Key Takeaways
- Apple has brought back the glowing logo on the lid of the new 14- and 16-inch PROLED XDR MacBook Pro models after an 11-year hiatus.
- Unlike older models that used the LCD backlight, the new MacBook Pro uses a dedicated LED light source embedded into the lid and controlled by macOS.
- The logo's brightness automatically adjusts depending on the screen brightness and ambient light.
Apple’s new line of PROLED XDR MacBook Pro models has brought back the glowing logo on the lid after 11 years of hiatus. This feature will be available on the 14- and 16-inch variants of the laptop. The logo comes to life as soon as you turn on the device and goes to sleep when you power it off. There are no native tools to control its behaviour, but you can toggle it on and off using Terminal commands. Here’s how you can turn off the glowing logo on your MacBook Pro.
In This Article
Here’s what’s new with the backlit Apple logo
The illuminated Apple logo was introduced in 1999 on the PowerBook G3. It was carried forward to the MacBook, where it found itself a spot on the lid until 2015. After 11 years, the backlit logo is back on the new PROLED XDR MacBook Pro. However, unlike the previous models, it doesn’t have the option to use the backlight of the LCD panel to illuminate itself.
Since OLED panels are lit up by individual pixels, the cutout mechanism for the Apple logo doesn’t really work for illumination. To get around this issue, Apple has created a dedicated LED light source for the logo. It is embedded into the lid and is controlled by macOS. It automatically adjusts its brightness depending on the screen brightness and the ambient light.
Turn off your MacBook Pro’s glowing logo using this command
- Go to Applications and select the Utilities folder.
- Launch the Terminal app.
- Enter the following command: ‘sudo defaults write com.apple.CoreBrightness LEBacklightMode -int 0’.
- Enter the administrator password.
- Hit Enter.
The backlight will be turned off. To bring it back, enter the following command:
‘sudo defaults delete com.apple.CoreBrightness LEBacklightMode’.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does the MacBook come with a backlit Apple logo?
The new 14-inch and 16-inch PROLED XDR models have a glowing Apple logo on the lid.
Can I adjust the brightness of the glowing Apple logo on my MacBook?
No, your MacBook automatically adjusts the brightness of the backlit logo, synchronising it with the screen brightness and ambient lighting.
Is there a way to completely turn off the backlighting on my MacBook Pro?
Go to Terminal and enter ‘sudo defaults write com.apple.CoreBrightness LEBacklightMode -int 0’ to turn off your MacBook Pro’s backlight.
How do I turn on the backlight after I’ve turned it off?
Enter the following command in the Terminal app to turn the backlight back on your MacBook Pro: ‘sudo defaults delete com.apple.CoreBrightness LEBacklightMode’
Is there an app to control the glowing Apple logo on my MacBook Pro?
The Backglow app lets you customise the backlight on your MacBook Pro.
Read Also: How to send a Google Chrome tab to another device
Final Thoughts
For more customisations to the backlit logo, you’ll need a third-party app like Backglow for your MacBook Pro. It is available at an introductory price of $9 right now, which will soon be hiked to $15. The app gives you complete control over how the backlight behaves. You can sync it with the music playing on your laptop, make it display visual status updates, and a lot more.
