Using VIA to Adjust Keyboard Backlight Effects and Colors (QMK Firmware)

How to change your keyboard backlight colors and effects using VIA. I demonstrate using a Keychron Q2 Max but this works for any keyboard that can run open-source QMK firmware (quite a few can).

Popular brands that ship with QMK installed include Keychron, NuPhy and KBDFans. Using VIA is much quicker than manually reflashing your keyboard every time you want to make a backlight change.

📋 Table of Contents:

Intro: 00:00
What is QMK?: 00:17
What is VIA?: 00:27
Compatibility: 01:00
Connecting to VIA: 01:12
JSON definitions: 01:38
Adjusting backlights: 02:15

🔗 Links Mentioned:

VIA:

QMK:

Keychron Firmware:

Keychron Backlight Shortcuts (Q2):

💻 More Tips and Tutorials

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☎️ Get in Contact with Me

🎥 Behind the Scenes

#QMKFirmware #KeyboardCustomization #VIAConfigurator

[chardinson]

Well explained, I can do it on my keyboard, thank you.

[bryangofficiel]

Hi i cant see the light bulb icon. What should i do ?

[solusfides]

I'm in search of how to do per-key color assignments in VIA. searching for this across youtube and google seems to not produce many results. U can haz halp?

[dullohst]

i cant see the light bulb icon, keyboard kbd67 r4

[zoenightshade]

Will Keychron JSON file work for my KBD?

[MikailIqmal]

Great guide but I can't find the lightbulb icon, I'm using the GMK81. Is there a fix for that?

[ICY_rust]

anyone know where to get the keymap for akko keyboards?

[Jaads]

thanks for the nice video! which headset do you use there? the microphone sounds very nice!

[jsr]

Hi Anson, I have a HP EliteBook Folio 1040 G3 laptop and was wondering if i can change the keyboard backlight color using QMK

[slasherFTK]

hello i dont have any of those effects
on my nk65

[RolanMartSasongko]

can i change the RGB color effects into White only color effect?

[ItsameDio]

is there a way to set individual colors? or even set up a wave with just 3 colors?

[elmariachi]

Thanks. Sadly after trying VIA seems to be useless garbage! Just a more complicated way to choose between the presets that you can access using the keyboard's hotkeys anyway. I expected I could add own lighting patterns there, like for example a simple static WASD lighting, which is why I bought a per-key RGB keyboard at first ...
Only choosing between alredy existing presets? That's like a remote controlled car with a long cable! That is the worst present you could make a kid ever!

What is this 'feature' good for in it's current state? I hope the new open source project you mentioned will be able to do more.

[GAMER_CHASE]

no i was searching for surface pro 8 attachtable keayboard backlight colour chnager and sry no you cant set indivaul key colour you need chromo something blah blah blah for that