Apple launched the much-anticipated successor to the M1 MacBook Air at WWDC in June 2022. The M2 MacBook Air is slightly more powerful than its predecessor (except for the base model with 256GB SSD).
It received a complete revamp in terms of design and processor, and price. The design changes introduced the notch that existed on the M1 MacBook Pros, a new speaker layout, and MagSafe charging port.
Even though the battery life remained the same as the M1 MacBook Air, the extended function row makes for an excellent typing experience. But does the redesigned M2 MacBook Air has a backlit keyboard? Let’s find out.
Does M2 MacBook Air have Backlit Keyboard?
Apple added 12 full-height function keys and 4 arrow keys in an inverted-T arrangement on the M2 MacBook Air along with a Touch ID same as the ones on the M1/M2 MacBook Pros.
The keyboard on the M2 MacBook Air is spacious and the inclusion of the backlit option illuminates the keys to make them visible in low light. The ambient light sensor means the keyboard’s backlit option can be turned off depending on how much light the sensor detects.
Now that you know the keyboard is a backlit one, you may not want to have it always on as it will drain your battery life. Here’s how to turn off the keyboard light on MacBook Air M2 (or any MacBook running Intel, M1, or M2 chips).
Adjusting the backlighting of the M2 MacBook Air’s Keyboard
You can choose to turn off the backlighting period of inactivity. To do so:
Step 1: Click on the Apple menu located in the top left corner > System Settings, then tap on ‘Keyboard’ in the sidebar.
Step 2: Scroll down till you see a pop-up menu next to ‘Turn keyboard backlight off after inactivity’ on the right. Click on it and then choose a time.
You can also manually adjust keyboard backlighting or turn it off completely:
Step 1: Click on the Apple menu located in the top left corner > System Settings, then tap on ‘Keyboard’ in the sidebar.
Step 2: On the right, drag the ‘Keyboard brightness’ slider to adjust the brightness. To turn it off completely, drag it to the left.
How to adjust the brightness of the Backlit Keyboard on the M2 MacBook Air
Even with the full row of function keys, the M2 MacBook Air (or the M1 MacBook Air) doesn’t have a dedicated key to adjust the keyboard brightness. There’s a workaround that involves the Control Center.
Step 1: Go to System Settings and click on Control Center, located on the left side of the top menu bar, and scroll down to the ‘Keyboard Brightness’ section.
Step 2: Tap on the button next to the text ‘Show in Control Centre.’
Step 3: You can also click on the ‘Show in Menu Bar’ if your Mac’s Menu Bar is uncluttered.
Step 4: Now, click on the Control Centre icon on the Menu Bar and at the bottom where its interface ends, you’ll see a new button next to the Accessibility option.
Step 5: Click on the option to adjust the keyboard’s brightness.
For those with macOS Monterey and older, click on the Apple menu and go to System Preferences. Now click on Dock & Menu Bar and click on Keyboard Brightness. Select the option ‘Show in Menu Bar.’
FAQs
Can I change my M2 MacBook Air’s screen brightness using the keyboard?
Yes, you can change the M2 MacBook Air’s screen brightness using the keyboard by clicking on the brightness adjustment buttons with sun icons on the function row located on the top of the keyboard.
Why can’t my M2 MacBook Air automatically adjust its screen brightness?
If your M2 MacBook Air isn’t auto-adjust its screen brightness, it could be the ambient light sensor trying to save on battery power. To solve this issue, open System Settings and select Displays > Display Settings. Now change the ‘Automatically adjust brightness’ settings.
Do all MacBooks come with Backlit Keyboards?
Apple introduced the backlit keyboard with Apple PowerBook G4 in 2006 and since then, except for a few models, every MacBook includes the illuminated keyboard option, even the first-ever MacBook Air that debuted in 2008.
