There’s no doubting that some of the best ring lights are becoming an essential for any content creator, photographer, MUA, or even just as part of everyday room design. Concerns around their safety, however, leave us wondering what the limits of ring lights are. A common question that gets asked is whether a ring light can be left on overnight?
We’ll do our best to give you a clear answer but know that the official advice can change depending on the type of ring light you own and even the brand on the light. It’s also best to do your due diligence and check the product manual for advice, too.
Can a ring light be left on overnight?
The true determining factor as to whether it’s safe to leave a ring light on overnight comes down to the power source. If the ring light you are using is wired and requires an outlet at all times, this places it on the riskier side of the scale. A constant stream of electrical input could cause overheating issues and then this could bleed into being a fire risk of blowing the bulb entirely. LED ring lights aren’t at risk for blowing out but the battery or power supply could cause a knock on effect if it was to fail.
If your ring light is battery operated, it should be considered safe to leave on overnight as the light will simply shut off once the battery is depleted. It’s far less common for battery-operated ring lights to suffer from overheating issues which is why it is safer to leave them on for longer periods of time.
As we’ve already mentioned, you should be referring to the user manual for your ring light before making a decision. If you know your ring light is ‘off-brand‘ or you purchased it for well below the average price of other similar products, be especially cautious. There is every chance that corners may have been cut in the production of the ring light to keep costs down.
Should you leave a ring light on overnight?
If we’re being honest, there are very few situations that would call for leaving a ring light on overnight and wouldn’t recommend it regardless of the type of light you own.
This isn’t just because of the safety risks but also because prolonged use can have negative impact on the ring light’s brightness and longevity. We’re not saying one time is enough to ruin the light for good, but you certainly wouldn’t want to make a habit of running it for 8+ hours.
Long sessions using a ring light are fine if you are present and checking on the light to ensure it’s still safe to use. We outright advise against overnight use if the light is going to be left unattended.
If there’s anything else you need to know about ring lights, you can check out our ‘how to set up‘ and ‘are they worth it‘ guides!