---
name: "backlight"
section: "9"
platform: "freebsd"
package: "base"
version: "16.0-CURRENT-20261027-61c70dc16a79"
release: "FreeBSD 16.0-CURRENT (2026-10-27)"
platforms: ["freebsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/backlight/9"
---

# backlight(9)

BACKLIGHT methods

## NAME

**backlight**, **backlight\_register**, **backlight\_destroy**, **BACKLIGHT\_GET\_STATUS**, **BACKLIGHT\_SET\_STATUS** – BACKLIGHT methods

## SYNOPSIS

**device backlight**

**#include \<backlight\_if.h\>**

**#include \<sys/sys/backlight.h\>**

*int*\

**BACKLIGHT\_GET\_STATUS**(*device\_t bus*, *struct backlight\_props \*props*);

*int*\

**BACKLIGHT\_SET\_STATUS**(*device\_t bus*, *struct backlight\_props \*props*);

*struct* *cdev* *\**\

**backlight\_register**(*const char \*name*, *device\_t dev*);

*int*\

**backlight\_destroy**(*struct cdev \*cdev*);

## DESCRIPTION

The backlight driver provides a generic way for handling a panel backlight.

Drivers for backlight system register themselves globally using the **backlight\_register**() function. They must define two methods, **BACKLIGHT\_GET\_STATUS**() which is used to query the current brightness level and **BACKLIGHT\_SET\_STATUS**() which is used to update it.

## INTERFACE

- **BACKLIGHT\_GET\_STATUS**(*device\_t bus*, *struct backlight\_props \*props*)

  Driver fills the current brightless level and the optional supported levels.

- **BACKLIGHT\_SET\_STATUS**(*device\_t bus*, *struct backlight\_props \*props*)

  Driver update the backlight level based on the brightness member of the props struct.

## FILES

- */dev/backlight/\**

  ## SEE ALSO

[backlight(8)](/backlight/8.md)

## HISTORY

The **backlight** interface first appear in FreeBSD 13.0. The **backlight** driver and manual page was written by Emmanuel Vadot ⟨*manu@FreeBSD.org*⟩.