Monitor light bar

A monitor light bar is a slim lamp that mounts on top of a monitor, either clamped to the top edge or resting on a small stand, and angles its light down onto the desk rather than out toward the room. This lights the keyboard, notebook, and desk surface without the lamp itself sitting in the field of view or reflecting off the screen.

Compared with a standard desk lamp placed beside the monitor, a light bar keeps desk space clear and avoids the glare that a side-mounted lamp can throw across a glossy screen. Most models offer adjustable brightness and color temperature, letting the light shift from warmer, more relaxed tones to cooler, more alert-feeling white light depending on time of day.

Placement still matters even with a light bar, since angling it too far forward can send some light directly into the eyes of the person sitting at the desk, and mounting it crooked on a curved monitor can leave uneven lighting across the desk surface. It is also worth checking that a chosen bar fits the monitor's thickness before buying, since ultra-thin panels and thicker gaming monitors clamp differently.