account Control window pops up.
2. Navigate to the following location in the Registry Editor: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Personalization\Settings
3. In the right-hand pane, look for a value named BacklightEnergySaverEnabled.
4. To turn on dimming: Double-click on BacklightEnergySaverEnabled. Set the Value data to 1 and click OK.
5. To turn off dimming: Double-click on BacklightEnergySaverEnabled. Set the Value data to 0 and click OK.
6. Close the Registry Editor. The changes should take effect immediately.

Reference:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/customize/desktop/unattend/microsoft-windows-devices-lights-configuration-backlightenergysaverenabled

Summary

You can adjust this setting in the Windows Settings app, or for more advanced control, by modifying a value in the Registry Editor, a tool for editing system settings.