How to Use Edge Light for Video Calls on a Mac

Edge Light is a macOS video effect that brightens the borders of the display to illuminate your face during a video call. It acts as a software-controlled fill light, with adjustable brightness and color temperature, and it recedes near the pointer so screen controls remain accessible.

Edge Light requirements

• A Mac with Apple silicon
• macOS Tahoe 26.2 or later
• The built-in camera, Continuity Camera, or another external camera

The effect itself is not limited to Macs released in 2024. However, the option to turn it on automatically when ambient light is low requires a Mac introduced in 2024 or later. Intel-based Macs do not support Edge Light.

How to turn on Edge Light

1. Open System Settings > General > Software Update and confirm the Mac is running macOS Tahoe 26.2 or later.
2. Start a video call and turn on the camera.
3. Select the Video menu that appears in the menu bar.
4. Select Edge Light to enable it.
5. Select the arrow beside Edge Light to adjust brightness and color temperature.

On supported 2024-or-later models, the same controls include an option to enable Edge Light automatically when a call begins in low ambient light.

Which display produces the light?

When you use the Mac's built-in camera, the effect appears on its built-in display. With Continuity Camera or another external camera, the effect appears on the primary display. In a multi-display setup, that is the display assigned the menu bar in Displays settings.

When it helps

Edge Light is most useful in a dim room when your face is darker than the screen. It can soften shadows for meetings and calls without separate equipment. Because the display is the light source, results depend on its size, brightness, position, and distance from your face.

It is less effective in a bright room, with strong backlighting, or when the main display is far from the camera. A real lamp placed near and slightly above the camera gives more output and control when lighting conditions are difficult.

Make the result look natural

• Place the camera near eye level and avoid a bright window directly behind you.
• Start with moderate Edge Light brightness; too much can wash out skin tones and make screen content harder to see.
• Adjust color temperature to match the room's lighting rather than automatically choosing the warmest setting.
• Clean the camera lens and use a stable internet connection; fill light cannot fix blur, compression, or network stutter.
• Combine Edge Light with other macOS video effects only when each one improves the image.

If Edge Light is missing

1. Confirm the processor and macOS version meet the requirements.
2. Make sure a supported camera is active in a video call; the Video menu appears only when relevant.
3. Quit and reopen the calling app after updating macOS.
4. Check that camera permission is enabled under System Settings > Privacy & Security > Camera.
5. Restart the Mac and test with FaceTime to distinguish an app issue from a system issue.

Apple documents the current controls and compatibility in its official Edge Light support guide. For related setup advice, see how to use an iPhone as a Mac webcam and how to manage Mac camera settings.