Apple this week released the second beta of macOS Tahoe 26.2 for developers. While the update isn’t exactly a big one, it does come with an interesting new feature Apple hadn’t told us about at WWDC: A new camera effect for video calls called Edge Light.
When this effect is turned on, the Mac displays a bright white border around the display, which aims to mimic the effect of a selfie ring light. As a result, the image captured by the Mac’s front camera looks better in low-light situations. We’ve already tried out the new feature to see if it really makes a difference.
The new Edge Light effect appears alongside other existing camera options, such as Portrait Mode, Studio Light, and Center Stage. According to Apple, the feature uses the Neural Engine to detect the user’s face to adjust the light appropriately. It also detects the Mac cursor to hide the white light when necessary.
Does the Edge Light effect really make a difference?
But how effective is Edge Light? I tried using it both in ambient light and in extreme low light. When there’s already light, the effect is subtle and adds just a touch of extra glow. But when you’re in a dark room, Edge Light can make your webcam image a lot better. Use the slider below to compare the two images:
The good news is that the new Edge Light effect in macOS works not only in FaceTime, but also with any other video apps that support existing camera effects. However, you need a Mac with the M1 chip or later to use it. It also works with external webcams as well as the Apple Studio Display.
Another nice touch is that you can set the intensity of the effect and also whether you want a warmer or cooler light. On Macs with the M4 chip and later, there’s an option to automatically enable Edge Light when the camera detects a low-light environment.
In my experience, the feature performs best with the latest MacBook Pros, which have brighter Mini-LED displays.
That said, don’t expect it to replace a dedicated ring-light in all circumstances. If the room is already well-lit or you’re using studio lighting, the incremental benefit is modest. But for everyday use, occasional calls, and casual home-office setups, the feature delivers a smart, simple improvement and highlights how Apple continues refining the video-call experience on Mac.
macOS 26.2 is expected to be released to the public by the end of the year.
Author: Filipe Esposito, Contributor
Filipe Espósito is a Brazilian journalist who has been covering tech for over 10 years, and has become known for publishing exclusive reports on Apple's plans – such as the launch of the first titanium Apple Watch. He has worked for 9to5Mac and also co-hosts the tech podcast “A Fonte” in Brazil.