Better Backlight aims to improve the keyboard backlight control on Linux systems.
It automatically disables the keyboard backlight after a period of inactivity and restores it when the user interacts with the keyboard.
It respects user preferences. If the user disabled the keyboard backlight, Better Backlight will not enable it automatically. If the user set a specific brightness level, Better Backlight will not go beyond that level.
- Automatic keyboard backlight control.
- Automatic detection of supported backlit keyboard devices.
The service listens to input device events through the evdev interface. When user activity is detected, the service
enables the keyboard backlight through sysfs led management interface.
If no user activity is detected for a period of time, the service disables the keyboard backlight.
The service is provided as RPM/DEB packages. The latest release can be found in the Releases page.
To install the package, run the following command:
wget https://github.com/mora9715/better-backlight/releases/latest/download/better-backlight-<version>.deb
sudo apt install ./better-backlight-<version>.rpmwget https://github.com/mora9715/better-backlight/releases/latest/download/better-backlight-<version>.rpm
sudo dnf install ./better-backlight-<version>.rpmAfter installing, you can manage the service using systemctl:
sudo systemctl enable better-backlight # Enable service at boot
sudo systemctl start better-backlight # Start service immediately
sudo systemctl status better-backlight # Check current statusThe configuration file is located at /etc/better-backlight.conf.
- Modify the configuration:
sudo nano /etc/better-backlight.conf- Restart the service:
sudo systemctl restart better-backlightA sample configuration file with detailed descriptions can be found here.
If the service is not working as expected, you can check the logs for more information:
journalctl -u better-backlight
# OR
tail -f /var/log/better-backlight.logThe following features are planned for the first stable release:
| Item | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Configuration | Add configuration file to allow users to customize the behavior | ✅ |
| Debian Packaging | Configure .deb packages building for easier installation | ✅ |
| Tests | Add unit tests to ensure the service works as expected | ✅ |
| Power Management | Add ability to keep the backlight enabled when the system is on AC power | ❌ |
| Security Hardening | Add SELinux and/or AppArmor policies for enhanced security | ❌ |