waybar-backlight(5) File Formats Manual waybar-backlight(5)

# [NAME](#NAME)

waybar - backlight module

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

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

# [CONFIGURATION](#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)**](/man/enterprise-packages/waybar/waybar-states.5).

**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:](#EXAMPLE:)

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

# [STYLE](#STYLE)

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**#backlight**

2026-10-30

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Document: waybar-backlight(5) from waybar 0.15.0-r2 (Chainguard OS)