Better video chat lighting with the lamps and windows you already have
Updated
Lighting is the biggest difference between looking like yourself on camera and looking like a grainy shadow. You don't need a ring light. You need to know where to sit at noon, what to do with a desk lamp at 9 p.m., and how to rescue a room that only has a ceiling fixture. Here are eight fixes, sorted by when and where you usually chat.
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Daytime: put the window in front of you
Fix 1: sit facing a window. Soft daylight on your face is the most flattering light you'll get, and it's free. Fix 2: if direct sun is hitting you, close a sheer curtain or turn a little to the side so the light is softer.
Never sit with the window behind you. The camera exposes for the bright window and turns your face into a silhouette.
After work: the lamp-behind-the-screen setup
Fix 3: put a lamp behind your laptop or phone, pointed at you, a few feet back. Fix 4: if it's harsh, aim it at a white wall in front of you and let the bounce light your face.
Fix 5: turn screen brightness up a notch. At night your screen works as a small, soft fill light.
Dorm rooms and ceiling-light-only apartments
Overhead lights cast shadows under your eyes and nose. Fix 6: add any light in front of you, even a phone flashlight bounced off a wall or a desk lamp turned toward you, to fill those shadows.
If you can, switch off the ceiling light and use only lamps in front. One soft source in front beats a harsh one above.
Placing the lens: phone vs. laptop
Fix 7: bring the lens up so it's level with your eyes. Stack a laptop on books, or lean your phone against something on a shelf. Holding a phone in your lap gives the least flattering angle there is.
Frame yourself from the chest up with a little space above your head, about an arm's length away. Glance at the lens when you talk, since that reads as eye contact on the other end.
What's behind you
Fix 8: point the camera at something calm. A plain wall, a bookshelf or a plant works, and a poster gives people something to ask about.
While you're checking, look for anything personal in frame: mail with your address, a diploma with your full name, a work badge, or a window that shows your street.
A quick audio check
Good light won't fix echo. Rooms with rugs, curtains and a bed sound better than bare kitchens, and wired earbuds with a mic usually beat a laptop mic.
- Close windows if you're near traffic.
- Turn off fans, TVs and music.
- Silence notifications.
- Keep the mic about a foot from your mouth.
Using momos's camera effects
momos has about 20 camera effects and lenses you can turn on during a call. They're fun for breaking the ice or when you're feeling camera-shy. Most people connect faster once they can see your face, so treat effects as a bonus, not a mask.
Where you are and what to try
| Setting | Try this |
|---|---|
| Daytime, near a window | Face the window; soften direct sun with a curtain |
| Evening at a desk | Lamp behind the screen, or bounced off a wall |
| Ceiling light only | Add any light in front of you |
| Phone in your hand | Prop it at eye level instead |
| Busy background | Turn toward a wall, shelf or plant |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a ring light?
No. A window in front of you by day, or a lamp behind your screen at night, does the same job for free.
What kind of bulb works for video chat?
Keep it consistent. A daylight or soft white bulb is fine; the problem is mixing a warm lamp with cool daylight, which can make your skin look patchy.
Why do I look orange or blue on camera?
Your camera is balancing for one light color while another is hitting your face. Switch off one source, or match your lamp to the light already in the room.
Phone or laptop: which looks better?
Both work in the browser. Phone front cameras are often sharper, but laptops are easier to set at eye level. Use whichever you can position better.
Will better lighting fix a choppy video?
It helps with a grainy picture, since cameras get noisy in the dark. Freezing and stuttering are usually your connection, so see our guide on fixing lag.
Adults only. Never recorded.
momos is for people 18 and older. We don't record or store calls, and report and block are always one tap away. See the safety center.