How to use it
- Pick Full screen light for the most light, or Edge light for a glowing frame with a dark, dim or colored center.
- Set the warmth. Neutral suits most rooms; pick Warm if your room lights are yellowish.
- Turn the device brightness all the way up, then click the preview or press F.
- Place the screen in front of you, slightly above your eyes, close to your camera. Check your camera preview and adjust brightness until your face is lit but not shiny.
- Click or press Esc to exit.
Which screen? The easiest setup is a second device: a tablet, an old phone or a second monitor standing next to your webcam, showing this light for Zoom, Teams or Meet calls on your main screen. With only one screen, use the edge light in a browser window placed beside or around your call window, and turn your screen brightness up.
Where to put the light
- In front of you, not behind. A light or window behind you turns your face into a dark silhouette, because the camera exposes for the bright background.
- A little above eye level. Light from slightly above looks natural, the way daylight and ceiling lights fall. Light from below, such as a laptop screen low on the desk, casts shadows upward across the face.
- Close to the camera line. Put the light next to or just above the camera, so you look toward both. Light straight from one side lights only half your face; that can look moody, but it is not what most calls need.
- Close to you. A screen is a small, weak light, so move it closer rather than turning it up past the point where your skin looks shiny.
Fixing common video call lighting problems
- Face too dark, background too bright: turn so the window is in front of you or beside you, or close the blinds behind you, then add this light in front.
- Face looks orange or blue: move the warmth slider toward the color of the room light. Your camera balances for the whole scene, so two very different light colors make one of them look wrong.
- Glasses show a bright rectangle: raise the light higher or move it a little to the side, so the reflection falls outside the lenses. The edge light also helps, because its dark center reflects less.
- Skin looks shiny or washed out: lower the brightness or move the light back a little.
Questions
Can I use my screen as a light for video calls?
Yes. A bright white screen close to your face works as a soft front light. It is weaker than a real lamp, so it works best within about an arm's length and with the device brightness at maximum.
What is an edge light?
A bright frame around the edges of the screen with a dark or colored middle. It still lights your face, but the center is calmer to look at and reflects less in glasses.
Where should a light be for a video call?
In front of you, slightly above eye level and close to the camera. Avoid bright light behind you, which leaves your face in shadow.
Does this work with every video call app?
Yes. It is just light from a screen, so it works with any app on any device. Nothing connects to your call.
What warmth should I use?
Neutral (about 5000 K) suits most rooms. If your room has warm yellow bulbs, pick Warm so your face and the room are the same color on camera.