If you’ve ever jumped onto a video call in a dimly lit room, you know how grainy or dark your video feed can look. Buying a physical ring light helps, but Apple built a clever alternative straight into macOS Tahoe 26.2 called Edge Light.
Instead of needing extra hardware, Edge Light turns the actual borders of your Mac screen into a virtual soft-box light, illuminating your face without blocking what you’re working on. Here is a complete walkthrough of how to set it up, adjust the lighting controls, and check if your Mac is compatible.
What Macs Support Edge Light?
Before trying to turn it on, keep in mind that Apple requires specific hardware. Macs with older Intel chips unfortunately don’t support this feature.
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Processor: Your Mac must run on Apple silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4, or newer).
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Software: You need to be on macOS Tahoe 26.2 or later.
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Camera Source: It works with your built-in camera, an iPhone used as a Continuity Camera, or compatible external webcams.
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Automatic Lighting: While manual control works on all supported Apple silicon Macs, automatic low-light activation requires a Mac model from 2024 or later.
Step-by-Step: How to Turn On Edge Light
You can use Edge Light during FaceTime calls or any other supported video apps like Zoom or Microsoft Teams.
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Start your video call as you normally would.
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Look at the top right corner of your Mac menu bar and find the system Video menu icon.
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Click that icon and choose Edge Light from the dropdown options.
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Your screen’s outer borders will instantly light up to brighten your face.
Handy Tip: If you move your mouse cursor near the edge of the screen, the light automatically shifts out of the way. That way, you can still click tabs or menu buttons without the lighting getting in your way.
How to Adjust Brightness and Color Tone
Every room has different lighting, so Apple lets you tweak how the Edge Light behaves once it’s turned on:
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Click the Video icon in your menu bar again.
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Click the small arrow next to Edge Light to open the extra settings.
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Use the sliders to customize your setup:
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Brightness: Controls how wide and bright the glowing border is.
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Color Temperature: Shifts the light between warm (yellowish) and cool (bluish) tones to match your room lighting.
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Automatic Activation: Lets newer Macs turn the light on automatically when you join a call in a dark room.
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Using External Cameras and Multiple Monitors
If you use external gear, how the light appears changes slightly depending on your setup:
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Built-in Camera: If you use your laptop’s built-in camera, the glowing border stays right around that built-in screen.
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External or Continuity Camera: If you’re using an iPhone or an external webcam, the light will appear on your designated primary display (the monitor where your main menu bar lives in your system settings).
Wrapping Up
Using Edge Light is a great way to look clear and professional on video calls without buying extra desk accessories. As long as you have a compatible Apple silicon Mac running macOS Tahoe 26.2 or later, you can turn it on right from your menu bar whenever you’re in a dim room.
