Midnight Keyboard
The first Mac utility that dims your MacBook keyboard backlight below the macOS minimum. Because even the lowest setting is too bright at 2 AM.
Free for three nights, then $7 once. For Apple Silicon MacBooks on macOS 14 or later.
Welcome to sub-minimum keyboard brightness.
What it does
Ten levels below the minimum
Where the macOS setting stops, Midnight Keyboard keeps going, down to barely lit.
Apple's own levels on the same slider
Off, the ten extra levels, and all sixteen macOS levels sit in order on one slider. The arrow keys step through them while it's open.
Off when your Mac sleeps
The backlight turns off when you close the lid or your Mac goes to sleep, and comes back at your level when you return.
Quiet in the menu bar
A small keycap icon, no account and no analytics. Holding your level takes next to no CPU.
Up and running in seconds
No configuration needed. Install, adjust, done.
- Download and install. Drag it to Applications. That's it.
- Click the menu bar icon. A small keycap icon appears in your menu bar. Click it to reveal the brightness slider.
- Slide below the minimum. Drag past the macOS limit and your keyboard dims to the level that suits you.
Questions
How does Midnight Keyboard work?
The keyboard backlight is driven by a PWM signal, and macOS won't set it lower than a fixed minimum. Midnight Keyboard sends carefully timed fade commands that hold the backlight at levels below that minimum, like easing a dimmer past a built-in stop.
Why does the backlight pulse slightly at the lowest levels?
macOS doesn't give apps direct control of the backlight, so Midnight Keyboard holds it between two hardware steps with timed fades. It can drift a step before the next correction lands, which can show as a faint pulse at the very lowest levels. One or two steps up usually settles it.
Which Macs does it work on?
Any Apple Silicon MacBook with a backlit keyboard, M1 through M5, Air and Pro, running macOS 14 Sonoma or later. Intel Macs aren't supported.
Will it drain my battery?
No. Holding a level takes next to no CPU, and a dimmer backlight uses slightly less power than the macOS minimum.
What happens to automatic keyboard brightness?
While Midnight Keyboard holds a level, it turns off automatic keyboard brightness so the light sensor can't undo your setting. You can turn it back on in System Settings, under Keyboard.
Can I use one license on more than one Mac?
Yes. One license covers two Macs.
Can I get a refund?
Yes. Email [email protected] within 14 days of buying and we'll refund you, no questions asked.
Something else? Email [email protected] and you'll hear back from the developer.
Ready for a better night mode?
No subscriptions, no accounts, no tracking. Just a better keyboard backlight.
Free for three nights, then $7 once. One license covers two Macs, and you can get a refund within 14 days.