How to use an iPhone 13 as a webcam

The short answer

Yes, an iPhone 13 can work as a webcam, but the method depends on your computer. On a Mac, Apple's built-in Continuity Camera feature lets the Mac treat the iPhone's rear camera as a regular camera. It needs no extra software. On a Windows PC, there is no built-in Apple option. You would need a third-party webcam app that has both an iPhone app and a desktop companion program. Most of this guide covers the Mac route, because that is the one built into Apple's software.

What you need before starting (Mac)

• An iPhone 13 running iOS 16 or later.
• A Mac running macOS Ventura or later.
• The same Apple ID signed in on both devices, with two-factor authentication turned on.
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on for both devices, with the devices close to each other. A USB cable can be used instead of a wireless connection.
• For a wireless connection, the Mac should not be sharing its internet connection and the iPhone should not be sharing its cellular connection (Personal Hotspot).
• A way to hold the iPhone still, such as a phone mount or stand, with the rear cameras facing you and not blocked.

Step by step: set up Continuity Camera

• 1. On the iPhone, open Settings > General > AirPlay & Handoff. On newer iOS versions this menu is called AirPlay & Continuity. Make sure Continuity Camera is turned on.
• 2. Mount the iPhone near the top of your display. It should be stable, with the rear cameras pointing at you and the screen locked.
• 3. On the Mac, open a camera app such as FaceTime or Photo Booth, or your video-call app.
• 4. In that app's camera or video settings, choose the iPhone as the camera. Some apps may switch to it automatically.
• 5. If the iPhone isn't listed, quit and reopen the app. If it is still missing, connect the iPhone to the Mac with a USB cable and tap Trust on the iPhone if asked.

How to know it worked

Seeing a live picture from the iPhone's angle in Photo Booth or FaceTime shows that the Mac recognizes the iPhone and is receiving video from it. The iPhone screen usually also shows that it is connected as a camera. This local test does not show that a specific call app has permission to use the camera. It also does not show how your video will look to other people, which depends on the call service and on network conditions.

Next, open the app you will actually use for calls and select the iPhone as the camera there. If that app shows a blank or black preview while Photo Booth works, the problem is probably permission. Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Camera and make sure the app is allowed. A short test call with someone else, or the app's own test-call feature if it has one, is the only way to check how your video looks on the other end.

Using the iPhone microphone

With Continuity Camera, the iPhone's microphone can also appear on the Mac as an audio input. To use it, select it in System Settings > Sound > Input or in your call app's audio settings. Each check below tells you something different:

• The iPhone appearing in the list of inputs means only that the Mac has detected it.
• The input level meter moving when you speak means the microphone is picking up sound.
• Clear, understandable speech can only be confirmed by recording yourself or asking someone on a test call.

The sources behind this guide gave no input-level target or other number for this setup. A reasonable approach is to speak at your normal volume and check that the meter clearly moves but does not stay at its maximum.

Backgrounds and video effects

Your physical background is whatever is really behind you, so tidy it or choose a plain wall. On a Mac, you can also turn on video effects from the menu bar or Control Center while the camera is in use. These include Portrait mode, which blurs the background, and Studio Light, which brightens your face and dims the background. Background replacement is available on some newer macOS versions. Many call apps have their own virtual background tools as well. These effects change only the live video and do not change your actual room. Which effects are available depends on your macOS version and the app you use.

If you use Windows

Windows does not include Apple's Continuity Camera. Third-party webcam apps usually work by installing an app on the iPhone and a companion program on the PC, which then shows up in call apps as a webcam. Features, connection types, video quality and pricing vary from app to app, and this guide has no verified details for any specific product, so check the current details before choosing one. Whatever app you use, the same checks apply: confirm the PC sees the camera, confirm your call app can show its video, and do a test call to judge quality.

What this guide doesn't cover

The sources for this guide had no confirmed measurements for this setup, such as resolution, frame rate, delay or battery use. Those details depend on your devices, software versions and connection. Menu names can also change between iOS and macOS versions, so if a setting isn't where this guide describes, search for "Continuity Camera" in Settings on the iPhone.