At WWDC in June 2022, one of the most exciting features that Apple unveiled was Continuity Camera for macOS Ventura. This allows you to simply put your iPhone on your Mac and use it instantly as a webcam. In true Apple style, there’s no simple setup – it just works, and we’ll show you how you can use it in this guide.
Continuity Camera doesn’t just give you a new webcam and leave it at that. Uses a group of smart iOS Features, including Center Stage, Stage Light, Portrait Mode, and a stylish Desk View that shows your desk next to your face on calls. Give it a try and it will soon become your favorite video calling tool.
Tools and requirements
- iOS 16.1
- macOS 13 Ventura
- You’ll need to make sure your Mac and iPhone are connected to the same Wi-Fi network, signed in with the same Apple ID (with two-factor authentication enabled), and both work with Bluetooth
steps
1. Put your iPhone close to your Mac
You can place your iPhone on a stand on top of your MacBook display, mount it to an external display, or place it anywhere else you want. As long as it’s close enough to your Mac, it shouldn’t matter.
first of all, Put your iPhone on a stand near your Mac. While Apple’s WWDC demo only showed the Continuity Camera feature that works with the MacBook, it can also work with iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and more.
2. Make sure your iPhone and Mac are connected
With your iPhone in place, open the video calling app. In this example, we’ll be using FaceTime, but any other video calling app should work.
As long as your Mac and iPhone meet the requirements, you will get a new overlay on your iPhone screen as soon as you open FaceTime.
This overlay should be read”connected [your name]’s [Mac name].For example, ‘Connected to Alex’s Mac mini. “
There are two buttons below. Tap Pause to pause the video, or tap Disconnect to stop it completely.
If your iPhone is not the default camera, Open FaceTimeAnd the Click the video in the menu bar And make sure your iPhone is checked under the Camera heading.
3. Change the camera to your iPhone
Your Mac will now use your iPhone’s rear camera(s) as a webcam. You can start a new call right away, if you like.
Continuity Camera gives you a few more options. Click on the Control Center icon And you will see the Video Effects button on the top left. click it For some additional features.
4. Use the center stage
at the top theater center. This will move the focal point of the camera as you move around the room, always keeping you in the middle of the frame. Note that you will need an iPhone 11 or later to use the Center Stage.
5. Using portrait mode
Under the center of the stage is portrait mode – This adds a slight opacity to your photo and is useful for masking background details. Note that this feature is required for iPhone XR or later.
6. Use studio light
Next is studio lite, which brightens the subject of the video and darkens the background, helping you stand out. Note that this feature requires iPhone 12 or later.
7. Use the office display
Finally, there is office view. This works a bit of magic to show your face and your desktop at the same time. It’s great if you want to show your audience something, like teaching people a card trick or showing off your latest drawing.
Clicking View Desk in Control Center It opens a new app, also called Desk View. This only allows you to control your shots facing the desk, which is very simple. At the bottom there is a slider to zoom in or out, but that’s about it.
You can check what the output of Desk View looks like next to the FaceTime window. You may need to adjust the camera angle so that it takes a picture of you and your office (our standard camera setup resulted in something like a “shirt width” before it was moved). Play around with the zoom level in the Desk View app until it looks just right.
Camera Continuity Tips
- If the continuity camera is not working, Open your iPhone’s Settings appAnd the Click General > AirPlay & HandoffAnd the Make sure the continuity camera webcam toggle is turned on.
- If you are Deny camera overlay continuity And unlock your iPhone, the video will automatically pause on your Mac. Lock your iPhone again to resume it.
- Some apps may not display the overlay right away. In Zoom, for example, you need to create or join a meeting first. If you are only in the main Zoom window, nothing will happen on your iPhone.
- In addition to the iPhone camera, you can tell your Mac to use the iPhone microphones as well. For example, in FaceTime, Click on Video in the menu bar and select your iPhone under the Microphone heading. To use iPhone microphones, you will need an iPhone XR or later.
last thoughts
Continuity Camera combines a range of existing Apple technologies, including Portrait Mode and Center Stage, with the great cameras already on your iPhone. The fact that you can use existing hardware should give webcam makers pause for thought, as Continuity Camera is easy to use and requires no additional hardware.
It’s also a great example of Apple mixing its software and hardware to create something great. This is especially so with Desk View, which creates two different video angles from just one device – it’s a pretty cool idea.
#Continuity #Camera #macOS #Ventura