The 5 Best Ring Lights For Laptops

Much like the best selfie lights for your phone, the best ring lights for laptops help to illuminate your face and your environment for better photos and video. That said, unlike selfie lights, a ring light for your laptop should be larger, brighter, and USB-powered (though you can also get away with a rechargeable one if you’re lacking in USB ports or just want more versatility). When shopping for the best option for your specific computer setup and needs, consider the mounting design and the various light settings.

First, think about where you’d like your ring light to go; you can either clip it directly onto your laptop or get one that uses a stand. The former is space-savvy and simple, but the latter is usually bigger, brighter, and allows you more options to customize the angle and the height of your light source. Some tripod ring lights even have additional mounts for your webcam or phone.

Next, make sure your ring light of choice has enough lighting options for your needs. While they vary in size and number of LEDs — both of which impact the brightness — most of the options below have multiple brightness settings (so you can customize how powerful the light is so you’re illuminated but not washed out) and multiple color modes (meaning different temperatures of white light, which is usually measured in Kelvins, or K).

With all of that in mind, these are the best laptop-friendly ring lights for online work meetings, video calls, streaming, recordings, and more.

1. The Most Popular Clip-On Ring Light

There are several reasons why this video conferencing light has more than 5,000 reviews on Amazon and a 4.3-star overall rating: For one, it’s bright and powerful despite its more compact size. For another, it clips right onto your laptop for convenience, plus the clip is scratch-resistant and adapts to a wide range of monitor thicknesses. You can also adjust the angle using the rotation ball joint on the mount, and the brightness and warmth using the built-in remote control on the USB cord.

• Size: 4.52 inches
• Number of LEDs: 48
• Brightness levels: 5
• Color modes: white, warm, natural (3200K to 6800K)

One reviewer wrote: “I can't believe how bright this light is! You can toggle between the bright white light and a little warmer and more orange light it's very customizable. It's very easy to set up all you have to do is plug it into your USB, it also has a clip on the top so you clip it to the top of your laptop. I do so many zoom calls now so this is absolutely perfect.”

2. A Powerful Free-Standing Computer Light

Because of its size and more than 60 LED lights, this free-standing computer ring light is the most powerful option on this list. It’s great for illuminating your whole environment (not just your face) because of its 8-inch ring and height-adjustable stand that expands from 18 to 25.5 inches. The light itself is also rotatable and has ample settings (including 10 brightness levels) that you can change from the on-cord remote, while the stand has a versatile mount to hold your phone or webcam. It’s powered by USB. Get it in black, white, or pink.

• Size: 8 inches
• Number of LEDs: 64
• Brightness levels: 10
• Color modes: warm, natural, cool (2700K to 6500K)

One reviewer wrote: “Because I’m often in video conference calls, I needed a light to look as professional as possible during customer-facing meetings. I scoured the different size ring lights and researched the reviews and found this gem. What I like about it is that the light sits on an adjustable stand that includes a phone holder, not a clip that you attach to the top of a laptop. This makes the ring light versatile for other applications such as party photos, good lights when applying makeup, and maybe creating content if you’re a social media influencer or OnlyFans personality.”

3. A Ring Light With 2 Mounting Options

You don’t have to choose between a clip or a stand. Thanks to its dual mounting bases, this ring light both clips onto your laptop and acts as a freestanding light with a flexible tripod. Either way, it plugs into your laptop’s USB port and has a control pad so you can choose your ideal color and brightness level. While it’s not the biggest, it’s definitely one of the most versatile.

• Size: 6.3 inches
• Number of LEDs: 64
• Brightness levels: 5
• Color modes: warm warm, warm white, natural white, daylight, cold white (3200K to 6500K)

One reviewer wrote: “With this light, you can control how bright the light is, and how ‘warm’ it is [...] — it's great. You can either put it on an included desktop stand or a clip that you can attach to the frame of your laptop screen. There's no excuse not to look good on a video call anymore!”

4. The Best Gooseneck Ring Light

While the number of LEDs isn’t disclosed, this adjustable lamp offers something others don’t: an 18-inch gooseneck, so you can maximize desk space and change the angle of your lighting source. (Though you technically could clip it to your laptop thanks to the included clamp, reviewers recommend that you proceed with caution, as the clamp is powerful and could damage the screen.) In addition to Zoom meetings, video calls, and streaming, it’s also great for hands-free in-bed reading, and it has setting controls right on the USB cord. Get it in your choice of black or white.

• Size: 3.5 inches
• Number of LEDs: N/A
• Brightness levels: 10
• Color modes: warm, warm-white, white (3000K to 6500K)

One reviewer wrote: “The quality of the clamp and flexible neck impress me. Metal, strong and stiffly flexible, you can position it where you like. The clamp works better for narrow shelves or desks.”

5. The Best Rechargeable Selfie Light

Maybe you’re trying to minimize cord clutter; maybe you’ve got limited free USB ports on your laptop; or maybe you’d like your ring light to be easy to use with your phone, too. Either way, this rechargeable ring light is a great wire-free option for phones as well as computers. It’s smaller than most other options, but it’s still plenty bright with its 36 LEDs — and its compact design makes it easy to slip into your laptop bag during travel. According to reviewers, it lasts a few hours on a single charge, and the multiple brightness levels make it easy to customize your lighting. However, there is only one color mode.

• Size: 3 inches
• Number of LEDs: 36
• Brightness levels: 3
• Color modes: white (5600K)

One reviewer wrote: “Obviously it's not going to give you the same effect as a bigger, more expensive setup. But for the size and price, I'm pretty impressed. I just clip it right onto my laptop and it works like a charm. Definitely worth it if you're looking for something more portable and affordable.”