Apple has introduced a clever new way to improve video conferencing on Macs with the arrival of the Edge Light feature in the latest macOS Tahoe 26.2 update, as spotted by MacRumors.
This innovative addition lets a Mac’s screen simulate a ring light around your face, helping you look better during video calls even when lighting conditions are far from ideal. The feature works within FaceTime as well as other video conferencing apps.
Edge Light uses the edges of your Mac’s display to project a soft glow that mimics a physical lighting setup. It analyzes your environment using the Mac’s built-in Neural Engine and Image Signal Processor, which identify your face and adjust brightness and warmth to suit the ambient conditions.
The light appears as a glowing border around the screen and is designed to work seamlessly with the way you use your Mac during a call. If your cursor moves near the edge of the display, the effect fades so it does not block your view or interfere with typing or clicking.
To take advantage of Edge Light, you need a Mac running macOS Tahoe 26.2 or later. It is supported on Macs powered by Apple silicon, starting with models that have the M1 chip or newer. If your Mac was released in 2024 or later, you can enable a setting that lets Edge Light turn on automatically whenever your system detects you are in a dimly lit room at the start of a video call.
Using Edge Light is straightforward. Once your Mac is updated, open any app that supports video calling such as FaceTime, Zoom or WebEx. During a call, click the video menu in the menu bar. From there you can toggle Edge Light on or off with a click. Additional controls let you fine-tune how the effect looks, including sliders to adjust how bright the lighting appears and how warm or cool the tones should feel.
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This feature joins a growing suite of built-in video enhancements that Apple has been adding to macOS in recent years. Alongside options like Portrait mode or Studio Light, Edge Light helps users look their best without jumping into third-party tools or accessories.
While Edge Light does not replace a professional studio light setup for photographers or creators, it does provide meaningful visual improvement for everyday users in low light.
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