To turn on the keyboard light on an MSI Thin GF63, use the keyboard-backlight shortcut printed on your laptop’s function row. On many GF63 versions, that shortcut is Fn + F8; pressing it again may cycle through the available brightness settings or switch the light off. First check that your particular GF63 has a backlit keyboard, because not every configuration includes one.
You do not need a special app for the basic shortcut. The exact key and available lighting controls can vary by model, so use the symbol on your keyboard and the instructions for your full model number if the shortcut below does not match.
What You’ll Need
- An MSI Thin GF63 with a backlit keyboard. Look for a keyboard-light symbol on a function key, or confirm the feature in the specifications for your full laptop model.
- The laptop’s built-in keyboard. Test the shortcut on the laptop itself rather than an external USB or Bluetooth keyboard.
- Your full model or product number, if you need to look up the correct MSI manual. It is usually on a label on the underside of the laptop or shown in Windows system information.
Step-by-Step
- Check that your keyboard is meant to light up. Inspect the function row for a keycap with a small illuminated-keyboard symbol. The symbol may be subtle, so look closely at F8 and nearby keys. You can also search MSI’s support site for the laptop’s exact model number and open its specifications or user manual. A backlight is a hardware feature: if your specific configuration has a non-backlit keyboard, a shortcut or Windows setting cannot add one.
- Make sure the laptop is awake. Sign in to Windows and wait until the keyboard responds normally. If the computer is sleeping, press the power button briefly or use the touchpad to wake it. You do not need to open a lighting program first. For an initial test, connecting the original charger can rule out a very low battery or a power-related issue, although charging is not generally required to use the backlight.
- Find the backlight key for your keyboard layout. On many MSI Thin GF63 models, the keyboard-light control is on F8 and is used with the Fn key. Check the printed icon rather than relying only on the key number: models and regional layouts can differ. Do not confuse it with the screen-brightness controls, which change the display rather than the keys.
- Press Fn + the keyboard-light key. Hold down Fn, tap the key bearing the keyboard-light symbol once, and release both. On many GF63 configurations this is Fn + F8. Look at the keys in a dim room to see whether the lighting has turned on. The backlight may be hard to notice under bright overhead lighting.
- Press the shortcut again if needed. Some versions use repeated presses to move through the available backlight states, such as off and one or more brightness levels. Tap the same shortcut a few times, pausing briefly between presses, and check the keyboard after each one. Do not assume every version has the same number of levels or colors; some keyboards offer only a single-color light and basic on/off or brightness control.
- If Fn + F8 does nothing, try the key as printed. Confirm that you used the key with the lighting symbol. Then try tapping that key without Fn, in case the function-key behavior on your setup is reversed or a function-lock setting is active. If this changes another feature instead, stop and return to the combination shown in the laptop’s manual. Avoid repeatedly trying unrelated function keys, since they can change display, audio, or other settings.
- Check whether the backlight is now visible. Look across the whole keyboard, including the number row and edges. Some keyboard lighting is not very bright, and light-colored surroundings can make it appear weaker. If the keys remain dark but the keyboard types normally, go through the troubleshooting checks below before installing software or changing system settings.
- Use MSI’s model-specific documentation if the shortcut differs. Enter the complete model number on MSI’s official support page and consult the manual or keyboard hotkey information for that exact unit. If MSI provides a control utility for your model, use its official download and check whether it actually lists keyboard-light controls. Do not assume an RGB-control app will work: a single-color backlight does not necessarily support color customization.
Common Mistakes
- Assuming every GF63 has a backlight. The GF63 name covers different configurations. Some may have a backlit keyboard while others may not. Check the exact product specification before treating a dark keyboard as a fault.
- Using the wrong function key. F8 is a common backlight shortcut on this family, but the icon and model manual are better guides than a shortcut copied from another MSI laptop.
- Changing screen brightness instead. A display-brightness symbol affects the laptop screen. It will not illuminate the keys. Look specifically for a keyboard or light symbol.
- Expecting RGB effects or a color menu. A keyboard that lights up is not necessarily an RGB keyboard. If the unit has a single-color backlight, cycling the shortcut may only change brightness or turn the light on and off.
- Installing unofficial keyboard utilities. Third-party tools may not support the hardware and can create extra problems. Start with the built-in shortcut and MSI’s support information for the exact model.
- Pressing Fn shortcuts at random. Other function keys can change airplane mode, volume, display output, or other laptop settings. Check the icons and restore any setting you changed unintentionally.
Tips
- Test the shortcut in a dim room. A low-level backlight can be difficult to see in daylight, especially if you are looking at the keyboard from an angle.
- Use the complete model identifier when searching for a manual, not just “GF63.” Similar-looking laptops can have different keyboards, hotkeys, and included features.
- If you use an external keyboard, check that keyboard’s own backlight control. The laptop’s Fn shortcut normally controls the built-in keyboard, not a separate peripheral.
- Remember which state the shortcut leaves the backlight in. If it was switched off, tap the correct shortcut again rather than changing Windows display or power settings.
- Prefer MSI’s official support downloads for your exact product. Install a utility only when the model’s documentation calls for it; the keyboard shortcut is the first thing to try.
Troubleshooting
The shortcut does not work. Recheck the keyboard-light icon and the model’s manual. Try Fn with the marked key, then try the marked key alone once. If the key is also used for a standard F-key function, your function-lock behavior may affect which action occurs. Restart Windows and test again after signing in. If other Fn shortcuts also fail, consult the manual or MSI support for the correct hotkey behavior rather than changing BIOS settings at random.
The keyboard types, but no light appears. First confirm that the exact configuration includes a backlight; this is the most important check. Cycle the documented light shortcut in a darker room, and connect the charger for a test if the battery is nearly empty. If the manual confirms a backlit keyboard and the feature still does not respond, check MSI’s official support page for the model’s recommended system or hotkey utility. Install or update only software listed for that model, then restart and test again.
Some lighting states work but the keyboard stays dark afterward. Press the documented shortcut again, pausing briefly between presses. You may have cycled to the off state. Verify the change in a dim room, and avoid assuming that a dim level is a different color or a hardware failure.
The keyboard-light icon is missing. Look up the full product number on MSI’s support site and check its specification sheet or manual. A missing icon alone is not definitive, but if the official specifications identify the keyboard as non-backlit, software cannot enable illumination. If the unit is supposed to have a backlight, contact MSI support or the retailer with the product number and a description of what you tried.
The backlight stopped working after an update or repair. Restart the laptop and verify the shortcut and model specification first. If the problem began after a service visit, a keyboard replacement, or a system change, tell MSI support exactly what changed. Do not open the laptop, disconnect internal parts, flash a BIOS, or use an undocumented reset procedure just to test the light; those steps can create additional problems and should follow model-specific guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the keyboard-light shortcut on an MSI Thin GF63?
On many models it is Fn + F8, but check the keyboard-light symbol and the manual for your exact GF63. The shortcut can differ with model or keyboard layout.
Can I turn on the light from Windows Settings?
Usually, the built-in function-key shortcut is the direct control. Windows does not add a backlight to a keyboard that lacks the hardware, and a separate MSI utility is useful only if it supports your exact model.
Can I change the color of the GF63 keyboard light?
Only if the particular keyboard supports color control. A single-color backlit keyboard cannot be changed to other colors through software; check your model’s specification to see what lighting features it has.
Why does Fn + F8 change something else?
The F-key assignment can vary, or the laptop may be using a different function-key mode. Check the icon on the key and your model’s manual, and use the combination it specifies rather than experimenting with unrelated keys.
Can I add a keyboard light if my GF63 has a non-backlit keyboard?
No shortcut, driver, or Windows setting can enable a feature the keyboard hardware does not have. An external illuminated keyboard is a practical alternative. Internal hardware changes should be discussed with MSI support or a qualified repair provider.
Do I need MSI Center to switch the light on?
Not for the basic shortcut on models with a supported backlight control. Check the documentation for your exact laptop before installing or changing a utility; not every GF63 lighting feature is controlled through an app.