ThinkLight

The ThinkLight is a little LED light integrated into the top edge of the display frame in the A, R, T and X ThinkPad models. It illuminates the ThinkPad's keyboard so that one can type in the dark without using an external light source. The ThinkLight can be controlled via the Fn-PageUp key combination or via ACPI on some of the newer models. Note that the ThinkLight is not available on the G series ThinkPads.

Linux Support

Controlling the ThinkLight with the keyboard works on all systems since it relies on the BIOS exclusively. Just press FnPageUp to toggle its state between on and off.

Software Control via ibm-acpi

Support for controlling the light with ACPI is provided by ibm-acpi. After installing it, a simple

# echo on > /proc/acpi/ibm/light

switches it on and a

# echo off > /proc/acpi/ibm/light

switches it off again.

This allows one to control the light in scripts. Unfortunately, no known ThinkPad comes with a light sensor (yet). ;)

GAIM notification

If you are using GAIM, the gaim-thinklight plugin will enable you to use the ThinkLight as an indicator for new messages. This depends on ibm-acpi.

Models featuring this Technology

• ThinkPad i Series 1460, i Series 1480, i Series 1482, i Series 1483, i Series 1492
• ThinkPad A20m, A20p, A21e, A21m, A21p, A22e, A22m, A22p, A30, A30p, A31, A31p, A275, A285, A475, A485
• ThinkPad Template:R14, Template:R15, R30, R31, R32, R40, R40e, R50, R50e, R50p, R51, R51e, R52, R60, R60e, R60i, R61, R61e, R61i, R400, R480, R490, R500, R580, R590
• ThinkPad T14, T14s, T15, T20, T21, T22, T23, T30, T40, T40p, T41, T41p, T42, T42p, T43, T43p, T60, T60p, T61, T61p, T400, T400s, T410, T410i, T410s, T410si, T420, T420i, T420s, T420si, T430, T430i, T430s, T430si, T430u, T431s, T440, T440s, T440p, T450, T450s, T460, T460s, T460p, T470, T470s, T470p, T480, T480s, T490, T490s, T495, T495s, T500, T510, T510i, T520, T520i, T530, T530i, T540p, T550, T560, T570, T580, T590
• ThinkPad X20, X21, X22, X23, X24, X30, X31, X32, X40, X41