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Thanks to Apple silicon and macOS Sonoma, the latest Macs offer plenty of advanced features that many power users appreciate. One of these welcome offerings is Continuity Camera — an Apple ecosystem feature that turns your new iPhone into a wireless webcam for your Mac. Below you will find a list of Continuity Camera's prerequisites, along with the steps you must follow to use it.

Continuity Camera prerequisites

Unfortunately, not every iPhone or Mac can use Continuity Camera.

  • Your iPhone and Mac should be running iOS 16 and macOS Ventura or newer.
  • You must be using an iPhone XR or a newer model for the basic Continuity Camera feature to work.
  • To use Center Stage and Desk View, you must be using an iPhone 11 or a newer model.
  • For Studio Light, you need an iPhone 12 or a newer model.
  • Both your iPhone and Mac must be paired to the same Apple ID.
  • You should have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enabled on both devices, along with Continuity Camera in iOS General Settings (which is on by default).

How to use Continuity Camera in an app

  1. Launch FaceTime or the video calling app of your choice.
  2. Click on Video (the naming could differ based on the app) in the Menu Bar.
  3. Tap on your iPhone's name after you make sure it's near your Mac.
    Using continuity camera in an app through the video tab in the menu bar
  4. To toggle Center Stage, Portrait mode, Studio Light, or Desk View, tap the Camera icon on the Menu Bar's right.
    Center Stage, Portrait mode, Studio Light, and Desk View toggles
  5. You will get the option to disconnect the camera feed on your iPhone if you want to switch back to using the Mac's camera.
    continuity camera alert on iPhone with a button to disconnect

How to use it on a website

  1. Load the video calling website you plan on using.
  2. Locate its settings and find the video input section.
  3. Choose your iPhone's name from the list of available cameras.
    Using continuity camera on a website through the website's video settings

Continuity Camera is such a great feature, especially for those who use a Mac Studio or Mac Mini and don't want to get a dedicated webcam for their occasional video calls. I've used it several times, and it works smoothly in terms of both audio and video. Not only does it offer basic footage, but it also allows you to rely on Center Stage and Desk View. Through these options, the camera's viewfinder could follow you around or record your desk's surface respectively. That's not to mention support for Portrait mode and Studio Light, which provide a more professional-looking output with a blurred background. If you're looking to scan documents on a Mac using Continuity Camera, then the process is a bit different.