Apple's macOS Tahoe 26.2 Beta Introduces Edge Light: A Virtual Ring Light for Video Calls
Are you tired of looking washed out and shadowed during video calls, especially in the early morning or late afternoon? Apple has a solution for you. The latest macOS Tahoe beta 26.2 introduces Edge Light, a new video-calling feature that acts as a virtual ring light on your Mac's screen. It's like having a professional lighting setup, but without the hassle and cost.
But here's where it gets controversial... Some users might prefer a more natural lighting effect, or they might not want to rely on a virtual ring light at all. What do you think?
Edge Light is a clever implementation of Apple silicon technology. When enabled, it replaces the outer edge of your Desktop with a bright, adjustable border. The brightness and color temperature of this border can be customized, offering a range from warmer to cooler colors, similar to many physical LED lights designed for video production. The virtual ring light sits on top of your Desktop and windows, but it fades away as your pointer approaches, allowing you to see everything on your screen.
The feature is made possible by Apple silicon, utilizing the Mac's Neural Engine to detect your face and the Image Signal Processor to measure and adjust the brightness of Edge Light based on surrounding lighting. Edge Light will work on all Apple silicon Macs when Tahoe 26.2 is released, but Mac models released in 2024 or later will also have the option to turn the feature on automatically when low light is detected.
In my testing, I found that Edge Light is most noticeable in a very dim room, but as you'd expect, it becomes less prominent as the room brightens. I also noticed that Edge Light was brighter when set to turn on automatically rather than manually, even though switching between the two didn't move the brightness slider. I'm not sure what's going on there, but it's a beta, so that may change. I also enjoyed how the virtual ring light widened as I increased the brightness.
While I have a couple of lights set up along the back edge of my desk for video recording, most people don't have that setup. For them, Edge Light will be a nice addition, reducing those early-morning and late-afternoon shadows. And despite the lights I have installed, sometimes it's just easier to turn on something like Edge Light, so I expect to get use out of it too, whether I'm away from my desk on a laptop or sitting at my desk.
We'll have more macOS Tahoe 26.2 coverage when it and Apple's other 26.2 releases exit beta.
And this is the part most people miss... Have you ever wished for a more professional lighting setup for your video calls? Do you think virtual ring lights will become more common in the future? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
