Using iPhone as a webcam – that’s how it works best
Do you still have many online meetings, for example via Zoom, Microsoft Teams or FaceTime? And do you want a much better webcam than the one you have now? We explain how you can easily use your iPhone as a webcam.
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Use iPhone as a webcam
One of the coolest new features in macOS Ventura is the ability to use your iPhone as a webcam for your Mac. That is called Continuity Camera, also called the Continuity Camera by Apple in Dutch. With the function you no longer have to use the webcam in your MacBook, but you use the (much) better camera in your iPhone.
After all, the camera of your MacBook leaves something to be desired, especially when compared to the camera of your iPhone. With Continuity Camera you use the camera on the back of your phone, which has 12 megapixels on most iPhones, and a much better and larger camera sensor. By comparison, only the camera in the very latest MacBook Pro and MacBook Air has a 1080p FaceTime HD camera.
This way you can use your iPhone as a webcam
To use your phone as a webcam, you must have an iPhone XR or later running iOS 16. Your MacBook must be running macOS Ventura to use the new feature. Unfortunately, if your MacBook isn’t compatible with Ventura, you won’t be able to use the iPhone’s camera.
To use your iPhone’s camera on your MacBook, both devices must have Bluetooth turned on and the devices must be in close proximity. Make sure your iPhone is facing you back and placed in a landscape position so you can get started right away as soon as the phone is connected. You connect in the following way:
- Open an app where you need the camera on your MacBook;
- Click on ‘Video’ in the bar at the top of the screen;
- Check whether your iPhone is listed under ‘Camera’;
- Choose ‘Camera from iPhone’.
Is your iPhone not among the options? Then it can help to turn Bluetooth off and on again on both devices. In most cases, your MacBook will automatically connect to your iPhone as soon as you open an app like FaceTime or Photo Booth. This way you can easily use your iPhone as a webcam for your Mac!
Multiple camera options: Studio Light and Desk View
After you have connected your iPhone as a webcam, you can choose from various camera functions, such as Studio light and Desk view. The former is a feature that ensures that your face is always nicely lit and that at the same time darkens the background. This way you can always be seen on the screen.
Desk view might be even more interesting. This option uses the ultra wide angle lens in your iPhone. It films so wide that you can view the entire desk if you use the iPhone as a webcam for the Mac. Extremely useful if you want to show others how you unpack something or want to explain it as something.
Buy a MacBook? Check out the best deals
Are you still looking for a new laptop? Apple launched a lineup of new MacBook Pros last month, which, with the new M2 Pro and M2 Max, are the fastest MacBooks ever. Check our price comparison for the best MacBook prices:
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