How to look better on video calls
A laptop webcam sits below your face and points up, which is close to the least flattering angle available. Raising the camera to eye level, putting the light in front of you rather than behind, and increasing distance fixes most of what people blame on their face.
Key takeaways
- Raise the camera to eye level. Biggest single fix, costs nothing.
- Light in front, not behind. A window you face beats a window behind you.
- Sit further back. Close cameras distort features.
- Overhead-only light casts every shadow downward. Add front light.
- Looking at faces on screen pulls your head forward. Check your posture.
The three fixes that matter
| Problem | Fix | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Camera below face, pointing up | Raise laptop on books to eye level | One minute |
| Backlit, face in shadow | Turn so light is in front of you | One minute |
| Too close, features distorted | Sit further back, adjust framing | One minute |
| Overhead light only | Add a lamp or screen light in front | Small |
| Head pushed forward at screen | Move screen back, sit tall | Ongoing |
Every one of these is a setup problem rather than a face problem, and each takes about a minute to fix. People spend far more effort on their appearance than on the three variables actually determining how they look on screen.
Camera height is the big one
A laptop on a desk puts the camera well below your face, pointing upward. That angle emphasises the underside of the jaw and neck and is the single least flattering position available. Raising the camera to roughly eye level reverses it.
Books, a box, a stack of anything sturdy. This is not a purchase, it is thirty seconds of rearranging, and it makes a larger difference than anything else on this page.
A slight downward angle, camera just above eye level, is more flattering still, which is why people instinctively hold phones slightly high for selfies.
Light direction beats light quantity
Light in front of you fills in shadows. Light behind you turns you into a silhouette. Light directly overhead casts every shadow downward, which deepens under-eye hollows and any line running down the face. Direction matters far more than how bright the room is.
- Best: facing a window during the day, or a lamp positioned behind your screen.
- Acceptable: a bright room with light coming from multiple directions.
- Worst: a window directly behind you, or a single ceiling light with nothing in front.
If you cannot move, a cheap desk lamp aimed at a wall behind your screen bounces soft light onto your face and solves most of it.
The posture problem nobody mentions
Video calls pull your head forward, because you lean toward the faces on screen and toward the small text. That forward head position compresses the space between chin and collarbone, which is the exact posture that blurs the jawline.
Move the screen back rather than moving yourself forward, increase text size so you do not have to lean, and reset your position between calls. On a day of back-to-back calls this is hours of accumulated compression.
The bonus is that the position which reads best on camera, tall spine, chin level, screen at eye height, is also the one that is better for your neck.
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Take the 2-minute assessmentFrequently asked questions
Why do I look bad on video calls?
Mostly camera position. Laptop webcams sit below your face and point up, which is close to the least flattering angle available.
Where should my webcam be?
At roughly eye level or slightly above. Raising a laptop on books achieves it in seconds.
What is the best lighting for video calls?
Soft light in front of you, such as facing a window or a lamp behind your screen. Avoid a window behind you and avoid overhead light alone.
Should I sit closer or further from the camera?
Further. Close cameras distort features by enlarging whatever is nearest, usually the nose and forehead.
Do video calls affect your posture?
They encourage a forward head position from leaning toward the screen, which compresses the jaw and neck area. Move the screen back instead.
This guide is general education about facial muscles, skin and daily habits. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose or treat any condition. If you have a medical concern, or you have recently had injectables or another cosmetic procedure, speak with your own clinician first. See our terms and privacy policy.