A Microsoft VP brought Apple’s new macOS lighting trick to Windows 11 — improving video calls and beating them to the punch

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Windows 11 now has an app that does something similar to a popular feature on Macs. Apple’s “Edge Light” adds a glow around the screen during video calls to make you look brighter and clearer. Even though this feature is still being tested on Macs, a developer has already created a comparable app for Windows users.

Scott Hanselman, who leads the developer community at Microsoft, recently published the initial version of “Windows Edge Light” on GitHub.

I recently tried out this cool app that puts a subtle white glow around the edges of my screen – it’s kind of like what Apple does with its devices. What’s really neat is that it doesn’t get in the way; it’s transparent, so I can still click and interact with everything on my screen normally while it’s running. It’s a nice little touch that doesn’t interfere with my workflow.

I downloaded the app this morning after seeing it mentioned over the weekend. Windows Edge Light does what it’s supposed to, but how well it works depends on your monitor and how bright the room is. If you have a dimmer screen, like many IPS panels, it won’t brighten your face as much.

Good webcams perform well even in dim lighting, but it’s still best to make sure you have enough light for the clearest picture.

Sometimes a new feature comes along that seems incredibly obvious in retrospect – you wonder why nobody thought of it sooner. Apple’s Edge Light is one of those. People on platforms like Reddit and X have been praising it, calling it a smart and useful addition.

It’s simple: better lighting can dramatically improve your webcam’s video quality. Since most people are already looking at a screen during video calls, using that screen as a light source is a quick and easy solution.

Edge Light isn’t just a simple screen border – it’s actually quite clever. As 9to5Mac reports, it can recognize your face and change the lighting to suit your surroundings. It also uses your device’s built-in image processor to make sure the lighting blends in with your environment.

Edge Light smartly disappears when you move your mouse near the screen’s edge. On Macs released in 2024 or later, it can even sense when you’re in a dark room and activate automatically. While Edge Light works on all Macs with Apple Silicon, the automatic dark mode feature needs a newer Mac to function.

The new Windows Edge Light app doesn’t have all the features of more established apps, which is expected for a recently released product. Hanselman shared on LinkedIn that the development team is already planning to add more features. A key benefit is that it’s available for immediate use – it’s not a beta version.

It would be great to include a Windows Edge Light feature in PowerToys. The developer community is usually quick to adopt and improve creative ideas like this if they have the opportunity.

FAQ

What is Edge Light?

Edge Light is a new macOS feature that displays a bright white border around your screen. It works like a ring light, helping to brighten your face and reduce shadows for better-looking videos and photos.

Is Edge Light available on Windows?

Apple’s Edge Light feature is exclusive to Macs and won’t be coming to Windows PCs. It’s designed to work with the specific hardware and Apple Silicon chips found in Macs.

Edge Light is expected to become part of macOS, adding to Apple’s existing video conferencing tools and improving what the operating system offers.

Apple’s Edge Light is available through iOS 26.2, which is in beta.

Is there an alternative to Edge Light on Windows?

A Windows app called Edge Light is available on GitHub. While it’s still new and doesn’t have all the features of Apple’s version, it’s expected to improve. Scott Hanselman, a Microsoft Vice President who created the app, says adding new features will be a fun process.

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2025-11-17 17:10