Per key/layer RGB underglow for 25.11 by darknao · Pull Request #36 · moergo-sc/zmk

darknao · 2024-12-30T12:36:50Z

This adds per key / per layer RGB underglow configuration on top of 25.11.
It's mainly based on @valdur mod with additional changes to make it configurable via devicetree.

This supersedes #30.

It includes:

Valdur's RGB mod
Refactor, move configuration to devicetree, and some battery life optimization
feat(split): Increase split interval during idle #682 from ZMK upstream

How to use:
Full example on the Layout Editor here

To preserve battery life, I recommend enabling the ZMK_RGB_UNDERGLOW_AUTO_OFF_IDLE KConfig to automatically turn off underglow after ZMK_IDLE_TIMEOUT ms (default to 30 seconds).
From my limited experience, you can expect around one week of battery life with no RGB on the base layer.

Upstream PR: zmkfirmware#2752

helto4real · 2025-01-03T08:41:48Z

Thanks for your work on this. I tried your PR and everything seem to work with the Glorious Engrammer v40. I enjoy finally being able to set RGB values individually.

gillamkid · 2025-01-03T19:46:07Z

I tested using the Glove80 Layout Editor and was it worked for me! My layout can be seen here: https://dev.glove80.com/#/layout/user/6de3c382-9ced-4de8-a1a4-368b26e09d3f

Is this a feature that will make it into ZMK or Glove80 main or will it will it likely stay as a PR?

darknao · 2025-01-04T00:52:26Z

Is this a feature that will make it into ZMK or Glove80 main or will it will it likely stay as a PR?

My plan is to open a similar PR on ZMK, and see if I can work on getting it merged.
There are a few things that I need to clean up first, such as glove80-specific pieces of code, but I think I'm almost done with that.

darknao · 2025-01-04T22:31:59Z

The latest update introduces some breaking changes:

New format for the RGB binding: Underglow color is now set with &ug COLOR instead of just COLOR. This allows some advanced functionalities by using behavior, just like for keymap.
You can set underglow colors based on HID indicators such as NumLock, CapsLock & ScrollLock with the following behaviors:
- &ug_nl COLOR_OFF COLOR_ON set the RGB according to the NumLock state.
- &ug_cl COLOR_OFF COLOR_ON is for CapsLock.
- &ug_sl COLOR_OFF COLOR_ON is for ScrollLock.
~~The HID indicators require the CONFIG_ZMK_SPLIT_PERIPHERAL_HID_INDICATORS Kconfig set. Without it, only the left side can use them.~~ (That Kconfig is now set by default)
The old ______ (RGB off, 5 underscores) was renamed to ___ (3 underscores).

gillamkid · 2025-01-07T22:23:50Z

I used the latest pr36 rgb 20250106120812 version on the Glove80 Layout Editor today (with the new &ug way of doing things) and it worked for me!

This is my Layout: https://dev.glove80.com/#/layout/user/c458ddd6-cac3-4269-a578-a1d9cd506e94

dbosky · 2025-01-10T16:53:38Z

Did anybody try to enable HID_POINTING and EXPERIMENTAL_RGB_LAYER on Engrammer v40 with this FW? RGB works for me but for some reason mouse is not. I did factory reset.

darvelo · 2025-02-02T02:43:48Z

@darknao First of all thank you so much for this work. It makes knowing which layer I'm on with a single LED possible, which is crucial for my photoshop and blender work. I use no LEDs for the base layer and just one LED at half brightness for other layers.

For some reason this PR seems to result in faster battery drain than #30 with the same sleep and deep sleep settings that I had for #30, not sure why. Also there are some bugs like the light turning off and not coming back, or the magic layer lights turning on at random, that #30 didn't have. Maybe it's just me? Or maybe it's something in the firmware bump to 25.01?

darknao · 2025-02-02T16:25:01Z

I think it would be a good idea to ask on the MoErgo discord. It is much easier for me to track down those issues over there, and you can ask if anyone else has the same bugs.

The changes in this PR are pretty much the same as for #30, but they are based on an updated version of ZMK. It is possible that upstream changes affected battery life. So far, I haven't noticed a big change on my side: I was close to 17 days with PR30, and I think I'm very close to that with this PR.
I didn't notice any light turning off or the magic layer turning on at random, so not sure what could have caused that.

If you build your firmware with my.glove80.com, you might be interested in testing a new version of this firmware on dev.glove80.com. The one currently on dev fixes a few bugs including when using sleep mode.

darvelo · 2025-02-02T19:28:37Z

@darknao All right, thank you. It's possible some of the light stuff is user error and my keyboard is tucked under my tablet and tapping the toggle base layer switch without me noticing. I may have also just flashed it incorrectly so I'll try again.

gillamkid · 2025-02-05T00:06:58Z

+# Copyright (c) 2024, The ZMK Contributors
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+description: Set underglow for num lock indicator


inaccurate description. This file is more general and also used for the scroll-lock indicator and capslock indicator

gillamkid · 2025-02-05T00:16:48Z

+
+#include <dt-bindings/zmk/hid_indicators.h>
+
+/ {


Great work on this PR, I use it for every build :)

I would love it if there was also a behavior that makes so color is changed for the specified key if ctrl, shift, or alt is pressed

would also be great if I could make a key change color if the key itself is pressed

darvelo · 2025-02-05T00:36:37Z

Just for posterity, I think my battery drain and some other issues were just due to constant use of the keyboard while using Photoshop. I think this PR is great and very useful and helpful 👍🏽

raylau1234 · 2025-02-17T15:01:00Z

The latest update introduces some breaking changes:
...

&ug_cl COLOR_OFF COLOR_ON is for CapsLock.

This is super! Would be great if we can indicate CapsWord mode as well.

Greg-Bm · 2025-02-25T16:21:48Z

I found an issue where toggling rgb patterns throught the per key rgb layer can temporarily disable rgb on the right half. how to replicate:

use glorious engrammer firmware (I had per key rgb enabled, mouse keys enabled and BLE_CTLR_PHY_2M explicitly set to 'n')
enable rgb
cycle rgb mode to the per-key rgb layer
change rgb mode again. now the left half, but not the right half, should be lit.

IMG_4406.MOV

ror3d · 2025-04-19T23:52:32Z

~~I was trying this out but it doesn't seem to work for me~~
Actually I realized the issue, it is that you have to change the the proper underglow preset for it to activate, I was expecting it to work on top of the one I had selected which was solid colour.

petergaultney · 2025-07-15T14:52:51Z

I've been testing/using this for ~5 months and it's been great. I'd love to see this get integrated with the main branch.

basnijholt · 2025-10-24T16:05:48Z

+        pixel-lookup = <57>, <56>, <55>, <74>, <73>, <72>, <16>, <28>, <40>, <58>, <5>,  <17>, <29>, <41>,
+                    <59>, <75>, <6>,  <18>, <30>, <42>, <60>, <76>, <7>,  <19>, <31>, <43>, <61>, <77>,
+                    <8>,  <20>, <32>, <44>, <62>, <78>, <9>,  <21>, <33>, <45>, <63>, <79>;


Suggested change

pixel-lookup = <57>, <56>, <55>, <74>, <73>, <72>, <16>, <28>, <40>, <58>, <5>, <17>, <29>, <41>,

<59>, <75>, <6>, <18>, <30>, <42>, <60>, <76>, <7>, <19>, <31>, <43>, <61>, <77>,

<8>, <20>, <32>, <44>, <62>, <78>, <9>, <21>, <33>, <45>, <63>, <79>;

pixel-lookup = <57>, <56>, <55>, <74>, <73>, <72>, <16>, <28>, <40>, <58>, <5>, <17>, <29>, <41>,

<59>, <75>, <6>, <18>, <30>, <42>, <60>, <76>, <7>, <19>, <31>, <43>, <61>, <77>,

<8>, <20>, <32>, <44>, <62>, <78>, <9>, <21>, <33>, <45>, <63>, <79>;

The misalignment is triggering me 😂

basnijholt · 2025-10-24T16:06:03Z

+        pixel-lookup = <52>, <53>, <54>, <69>, <70>, <71>, <15>, <27>, <39>, <51>, <4>,  <14>, <26>, <38>,
+                    <50>, <68>, <3>,  <13>, <25>, <37>, <49>, <67>, <2>,  <12>, <24>, <36>, <48>, <66>,
+                    <1>,  <11>, <23>, <35>, <47>, <65>, <0>,  <10>, <22>, <34>, <46>, <64>;


Suggested change

pixel-lookup = <52>, <53>, <54>, <69>, <70>, <71>, <15>, <27>, <39>, <51>, <4>, <14>, <26>, <38>,

<50>, <68>, <3>, <13>, <25>, <37>, <49>, <67>, <2>, <12>, <24>, <36>, <48>, <66>,

<1>, <11>, <23>, <35>, <47>, <65>, <0>, <10>, <22>, <34>, <46>, <64>;

pixel-lookup = <52>, <53>, <54>, <69>, <70>, <71>, <15>, <27>, <39>, <51>, <4>, <14>, <26>, <38>,

<50>, <68>, <3>, <13>, <25>, <37>, <49>, <67>, <2>, <12>, <24>, <36>, <48>, <66>,

<1>, <11>, <23>, <35>, <47>, <65>, <0>, <10>, <22>, <34>, <46>, <64>;

basnijholt · 2025-10-24T16:06:33Z

+#define PINK 0xffc0cb
+#define WHITE 0xffffff
+#define ___ 0x000000
+#define BLACK 0x000000


Suggested change

#define BLACK 0x000000

#define BLACK 0x000000

Add missing newline

basnijholt · 2025-10-24T16:06:46Z

+
+void set_peripheral_layers_state(uint32_t new_layers);
+bool peripheral_layer_active(uint8_t layer);
+uint8_t peripheral_highest_layer_active(void);


Suggested change

uint8_t peripheral_highest_layer_active(void);

uint8_t peripheral_highest_layer_active(void);

missing newline

basnijholt · 2025-10-24T16:07:02Z

+const struct zmk_behavior_binding *rgb_underglow_get_bindings(uint8_t layer);
+
+uint8_t rgb_underglow_top_layer_with_state(uint32_t state_to_test);
+uint8_t rgb_underglow_top_layer(void);


Suggested change

uint8_t rgb_underglow_top_layer(void);

uint8_t rgb_underglow_top_layer(void);

missing newline

basnijholt · 2025-10-24T16:07:19Z

+#include <zephyr/kernel.h>
+#include <zmk/events/underglow_color_changed.h>
+
+ZMK_EVENT_IMPL(zmk_underglow_color_changed);


Suggested change

ZMK_EVENT_IMPL(zmk_underglow_color_changed);

ZMK_EVENT_IMPL(zmk_underglow_color_changed);

missing newline

basnijholt · 2025-10-24T16:07:32Z

+        }
+    }
+    return 0;
+}


Suggested change

}

}

missing newline

basnijholt · 2025-10-24T16:07:44Z

+    return peripheral_highest_layer_active();
+#endif
+}
+#endif /* DT_HAS_COMPAT_STATUS_OKAY(DT_DRV_COMPAT) */


Suggested change

#endif /* DT_HAS_COMPAT_STATUS_OKAY(DT_DRV_COMPAT) */

#endif /* DT_HAS_COMPAT_STATUS_OKAY(DT_DRV_COMPAT) */

missing newline

a-b · 2025-12-13T01:11:02Z

Curious what holds this PR from getting merged?

zmkfirmware#3103)

mgabor3141 · 2026-03-24T11:04:18Z

Go60 RH thumb pixel-lookup appears reversed.

The first three entries in go60_rh.dts are <57>, <58>, <59> (T3, T2, T1), but the LH equivalent in go60_lh.dts uses <54>, <55>, <56> (T1, T2, T3). The physical LED strip seems to run in the same direction on both halves, so the RH mapping ends up with T1 and T3 swapped.

In practice, setting a color at keymap position 59 (RH T1) lights up the physical T3 key, and vice versa. The main grid keys are fine, only the three thumb keys are affected.

I'd expect the fix is changing the RH pixel-lookup to <59>, <58>, <57>.

Use &trans behavior to use color from the next visible rgb layer in the stack.

darknao · 2026-03-24T12:45:11Z

Go60 RH thumb pixel-lookup appears reversed.

The first three entries in go60_rh.dts are <57>, <58>, <59> (T3, T2, T1), but the LH equivalent in go60_lh.dts uses <54>, <55>, <56> (T1, T2, T3). The physical LED strip seems to run in the same direction on both halves, so the RH mapping ends up with T1 and T3 swapped.

In practice, setting a color at keymap position 59 (RH T1) lights up the physical T3 key, and vice versa. The main grid keys are fine, only the three thumb keys are affected.

I'd expect the fix is changing the RH pixel-lookup to <59>, <58>, <57>.

That's correct.
I fixed it a few months ago, but was never pushed to this PR (I was waiting for confirmation from other users, just in case that was an isolated hardware issue on my go60, so thanks for confirming :) )
It's long overdue now, so I'll update this PR as soon as possible with that fix.

mgabor3141 · 2026-03-28T18:58:41Z

@darknao I opened a PR to this PR's branch with the fix, feel free to merge it :)

darknao · 2026-03-29T10:31:48Z

@darknao I opened a PR to this PR's branch with the fix, feel free to merge it :)

Thanks, but the fix is already included in this branch

leika · 2026-06-13T10:00:00Z

I love the work here and I'm no stranger to run my own zmk forks and experiments, but i still wonder why this ist still a PR. Seems stable to me and a basic functionality, is the moergo fork of zmk moving that slow really ?

darknao force-pushed the rgb-layer-24.12 branch from 49fbc27 to 15505c8 Compare January 5, 2025 07:56

darknao mentioned this pull request Jan 23, 2025

Per key/layer RGB underglow #30

Closed

darknao changed the base branch from zmk-update to main January 25, 2025 14:39

darknao force-pushed the rgb-layer-24.12 branch from 15505c8 to 77fcafb Compare January 25, 2025 14:40

darknao changed the title ~~Per key/layer RGB underglow for 24.12~~ Per key/layer RGB underglow for 25.01 Jan 25, 2025

gillamkid reviewed Feb 5, 2025

View reviewed changes

darknao force-pushed the rgb-layer-24.12 branch from 2dd2dec to fad817c Compare March 16, 2025 13:49

darknao force-pushed the rgb-layer-24.12 branch from fad817c to 146c713 Compare April 13, 2025 17:18

darknao changed the base branch from main to zmk-update April 13, 2025 17:19

darknao changed the title ~~Per key/layer RGB underglow for 25.01~~ Per key/layer RGB underglow for 25.04 Apr 13, 2025

chrisandreae force-pushed the zmk-update branch from d82a918 to 395eb4a Compare August 2, 2025 03:20

darknao force-pushed the rgb-layer-24.12 branch from ac7f8e6 to 8aeaaa6 Compare August 4, 2025 16:43

darknao changed the title ~~Per key/layer RGB underglow for 25.04~~ Per key/layer RGB underglow for 25.08 Aug 4, 2025

basnijholt approved these changes Oct 24, 2025

View reviewed changes

Add build support for snippets and snippets for touchpad sensitivity

892dede

chrisandreae added 2 commits November 26, 2025 21:34

Add Go60 support to build infrastructure

c991162

Add Go60 board definition

11454d2

darknao force-pushed the rgb-layer-24.12 branch from 8aeaaa6 to 9e4729d Compare November 28, 2025 10:08

Nicell and others added 13 commits January 15, 2026 18:46

feat(split): Increase split interval during idle

8c20cae

feat(split): Compile additional events on peripheral

2dcd37d

feat(split): Add HID indicators and physical layout set to Wired split (

9084be0

zmkfirmware#3103)

fix(split): Properly return from command handler (zmkfirmware#3120)

2f74ab7

feat(split): Send layer state to peripherals

ce68209

feat(underglow): per-key/layer RGB underglow

cbc0ad3

feat(underglow): add underglow_color_changed event

e6938ef

feat(underglow): Add HID indicator behavior to per-key RGB

0d1933d

feat(underglow): Add battery level behavior to per-key RGB

5cf381f

feat(boards): configure underglow-layer for glove80

55163b5

feat(boards): configure underglow-layer for go60

707c760

Compiler service: Allow underglow-layer in dts safety check

7b5befa

Compiler service: pass keymap data when building RHS

512f756

darknao changed the title ~~Per key/layer RGB underglow for 25.08~~ Per key/layer RGB underglow for 25.11 Jan 16, 2026

darknao force-pushed the rgb-layer-24.12 branch from f90cd0e to 512f756 Compare January 16, 2026 20:14

MattSturgeon mentioned this pull request Mar 19, 2026

RGB layer indicator MattSturgeon/glove80-config#2

Open

mgabor3141 mentioned this pull request Mar 24, 2026

fix(go60): reverse RH thumb pixel-lookup order darknao/zmk#2

Closed

darknao added 2 commits March 24, 2026 13:29

feat(boards): fix underglow-layer for go60

ad89f6a

feat(underglow): Add transparent behavior to per-key RGB

db2ba9f

Use &trans behavior to use color from the next visible rgb layer in the stack.

	uint8_t peripheral_highest_layer_active(void);
	uint8_t peripheral_highest_layer_active(void);

	uint8_t rgb_underglow_top_layer(void);
	uint8_t rgb_underglow_top_layer(void);

	ZMK_EVENT_IMPL(zmk_underglow_color_changed);
	ZMK_EVENT_IMPL(zmk_underglow_color_changed);

	#endif /* DT_HAS_COMPAT_STATUS_OKAY(DT_DRV_COMPAT) */
	#endif /* DT_HAS_COMPAT_STATUS_OKAY(DT_DRV_COMPAT) */


		#include <dt-bindings/zmk/hid_indicators.h>

		/ {

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