Windows 11 Dynamic Lighting: Control RGB Devices in Settings
Windows 11 Dynamic Lighting can control compatible RGB devices from Settings. Check support and updates, then match your accent colour or choose a custom one.
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A keyboard and mouse can both have RGB lighting and still show different colours. If you want a shared colour or a match for your Windows accent colour, Dynamic Lighting puts those controls in Windows Settings for compatible devices. This documentation-based guide covers Microsoft’s Windows 11 instructions available by November 2023; it does not test every peripheral model.
Compatibility is the catch. Microsoft says Dynamic Lighting works with lighting devices that implement the open HID LampArray standard. An RGB label on a product box does not guarantee that Windows will recognise the device.
Microsoft listed Dynamic Lighting as generally available in its September 2023 Windows 11 feature update . The 31 October 2023 KB5031455 preview update notes document the Settings page and its basic colour controls.
Check Windows and your device first
Open Settings > Windows Update and install the updates offered for your PC. Microsoft’s 31 October 2023 KB5031455 preview update includes Dynamic Lighting. Windows 11, version 23H2 also began rolling out that day. Eligible PCs on version 22H2 can check for the new feature update by turning on “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” in Windows Update and selecting “Check for updates.” Microsoft notes that it may delay an update if it detects a compatibility issue, so version 23H2 might not appear for every PC at once. See Microsoft’s Windows 11 2023 Update rollout instructions .
If you already have the feature, go to Settings > Personalization > Dynamic Lighting.
Next, confirm that your exact keyboard, mouse or other accessory is supported. Microsoft’s October update notes link to its in-market device list and say compatible devices should use the latest firmware. The standard is narrower than “anything with RGB”: support depends on the device and its firmware. If your model is not listed or the controls do not appear, check the manufacturer’s compatibility page before troubleshooting Windows.
Set a colour in Dynamic Lighting
- Open Settings > Personalization > Dynamic Lighting.
- Turn on “Use Dynamic Lighting on my devices” if it is off.
- Choose a device-specific control when you want to adjust one supported peripheral, or use controls that apply to all supported devices.
- Under “Effects,” turn on “Match my Windows accent color” or choose a custom colour.
Microsoft’s June 2023 Dynamic Lighting walkthrough describes both device-specific and all-device settings. The October release notes document accent-colour matching and a custom-colour option; they do not promise that every product-specific lighting effect is available in Windows.
Make one change at a time and check the device. For a simple shared colour, use the controls that apply to all supported devices. If only one peripheral needs a different setting, choose its device-specific controls.
If a game or lighting app changes the colour
Windows exposes foreground and background lighting controls for apps. Because Microsoft says apps can use these controls in the October update notes , an app with Dynamic Lighting support may affect what you see while it is running. If the colour changes when you open a game or a device utility, check that app’s lighting settings before resetting the Windows controls.
What Dynamic Lighting is good for
Dynamic Lighting is a sensible starting point when you want supported devices to share a custom colour or follow the Windows accent colour. For a particular per-key layout, a device-specific effect or a game profile, check whether the manufacturer’s utility still provides a control you need. Windows’ 2023 feature notes describe custom and accent colours, not feature parity with every device utility.
The useful test is simple: if Windows lists your device and the colour change reaches it, the built-in controls are doing the job you asked them to do. If the device is missing, check the update, model support and firmware before changing unrelated Windows settings.
Sources
- Dynamic Lighting in the Windows 11 feature update — Microsoft, 26 September 2023
- October 31, 2023—KB5031455 (OS Builds 22621.2506 and 22631.2506) Preview — Microsoft Support
- How to get the Windows 11 2023 Update — Microsoft, 31 October 2023
- Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23475 — Microsoft, 7 June 2023
