How to Use Your iPhone as a Webcam on a Mac or Windows PC

The short answer

Yes, you can use an iPhone as a webcam. How you do it depends on the computer. On a Mac, Apple's built-in Continuity Camera feature lets the computer use the iPhone's camera without extra software, as long as both devices meet Apple's requirements. On a Windows PC, Apple offers no built-in equivalent. You would need a third-party webcam app that has a component on the iPhone and a companion program or driver on the PC.

Exact compatible iPhone models and minimum software versions were not available for this guide. Continuity Camera arrived with iOS 16 and macOS Ventura, but requirements can change. Check Apple's current support documentation for your models before you start.

On a Mac: set up Continuity Camera

• 1. Sign in to the same Apple Account on the iPhone and the Mac.
• 2. Turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on both devices. A USB cable can also connect them.
• 3. On the iPhone, open Settings, then General, then the AirPlay section. Depending on your iOS version, it is labeled AirPlay & Handoff or AirPlay & Continuity. Make sure Continuity Camera is switched on.
• 4. Mount the iPhone near the Mac with its rear cameras facing you. A stand or a clip-on mount keeps it steady.
• 5. Lock the iPhone's screen and leave it still. A moving or unlocked phone may not offer itself as a camera.
• 6. Open your video app, such as FaceTime, a conferencing app or a browser-based call. Choose the iPhone from the app's camera or video-source menu.

Some apps switch to the iPhone automatically when it is mounted nearby. If yours doesn't, choose it manually from the camera list.

Using the iPhone as a microphone on a Mac

With Continuity Camera, the iPhone can also act as a microphone. Select it in your call app's audio input setting, or in System Settings under Sound. Seeing the iPhone in the input list only means the Mac has detected it. Speak and watch the input level meter to confirm it is picking up sound. Then make a test recording or test call to confirm your voice is clear, not just present.

Video effects and backgrounds

While the iPhone camera is in use, the Mac's Control Center offers video effects such as Center Stage (keeps you framed as you move), Portrait mode (blurs the background) and Studio Light (brightens your face). Desk View, where supported, shows a top-down view of your desk. These are virtual effects applied to the live video. They don't change your real surroundings, and they are separate from any background your call app adds. If you want a clean background with no processing, arrange the physical space behind you instead.

On Windows: use a third-party webcam app

• 1. Choose an iPhone webcam app that explicitly supports Windows. Install it on the iPhone, then install its companion program or driver on the PC.
• 2. Connect the phone and PC the way the app requires, usually over the same Wi-Fi network or with a USB cable.
• 3. Grant the iPhone app access to the camera, and to the microphone if you plan to use it, when iOS asks.
• 4. In your call app on the PC, choose the virtual camera the companion software creates. It usually appears under the app's own name.

No verified details were available about specific apps' features, video quality limits, watermarks or pricing. Check these in the app's own description before you rely on it for an important call.

Verify that it works

Check the setup in three stages, because each one can fail on its own.

• 1. Access: the iPhone camera shows up in your app's camera list, and the app has permission to use cameras. On a Mac, check System Settings, then Privacy & Security, then Camera (and Microphone). On Windows, check Settings, then Privacy & security, then Camera. Browser-based calls also need the site's camera permission allowed in the browser.
• 2. Capture: you see a live, moving preview of yourself in the app's settings or preview window, not a black frame or a frozen image.
• 3. Call quality: in a short test call or recording, the picture stays smooth and in focus and doesn't freeze. A wireless connection can be affected by network conditions, and a cable may be steadier.

If the iPhone doesn't appear as a camera

• Confirm Continuity Camera is on in the iPhone's settings (Mac), or that the companion software is running (Windows).
• Check that both devices use the same Apple Account (Mac) or the same network or cable connection (Windows).
• Lock the iPhone and keep it still in its mount.
• Quit and reopen the call app so it refreshes its device list.
• Check that the app or browser has camera permission, as described above.
• If it still fails, confirm your iPhone and computer models and software versions meet the current requirements. These could not be verified here.