---
name: "waybar-backlight"
section: "5"
platform: "linux"
package: "waybar"
version: "0.15.0-3"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/waybar-backlight"
---

# waybar-backlight(5)

backlight module

## NAME

waybar - backlight module

## DESCRIPTION

The **backlight** module displays the current backlight level.

## CONFIGURATION

**interval**: \
 typeof: integer \
 default: 2 \
 The interval in which information gets polled.

**format**: \
 typeof: string \
 default: {percent}% \
 The format, how information should be displayed. On {} data gets inserted.

**max-length**: \
 typeof: integer \
 The maximum length in characters the module should display.

**min-length**: \
 typeof: integer \
 The minimum length in characters the module should accept.

**align**: \
 typeof: float \
 The alignment of the label within the module, where 0 is left-aligned and 1 is right-aligned. If the module is rotated, it will follow the flow of the text.

**justify**: \
 typeof: string \
 The alignment of the text within the module's label, allowing options 'left', 'right', or 'center' to define the positioning.

**rotate**: \
 typeof: integer \
 Positive value to rotate the text label (in 90 degree increments).

**states**: \
 typeof: object \
 A number of backlight states which get activated on certain brightness levels. See **[waybar-states(5)](/waybar-states/5.md)**.

**on-click**: \
 typeof: string \
 Command to execute when the module is clicked.

**on-click-middle**: \
 typeof: string \
 Command to execute when middle-clicked on the module using mouse scroll wheel.

**on-click-right**: \
 typeof: string \
 Command to execute when the module is right-clicked.

**on-update**: \
 typeof: string \
 Command to execute when the module is updated.

**on-scroll-up**: \
 typeof: string \
 Command to execute when performing a scroll up on the module. This replaces the default behaviour of brightness control.

**on-scroll-down**: \
 typeof: string

Command to execute when performing a scroll down on the module. This replaces the default behaviour of brightness control.

**smooth-scrolling-threshold**: \
 typeof: double

Threshold to be used when scrolling.

**reverse-scrolling**: \
 typeof: bool \
 Option to reverse the scroll direction.

**scroll-step**: \
 typeof: float \
 default: 1.0 \
 The speed at which to change the brightness when scrolling.

**min-brightness**: \
 typeof: double \
 default: 0.0 \
 The minimum brightness of the backlight.

**menu**: \
 typeof: string \
 Action that popups the menu.

**menu-file**: \
 typeof: string \
 Location of the menu descriptor file. There need to be an element of type

GtkMenu with id **menu**

**menu-actions**: \
 typeof: array \
 The actions corresponding to the buttons of the menu.

**expand**: \
 typeof: bool \
 default: false \
 Enables this module to consume all left over space dynamically.

## EXAMPLE:

```
"backlight": {
	"device": "intel_backlight",
	"format": "{percent}% {icon}",
	"format-icons": ["", ""]
}
```

## STYLE

- •

  **#backlight**