How to Choose the Best Ring Light for Your Phone: India Buying Guide

A ring light is the quickest way to make phone videos look brighter and more even. It puts soft light straight on your face, fills in shadows under the eyes and adds the round catchlight that makes eyes look lively on camera. But ring lights come in many sizes, with or without stands and with different light modes, so it is easy to buy the wrong one. This guide walks through the six choices that matter, in the order you should make them.

Quick answer: which ring light should you buy?

1. Pick the size first

Ring lights are measured across the outside of the ring. A bigger ring gives bigger, softer light and covers more of your body, but it is heavier and needs a stronger stand. For most phone creators shooting from the waist up, a 10 inch (25.4 cm) ring is the sweet spot: bright enough for your face and small enough for a desk or a small room. Choose 14 to 18 inch only if you shoot full-length videos or light clients as a makeup artist.

See the full size chart, with inches, centimetres and what each size suits, in Ring light sizes explained.

2. Decide if you need a stand

A stand lets you put the light at face height wherever you are in the room. If you film standing up, move around or shoot from different angles, buy a ring light with a stand. A telescopic light stand that goes up to about 7 feet covers everything from a seated video call to a standing reel. If you only shoot at a desk, or you already own a tripod or light stand, the ring alone is enough and costs less.

We compare both options, and what to check in a stand, in Ring light with stand or without stand.

3. Check the light modes: warm, cool and RGB

Most ring lights switch between warm white (yellowish, like indoor bulbs) and cool white (bluish, closer to daylight). Warm white flatters skin in the evening and matches a room lit by warm bulbs. Cool white shows colours more accurately, which matters for makeup and product photos. RGB ring lights add coloured light for creative reels, festive content and background accents. Coloured light on your face changes your skin tone, though, so use white for the main light.

For ready-made settings for reels, YouTube, makeup and video calls, read Ring light settings for reels, YouTube and makeup.

4. Power: USB, battery or adapter

Small and mid-size ring lights usually run on USB. That is convenient: you can plug into a laptop, a power bank or a mobile charger adapter, and there is no battery to wear out. The trade-off is that you need a power source nearby. If the light looks dim or flickers on a laptop port, switch to a wall adapter or a power bank. Large 18 inch rings often come with their own adapter, and clip-on lights usually run on a small rechargeable battery.

5. Ring light for mobile: holder, mount and controls

• Phone holder in the centre: the camera looks straight through the ring, so the light is even and your eyes get a round catchlight.
• Ball-head mount: lets you tilt the ring up, down or to the side, which helps with glasses and with product shots.
• Controls on the cable or a remote: change modes and brightness without touching the ring and knocking it out of position.

6. Set your budget

In India, a 10 inch ring light with a phone holder usually costs less than ₹500, and a kit with a tall stand usually stays under ₹1,000. Bigger rings with heavier stands cost more. We break down what you get at each price, and what to check so a budget light does not disappoint, in Best ring light under ₹500 and ₹1,000.

Checklist before you buy

• The size suits what you shoot: 10 inch for face and upper body.
• You know whether you need a stand, and how tall it goes.
• It has the modes you need: warm and cool white at least.
• You have a USB power source where you will shoot.
• The phone holder fits your phone and sits in the centre of the ring.
• The seller offers easy replacement and delivers to your pincode.

Ring lights at Jikra

You can see every ring light, tripod and selfie stick together in our Ring Lights & Tripods collection.

• JIKRA 10 Inch RGB Ring Light with 7 Feet Stand: a complete kit with a telescopic stand that adjusts up to 7 feet, a phone holder in the centre, and warm white, cool white and RGB modes from a USB controller on the cable.
• JIKRA 10 Inch RGB Ring Light with Phone Holder: the same 10 inch RGB ring and phone holder without the stand, with a ball-head connector for your own tripod or light stand.
• JIKRA clip-on selfie ring light: a clip-on ring light with a phone holder for lighting your face from close up.
• JIKRA SR-1S selfie stick tripod: a selfie stick and tripod with a Bluetooth remote and a detachable fill light, for travel and outdoor videos.

Frequently asked questions

Which ring light is best for mobile phones?

For most people, a 10 inch ring light with a phone holder in the centre. It lights your face evenly from one to two feet away, runs on USB power and fits on a desk. Add a stand if you film standing up.

Is a 10 inch ring light big enough?

Yes, for selfies, reels, makeup close-ups, video calls and online classes, where the camera frames your face or upper body. For full-length videos, a bigger ring or a second light works better.

Is an RGB ring light worth it?

If you make creative or festive reels, yes. RGB adds colour to backgrounds and moods. For your main face light, use warm or cool white so your skin looks natural.

Can I use a ring light if I wear glasses?

Yes. Raise the light a little above eye level and tilt it down, or move it slightly to one side, so the reflection in your lenses does not face the camera. Our ring light setup guide covers this step by step.

Do ring lights help on video calls?

Yes. A ring light behind your laptop or phone, at eye level and at low brightness, keeps your face clear even in a dim room or next to a bright window.

More ring light guides

• How to use a ring light with your phone
• Ring light sizes explained (size chart)
• Ring light with stand or without stand
• Ring light settings for reels, YouTube and makeup
• Best ring light under ₹500 and ₹1,000
• JIKRA LED ring light for photography and video