How to Use Your iPhone as a Webcam on Mac

The short answer

Apple's built-in feature for this is called Continuity Camera. It lets a supported Mac use a nearby iPhone's camera, and optionally its microphone, as a webcam without extra software. When both devices meet the requirements, the iPhone appears as a camera option in apps such as FaceTime, Photo Booth, video-call apps and browsers. You choose it the same way you would choose any other webcam.

One distinction changes the answer. If your Mac or iPhone is too old for Continuity Camera, the built-in route is unavailable and you would need a third-party app instead. This guide covers the built-in method. It does not list exact macOS, iOS or iPhone model requirements, because no confirmed specifications were available for it. Check Apple's current Continuity Camera support information for your devices before you start.

What to check before you start

• Both devices are updated to versions that support Continuity Camera.
• The iPhone and the Mac are signed in to the same Apple Account (Apple ID).
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are turned on for both devices.
• The iPhone is close to the Mac.
• Continuity Camera is enabled on the iPhone. Look in Settings > General under AirPlay & Handoff or a similarly named Continuity section; the exact menu name has varied between iOS versions.

Step-by-step setup

• 1. Mount the iPhone so it stays still, with its rear cameras facing you and unobstructed. A clip-on mount or a small stand works. Holding the phone by hand tends to give shaky video.
• 2. Lock the iPhone's screen. Continuity Camera is designed to run while the phone is locked and stationary.
• 3. Open the app you want to use on the Mac, such as FaceTime, Photo Booth, a video-call app or a browser-based meeting.
• 4. Open that app's camera or video settings and select your iPhone from the camera list. Some apps switch to the iPhone automatically when it is positioned nearby.
• 5. If the app is running in a browser, allow camera access when the browser asks.

Camera permissions on macOS and in browsers

Access works in two layers. macOS controls which apps may use any camera, and you manage this in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Camera. Browsers add a second, per-site permission. If a call app or website shows no camera at all, check that the app is allowed in macOS first, then check the site permission in the browser. Changing a macOS permission may require quitting and reopening the app.

Using the iPhone's microphone (optional)

Continuity Camera can also offer the iPhone as an audio input. Select it in the app's audio settings or in System Settings > Sound > Input. You don't have to pair the iPhone camera with the iPhone microphone. You can keep using the Mac's microphone or a headset.

Seeing the iPhone listed as an input only means the microphone is detected. The input level meter in Sound settings shows whether it is actually picking up sound. To judge whether your voice is clear, record a short test, for example in Voice Memos or QuickTime Player, and play it back.

How to verify it worked

Check these three things separately, since one can pass while another fails:

• Access: the app lists your iPhone as a camera and does not show a permission error.
• Capture: a live preview from the iPhone appears, for example in Photo Booth or the app's video settings.
• Call quality: other participants see smooth, clear video. A test call or a meeting app's preview-and-record option is the most reliable way to confirm this, because a good local preview does not guarantee a good connection.

Video effects and backgrounds

While the iPhone camera is in use, macOS can offer video effects in Control Center, such as background blur. Which effects appear depends on your devices and software. These effects only change the video feed; the room behind you stays the same. A tidy physical background is the dependable option for any call. The background replacement or blur settings inside a call app are separate from these system effects, and so is editing the background of a still photo afterward.

If the iPhone doesn't appear as a camera

• Confirm both devices use the same Apple Account and that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are on for both.
• Make sure Continuity Camera is switched on in the iPhone's settings.
• Lock the iPhone, keep it still and move it closer to the Mac.
• Quit and reopen the call app or browser, then select the camera again.
• Check macOS camera permissions for the app and the browser's site permission.
• Restart both devices and update their software.
• If none of this helps, your devices may not support Continuity Camera. Confirm against Apple's current compatibility information.

Stopping or pausing

To stop, close the app or select a different camera on the Mac. While the iPhone is acting as a webcam, its screen typically offers controls to pause or disconnect. Unlocking the phone usually interrupts the camera feed.

Gaps in this guide

No confirmed evidence was available on exact operating-system versions, supported iPhone and Mac models, the precise list of video effects, or video quality measurements. These details also change between software releases. Rely on Apple's current documentation and your own test call for them. This guide also makes no claims about specific third-party webcam apps; if you need one, check its stated Mac and iPhone compatibility and test it before an important call.