MSI is a leading computer hardware manufacturer that produces laptops, desktops, monitors, motherboards, keyboards, and other computer accessories. In addition, MSI is known for its innovative gaming laptops and desktops equipped with powerful hardware and features.
The keyboard colour on an MSI laptop may vary depending on the model and make of the laptop. However, some tips on how to change the keyboard color on an MSI laptop include using the MSI Control Center software, downloading and installing a custom keyboard color scheme, or using the MSI Dragon Center software.
In this tech guide, we will go through all the possible steps you can do to change your MSI keyboard color.
How to turn on the keyboard color Backlight?
In this example, we’re using a GT76 9th Gen laptop and its inbuilt MSI keyboard.
1. To turn on the keyboard color backlight, visit the MSI official website. Then, click the search button, type in “GT76”, and press the [Enter] key to start searching.
2. Click on the specification of your product; in my case, I searched for “GT76”, so I will be clicking on its specification.
3. Check your laptop’s keyboard specification: Full-Color Backlight, Single Color Backlight or No Backlight.
- Full Color Backlight: Adjust color settings via SteelSeries Engine app
- Single Color Backlight: Only the brightness can be adjusted
- No Backlight: Does not support backlight function.
4. If your laptop supports a color backlight on the keyboard, press the backlight hotkey button to toggle on/off the color backlight (some models do not come with a hotkey button but can be activated via SteelSeries Engine / or MSI Center software. it May vary by Model).
How to setup or change keyboard backlight color in MSI keyboard?
Although all MSI laptops and keyboards have a different function for backlight color, all of them can be customized using the MSI’s SteelSeries Engine 3 keyboard color backlight software.
Time needed: 10 minutes
Follow the steps mentioned below to change MSI keyboard color backlight.
- Install the SteelSeries Engine 3 app
First, download and install the software on your computer. If you’re using Mac, click on Mac, or if you’re using Windows, click on the Windows option.
Follow the normal steps to install the software on your computer as you normally do and launch the app. - Make the software reorganize your keyboard
After launching the software, click on the “My GEAR” tab from the top bar navigation. You can see the devices attached and recognized by SteelSeries Engine 3 software as their own native devices. To access the advanced settings of your keyboard, click on the Settings option. - Login or Sign up
Before using the software, you need to log in with your SteelSeries account or if you don’t have one, then create a new one. To create or log into your account, click on the “User” icon next “Gear” icon at the top-right side of the software.
With a SteelSeries Engine account, you can sync your device settings to all your keyboards, mouse, and other peripherals, as it will store your settings in the cloud and automatically create a backup. - Open keyboard’s advanced settings
After logging in to your account, click on “My Gear” from the top-level navigation. Then click “MSI PER KEY RGB KEYBOARD” below to enter advanced settings. - Macro Editor in keyboard color settings
Macro Editor: SteelSeries has a dedicated macro manager that you can launch by hitting the button on top of the list of keys. And you can also save or remove macros. - Show and hide “View Options” in SteelSeires App
To show or hide Macro Editor, Configs, keybindings, and Keyboard Region in the SteelSeries Engine app. Click on the software’s checkboxes next to “View Options”, as displayed in the picture above.
- Keyboard color backlight mode settings
You can open the left profile list window and add or edit profiles. In addition, you can edit the binding application and keyboard light mode to start simultaneously.
Live Preview backlight color settings: To live preview the changes, you can enable it from the bottom “LIVE PREVIEW” option in the middle. Toggle it to turn it on or off. - MSI keyboard backlight color and mode adjustment
MSI X SteelSeries keyboard supports single and multiple key color settings. You can customize or change them from the left-side color setting area to your taste.
- MSI single keys color settings
In the left color setting area, you can select a single key for color setting and change the color as you like.
- MSI multiple keys color settings
To set up multiple keys color, you can simultaneously select multiple keys or areas for color settings, as shown in the picture above. - MSI “Drain Mode” backlight color settings
MSI keyboard settings in the SteelSeries Engine app come with several predefined templates. For example, to change your keyboard lightning in Drain Mode. Next, click “Drain” from the left-side right “TEMPLATES” panel. In Drain Mode, the keyboard backlight repeats the gradient from side to side.
- Freeway backlight color mode
In “Freeway Mode”, The keyboard backlight is irregular, and the color is randomly flashing. There are several other predefined modes which you can check in the template menu or see below to see how all color modes work in MSI keyboard X SteelSeries.
Types of backlight color mode in MSI keyboard
Although, there are several different predefined backlight color modes in the MSI keyboard. However, I will show you the six most-used RGB modes in this article.
- Gold splash Mode: Keyboard golden backlight repeats from the middle to the sides.
- Plain Mode: Keyboard yellow backlight is always bright.
- Rainbow Split Mode: Multiple color backlights, gradual from the middle to the sides.
- Audio Mode: The keyboard backlight will flash in different colors as the music played by the device. This function requires more than 30% of the volume to be effective.
- Freeway Mode: The keyboard backlight is irregular and the color is randomly flashing.
- Drain Mode: Keyboard backlight repeats gradient from side to side.
Common questions about MSI keyboard backlightning
If the backlight is enabled by using the hotkey button or the software, but the keyboard backlight still does not respond to your input, press the “Fn” and numpad “-” function keys to increase the keyboard brightness and check again.
Disable Super Battery Mode in the MSI creator centre app. First, click on the home icon, then the User Scenario, and lastly, select the balanced profile.
Make sure Super Battery mode is turned off because the MSI keyboard backlight doesn’t work if you’ve enabled the Super Batter mode. To turn it off, use the MSI Dragon Center app. Click on User Scenario from the left-side menu, click on balanced profile in User Scenario, and try to turn it on again.
To turn off Super Battery mode in MSI Center app, click on the stats icon in the left-side navigation and select a balanced profile. Then try turning your backlight again.
