Dell laptop keyboard backlight control & timer [solved – ControlPoint download]
Q. I recently did a clean install of Windows 7 on my Dell laptop. I love the fresh and clean feel, but I can’t find where to adjust the duration on my keyboard backlight. Can you help?!
A. Sure! Backlit keyboards are one of my favorite options on Dell laptops. My previous Dell M4400 had a nice one and now my Dell M6500 (pictured has one too). I will hardly purchase a laptop unless it has a backlit keyboard, they are SO nice for night time or other low-light environments.
But, back to your question! You simply need to install the “Dell System Manager” portion of the Dell “Control Point” driver download.
Download links:
Here is the Dell download link, once the page loads expand the “ControlPoint” listing and then look for the “ControlPoint System Manager” driver download.
By default the driver will expand to:
C:\dell\drivers\R279622
Again, here is the OFFICIAL Dell Download Link (support.dell.com)
Sometimes Dell changes their download locations, so here is a local mirror for your convenience:
(download id=”4″) [temporarily disabled, sorry!]
Driver details:
Here is the version info:
Title : ControlPoint:Dell ControlPoint System Manager Application
Version : A16
OEM Name : Dell
OEM Ver : 1.5.00000
Computers : Latitude – E6400 ATG, E6500, E4300, E4200, E6400, E5400, XT2, E5500, Z600, XFR E6400, E5400, XT2 XFR, E6410, E5510, E4310, E6410 ATG, E5410, E6510;
Precision – M4500, M6500, T7500, T5500, T3500, M6400, M2400, M4400
Oses : Windows 7 64-bit Home Premium, Windows 7 64-bit Professional, Windows 7 64-bit Ultimate, Windows Vista 64-bit BusinessWindows Vista 64-bit Home PremiumWindows Vista 64-bit Ultimate
Languages : Arabic, Bahasa Indonesia, Bahasa Indonesian, Basque, Brazilian Portuguese, Bulgarian, Chinese, Chinese Hong Kong, Chinese-S, Chinese-T, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, English (UK), Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Iberian Portuguese, Italian, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Pan-Euro, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Serbian Latin, Slovakian, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian
Created : Thu Sep 2 23:27:34 CDT 2010
And the readme as well:
******************************
* Dell System Manager Readme *
******************************
Version:
Dell System Manager 1.5.00000
Changes from previous release:
– Removal of Dell ControlPoint Launcher: There is no longer a launcher page where the System Manager pillars (Power, System and Devices and Tablet) integrate into. The pillars can now be launched independently via the Start menu.
– Fixes for previously reported issues:
– Fix for not showing battery info for non Dell batteries
– Fix for Tablet Help file issues in Korean language
– Fix for cosmetic UI issues in Keyboard Backlighting
– Fix for not retaining the notification settings on upgrade
– Fix for issue where quick up/down arroow key usages in XT2 caused a Prnt Scrn command to be executed
– Changed description for Dell Power Plans to more meaningful ones
– Removed tablet Input mode options for Win7 OS (as features are available in the OS)
– Added option to allow specification of run time language during install time (to override native OS language)
Important Note:
– Even though the Dell ControlPoint Launcher / Framework has been removed, all the features / functions supported previously will still be available and functional via the independent System Manager pillars.
– The settings for notifications (Ambient Light Sensor, Brightness, Speaker Volume and Keyboard Backlighting) settings have been moved from HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Dell\DellControlPoint\DIS to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Dell\SysMgrExe\Preferences. The registry values for DlgDisablerALS,DlgDisablerKBD,DlgDisablerKBD and DlgDisablerVOL have been replaced with ShowAmbientLightSensorNotification,ShowKeyboardBacklightNotification,ShowBrightnessNotification and ShowVolumeNotification respectively.
– Notes to IT Admins can be found in the release package (called ITAdmins.HTML)
Conclusion
I hope this helps you out. I am a HUGE fan of Dell laptops, especially the Precision line, and I hope you get a lot of enjoyment out of your notebook. 🙂
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Looking for a way to permanently change the default setting (1 Min) for my Dell XPS17 (L701x) for the backlit keyboard. There is a Keyboard Backlighting Control Panel. Every start up, it’s defaulted to 1 minute so I have to change it every time. Dell support only reads what’s in their manual and there’s a fee for tech support for this topic. I believe somebody with Registry skills could come up with a solution. Thanks in advance.
Go to your Control Panel in the search bar at the top
right of page type in Windows Mobility Center. Click on it; in
next page click on the Keyboard Brightness Icon. Now your able
to change setting. Now I found this on my Dell Inspiron 15 so
I’m not sure if it’s the same for other’s but it’s worth a shot.
i just replaced a keyboard for a customer on a Dell Precision M6400, now he says when he tries to turn on the back light on the keyboard it flashes, as if it is trying to turn on but cant.. any idea? i have not looked at it yet, just wanted to gt an idea of what i am in for. thanks for your help!
Humm, that is very odd. Here is a link with a few tips you may want to try:
http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/laptop/f/3518/p/19326242/19946783.aspx
If that fails, here is a laundry list of things to potentially investigate, sorry for nothing more concrete!
Misc items:
Was the old keyboard backlit and if so was the backlight working correctly on the old keyboard? It seems like this might be a hardware issue? Is the keyboard connector fully seated/locked?
On the software see it may be worth checking to see: does the customer have the backlight duration set extremely low, or is their Dell backlight control software outdated? Latest BIOS installed? Any odd settings in power management or the BIOS? NOTE: I don’t think the illumination control
Finally, has the user powered the system completely off and on? Sometimes I’ve had Dell keyboard backlights go flaky until a full power cycle occured…
Sorry to not be of more help Michael, I have never encountered that before! If anyone else has tips/solutions please comment below, thanks 🙂
Not sure if possible, but can you take the dell xt2 tablet keyboard and swap out with xfr model w/ backlit keyboard? If so, I think I will replace it… IT guy here, so shouldn’t be a big issue – Just came across this blog today. Running Windows 8, so I don’t think this works yet – Thnaks!
Good question!
I don’t know for sure, but it looks like there is a good chance it would work. It sounds like you are already aware that many Dell models share keyboards and it is often simply a matter of taking out a non-backlit keyboard and replacing it with a backlit version (for example on the Dell M4400 series).
However, the wildcard here with your question is that the “xfr” model is their rugged line so I’m not sure if they share the same motherboard & connectors etc. as the regular XT2.
Thankfully, the keyboard connectors and mounting positions appear identical so the odds look good! Also if you are like me and find it hard to live without a backlit keyboard* the price is pretty low:
http://www.parts-people.com/index.php?action=item&id=9447
Roughly $45 dollars and you could always sell it on eBay if it didn’t work.
*NOTE: the backlit keyboard features rubberized keys which, while making it very rugged, may be significantly worse to touch type on 🙁 I’m not saying you shouldn’t try it… I’m just saying it is something to be aware of 🙂
My Dell Latitude E6500 comes with 3 keys that control the volume from the keyboard. A sliding panel bar used to pop up when I pressed the keys [volume up, volume down, and mute], but the panel has disappeared and I can no longer control the volume from the keyboard. Any suggestions for how to get the volume panel to come back using keystrokes?
Thanks!
Hi Patty,
Thank you for your comment. It sounds like it might be either:
(A) a software issue – related to the Dell Control Point utility that generally handles volume control / brightness etc.
(B) a hardware issue – if the volume control keys are experiencing issues
My first suggestion would be to check the Dell Control Point (or system utilities) installed on your system and see if there are any volume options you can adjust or an easy way to “turn on” the sliding panel bar.
If the software approach fails, you could also try pressing slightly harder on the volume buttons and/or checking to see if there has been any damage or physical change to those buttons that might be inhibiting their operation.
I hope these preliminary tips are helpful and if any of the other commenters have tips/suggestions please feel free to share.
Good luck Patty!
Best regards,
-JD
My DELL ATG E6400 has a keyboard error that refuses to display the keys “2,w,s,x” and sometimes “0,o,k,m” as well.
The odd thing is that sometimes they work without a problem.
Do you perhaps have any idea what may cause this?
Hi Andre,
Thank you for your comment.
It sounds like a hardware issue to me. 🙁 Have you tried cleaning the keyboard? Sometimes some compressed air applied to the afflicted area can help dislodge dust that can inhibit keystrokes (I had this issue on my Lenovo X220 and compressed air helped).
Beyond that, it is fairly easy to replace the keyboard on a M6500 if need be:
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/wsm6500/en/sm/TD_Keyboard.htm
Finally, if you Dell is still under warranty you could always have Dell service perform the repair.
I hope you find a solution to your keyboard issue and thank you again for your comment!
Best regards,
-JD
I used to have this problem with the Del, Ctrl and some other keys. Turned out it was a conflict of a macro program, I think Macro Pro and a proprietary software of the company I was working for. It seemed totally random though. Maybe you also have something running that causes the keys not to work…?
Holding down Fn + Right-arrow key fixed the problem on my Dell M6500 laptop.
Thanks.
Asteroid Invasion
Hi Don,
Thank you for your tip!
Best regards,
-JD
thanx for this info,
my laptop is dell E5420 and i have problem with ” ST micro Screen detection sensor”
and i have also unknown device ,
please advice me ,how i can resolve this problem .
regards,
alaa wardah
Hey Alaa, sorry for the late reply! The ST Micro screen detection sensor and the unknown device issue are separate from the keyboard backlight. Those are usually resolved by installing the Dell ST Microelectronics Free Fall Data Protection driver from Dell’s support site for your E5420. Search for your service tag at dell.com/support and look under the “Input” driver category. The unknown device in Device Manager will likely disappear once the correct sensor driver is installed.
Thanks for the info, helped me solve the back light problem on my m4400
Hi Texan,
Thank you for your nice comment, I am glad the info was helpful!
Have a great weekend,
-JD
The keyboard backlight timer control fix offered – worked! BIG THANKS!
No problem! I’m so glad that the tip helped. 👍
Have a great day!!
This is likely to cause a smile at least, JD? I accidentally knocked a small amount of ginger beer in a glass over my Latitude E6410 keyboard recently, but managed to at least rescue subsequently the sticky keys by removing the keyboard and carefully flushing it out with de-mineralised water, and subsequent drying with low temperature hair-dryer, before re-installing! The keyboard now seems to work OK once again, but in the calamity I have lost the keyboard back-light — surprise, surprise! I checked & tried the DCP hot keys to see if I could restore the back-light, as well as updating the driver, but no success to date. Is there any hope, do you know, of replacing the back-light or has it been lost forever?
Hey Brian, sorry for the late reply, and that is a stressful way to find out how water-resistant a keyboard isn’t! The good news is that physical cleaning saving the keys is the hard part. The backlight going out after a liquid incident usually means the backlight connector or the LED strip itself got damaged by the liquid even after drying. The ControlPoint driver won’t help if the hardware itself is the issue. If the Fn+F6 key sequence that normally cycles the backlight does nothing (no change in brightness, no flicker), that’s a sign the backlight hardware needs attention or the keyboard needs replacing. Replacement keyboards for the E6410 are inexpensive and readily available.
hi
i have dell vestro 1550,i have to know weather keyboard back light will work for this model.
Hey Narendra, sorry for the late reply! Whether the Vostro 1550 has a backlit keyboard depends on which configuration was purchased. Dell sold it both ways. The quickest way to check is to look at the keyboard itself in a dim room and see if there are small holes or translucent legends on the key caps. If there’s no backlight hardware physically in the unit, no driver will add it. If the keys do look like they should light up, then installing the Dell ControlPoint System Manager as described in the post is the right approach.
hy mere paas dell latitudee5430 i5 3d g… h kya esm keyboard light h ???
Hey Deepak, sorry for the late reply! Whether your Latitude E5430 has a backlit keyboard depends on the specific configuration. Check the keyboard in a dark room: if the key legends have small cutouts or look slightly translucent, the backlight hardware is present and you can enable it via Fn+F6 or by installing Dell ControlPoint System Manager. If the keys look solid and opaque, the backlight hardware isn’t there and can’t be enabled by software.
Hey Deepak, maafi ke saath late reply ke liye! Aapke Latitude E5430 mein backlit keyboard hai ya nahi, yeh aapke specific configuration par depend karta hai. Andheron mein keyboard ko check karein: agar key legends mein chhote openings ya translucent dikhta hai, to backlight hardware present hai aur aap use Fn+F6 ya Dell ControlPoint System Manager install karke enable kar sakte hain. Agar keys solid aur opaque lagte hain, to backlight hardware hai hi nahi.
This works on Dell’s Precision M4800.
Thank you for your comment, Caven.
I am glad this tip worked on your Dell M4800 to control the keyboard backlight 🙂
Have a great week!
-J.D.
I recently bought a dell latitude e5400 and don’t know how to enable the keyboard lights the light is one of my favorite options on Dell laptops. Please how can i do it?
Hey Robs, sorry for the late reply! First, check whether your E5400 actually has the backlight hardware: look at the keys in a dim room and see if the legends appear translucent or if there are small cutouts for light to pass through. If the hardware is there, the Fn+F6 shortcut should toggle it. If that doesn’t work, installing the Dell ControlPoint System Manager as described in the post is the next step. Keep in mind that the E5400 is an older model and Dell may not list ControlPoint for it, in which case searching for your exact service tag at dell.com/support will show the correct drivers for your unit.
can i upgrade a dell precision m6600 or a dell m4600 to a backlit keyboard?
Dear Glenn,
Thank you for your comment. YES, I believe you should be able to upgrade either laptop to a backlit keyboard. Normally you just swap out the old keyboard with the backlit keyboard and sometimes you have to connect one additional cable but there should be a spot on the motherboard for it.
NOTE: I am basing this on experience with similar Dell models that I have upgraded.
Best regards,
-J.D.
I bought a refurbished Dell M4800 laptop because it had backlit keys. I immediately dumped Windows 10 preload and loaded Linux Mint 20. Dell keyboard does not light without Dell DFEP patch and that apparently was only written for Windows. Where can I find a Linux alternative patch to turn on the keyboard lights?
Hey Rick, this is a real gap in Linux support for Dell keyboard backlights. The ControlPoint utility is Windows-only and there’s no official Dell equivalent for Linux. That said, on some Dell models the backlight state can be controlled via the sysfs interface at /sys/class/leds/ if the relevant kernel module loads. Check whether any Dell-related LED entries appear there with `ls /sys/class/leds/`. The `dell-laptop` kernel module and the `i8k` module are the relevant ones. The Dell Community forums also have threads specific to Linux backlight control on the M4800 that are worth searching, since someone may have already mapped out the exact approach for your model.