In short
- Continuity Camera turns an iPhone XR or later (iOS 16+) into a webcam for any Mac on macOS Ventura 13 or later.
- Both devices need the same Apple Account with two-factor authentication, plus Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on.
- Mount the iPhone in landscape, locked and still, rear cameras facing you, then pick it in the app's camera menu.
- Plug it in with USB for long recordings: it charges, and the connection doesn't depend on Wi-Fi.
- If it doesn't appear: check the requirements, unlock and relock the iPhone, update both devices, plug it in, restart.
To use your iPhone as a webcam on a Mac, you use Continuity Camera, which is built into iOS and macOS. Mount the iPhone near the Mac in landscape, locked, with the rear cameras facing you, then pick the iPhone in the camera menu of your app. It needs an iPhone XR or later with iOS 16, a Mac with macOS Ventura 13 or later, and both signed in to the same Apple Account.
For screen recording, that means a sharper camera bubble than most laptop cameras give you, without buying a webcam. Here’s the setup, how to use it with a screen recorder, and what to do when the iPhone doesn’t appear.
What you need
Apple’s requirements, as of November 2026:
Continuity Camera requirements
- iPhone XR or later, running iOS 16 or later.
- A Mac that supports macOS Ventura 13 or later.
- Both signed in to the same Apple Account, with two-factor authentication.
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on, on both devices, and the devices near each other.
- The iPhone isn’t sharing its cellular connection, and the Mac isn’t sharing its internet connection.
- Wireless only: the Mac isn’t using AirPlay or Sidecar.
- With a cable: the iPhone trusts the Mac.
Continuity Camera works with one iPhone and one Mac at a time. It’s on by default; you can check it on the iPhone in (called AirPlay & Handoff on some versions).
Set it up
- Mount the iPhone. Near the Mac, stable, in landscape orientation, with the rear cameras facing you and nothing blocking them. Landscape lets apps switch to the iPhone automatically; portrait works too.
- Lock it. The iPhone has to be locked and still to be offered as a camera.
- Plug it in, if you can. A USB cable keeps it charged; if it asks, tap Trust on the iPhone and click Allow on the Mac.
- Open the app on your Mac. If it doesn’t switch to the iPhone by itself, choose the iPhone in the app’s camera or video menu.
Any mount that holds the phone still at eye level works. Clip mounts that sit on top of the laptop display are the most common; a small tripod behind the laptop works too.
Use it in a screen recording
The iPhone shows up like any other camera, so it works anywhere you can choose a camera:
- In QuickTime Player: choose , then pick the iPhone from the menu next to the record button. Combine it with a screen recording using the floating-window trick in how to record your screen and camera at the same time.
- In a screen recorder with a camera bubble: pick the iPhone in the recorder’s camera list. The bubble then shows the iPhone’s picture.
Should the iPhone be your microphone too?
You can choose the iPhone as the microphone in . Apple notes you usually don’t need to, unless the Mac has no built-in or external mic. For a narrated video, a mic close to your mouth matters more than which device it’s in: if the iPhone is an arm’s length away on a mount, the Mac’s mic or a headset may sound clearer. Our mic setup for client videos covers the options.
Video effects: Center Stage, Portrait, Desk View
The iPhone brings some camera effects with it. Apple lists them, with their requirements, for video calls:
| Effect | What it does | Requirement with an iPhone |
|---|---|---|
| Center Stage | Keeps you centered as you move | iPhone 11 or later, not SE models |
| Portrait | Blurs the background | iPhone XR or later |
| Studio Light | Dims the background, brightens your face | macOS Ventura 13 or later, with an iPhone 12 or later through Continuity Camera |
| Desk View | Shows your desk from above | iPhone 11 or later, not iPhone 16e or SE models |
Source: Apple Support pages on video effects, Center Stage and Desk View. Checked November 2026.
On macOS Sonoma 14 and later these are in the Video menu in the menu bar. Apple describes that menu as appearing during a video call, so whether you see it while using a screen recorder depends on the app. If the effect matters to you, test it in your recorder before a client video.
Desk View is worth knowing about for designers: it can show a sketch on paper while you talk, as a separate window you share or record.
While you record
A few things interrupt the camera. Know them before a long take:
| What happens | Effect on the camera | To continue |
|---|---|---|
| A phone call on the iPhone | Video and audio pause until you hang up | Lock and mount the iPhone again |
| You unlock the iPhone | The stream pauses | Lock it again |
| Low battery | The Mac warns you | Plug the iPhone in for anything longer than a few minutes |
| You tap Pause or Disconnect on the iPhone | The stream stops; after Disconnect the iPhone leaves the Mac’s camera list | Plug it in and mount it again |
Silence the iPhone before a long take, not just the Mac. For the Mac side, see how to hide notifications while screen recording.
When the iPhone doesn’t show up
Apple’s own troubleshooting order, with the reason behind each step:
- Check the requirements. Same Apple Account on both, two-factor authentication, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on, no Personal Hotspot, no AirPlay or Sidecar running on the Mac.
- Check the mount. The iPhone should be locked, still and in landscape.
- Update everything. Install the latest iOS and macOS, and update the app you’re using.
- Unlock and lock it again. If the iPhone hasn’t been unlocked since it last restarted, it won’t be offered as a camera until you do.
- Plug it in with a cable. That skips the wireless requirements entirely.
- Restart the iPhone or the Mac.
If the iPhone keeps dropping off Wi-Fi while it’s used as a camera, Apple suggests plugging it in or turning off cellular data. And if an app sees the iPhone but shows a black picture, check that the app has camera permission in . For other recording problems, see the Mac screen recording troubleshooting guide.
The short version
Mount the iPhone in landscape, lock it, plug it in, and pick it in your app. If it doesn’t appear, the cause is almost always a missing requirement or an iPhone that hasn’t been unlocked since its last restart. Good light still matters more than the camera: see lighting and framing for your camera bubble. For the rest of the basics, read how to screen record on Mac.
Sources
- Apple Support: Continuity Camera: Use iPhone as a webcam for Mac, checked November 2026.
- Apple Support, Mac User Guide: Use your iPhone as a webcam on Mac, checked November 2026.
- Apple Support: Use video effects and mic modes during video calls on Mac, checked November 2026.
- Apple Support: Use Center Stage to keep you centered in the camera frame, checked November 2026.
- Apple Support: Use Desk View to show your face and desk on camera, checked November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Which iPhones work as a webcam for a Mac?
iPhone XR or later, running iOS 16 or later, with a Mac that runs macOS Ventura 13 or later. Some effects need newer models: Center Stage and Desk View need an iPhone 11 or later, and SE models are excluded.
Do I need an app to use my iPhone as a webcam?
No. Continuity Camera is built into iOS and macOS. Once the iPhone is mounted and locked, it appears in the camera list of apps on the Mac.
Can I use the iPhone webcam with a cable?
Yes. Connect the iPhone to the Mac with a USB cable and trust the Mac when asked. It also keeps the iPhone charged during long recordings.
Why does my iPhone not show up as a camera on my Mac?
Usually one requirement is missing: a different Apple Account, Bluetooth off, the iPhone sharing its cellular connection, or the Mac using AirPlay or Sidecar. Unlocking and locking the iPhone again, or plugging it in, often fixes it.
Can the iPhone be the microphone too?
Yes. Choose the iPhone in System Settings › Sound › Input. For narrated screen recordings, a headset or the Mac's own mic close to you may still sound better.
