Need a good webcam for a virtual meeting on Mac? Here’s how to enlist your handy iPhone for the job.
you participate in virtual meeting On a Mac and you want to make sure your video looks good. The webcams that are built into many MacBooks are often of lower resolution. If you are using a Mac Mini, the webcam may not be accessible. With macOS Ventura, you can get even higher resolutions Iphone as your webcam via a feature called Continuity Camera.
With a special mount, you can attach your phone to the top of your Mac. Alternatively, you can hold your phone as you walk around the room so you can still be in front of the camera.
We see: iCloud vs. OneDrive: Which is Better for Mac, iPad, and iPhone Users? (Free PDF) (TechRepublic)
When Continuity Cam is turned on, you can use an option called Office View to share whatever is on your physical desk, such as paperwork or printed documents. Another option called Center Stage keeps you centered on the screen as long as you’re in front of the camera. Best of all, you can do all of this through any virtual meeting or video app, including FaceTime, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams and Webex.
macOS Ventura: How to turn your iPhone into a webcam
To use your iPhone as a webcam, your Mac must be running macOS Ventura or later. To update to a previous version of macOS, click the Apple icon, select About This Mac, and then click the Update Software button. Click the Upgrade Now button to install the update.
Next, both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi should be turned on on your iPhone and Mac and be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. You also need to be signed in with the same Apple account on both. Furthermore, the Continuity Camera must be enabled on your iPhone. To check, go to Settings, then General and AirPlay & Handoff. Turn on the switch for Continuity Camera if it is not already on (Figure A).
Figure A
Start a video call using any meeting app, such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or FaceTime. With your iPhone near you, tap the Camera or Video setup in the app. You should see your iPhone listed as an option. If so, select it and the video feed will switch to your phone (Figure b).
Figure b
From the screen of the iPhone displaying the connection, you can pause and then resume the video stream, or disconnect it completely (Figure c).
Figure c
Depending on the video or default meeting app you’re using, you should be able to go into video settings and adjust quality, brightness, and other factors (Figure d).
Figure d
Moreover, you can modify the appearance from your Mac’s Control Panel. Click the Control Panel menu bar icon and then select the Video Effects control. Selecting Portrait blurs the background slightly to focus on you as the subject. Selecting Studio Light adjusts the lighting to add more brightness to your look (Figure e).
Figure e
Center Stage keeps you centered on the screen. To enable this in the Video Effects control, check Center Stage. Move your head around the screen to see how it stays centered (Figure f).
Figure f
Finally, Desk View displays any items on your desk that you want to share. Check Desk View in the Video Effects control. A notification pops up telling you to use the + and – keys to align your desk with the edge of the box. Move the slider at the bottom of the screen to adjust the width. When you’re ready, click the Start Desk View button (Figure g).
Figure g
The camera view changes to your desk to show whatever is in front of your Mac. If necessary, move the slider to adjust the width (Figure h).
Figure h
Find out more about the iPhone with these recent tutorials from TechRepublic: How to view live activities on your iPhone’s lock screen with iOS 16.1 And the How to use Google Lock Screen widgets for iPhone.
#iPhone #webcam #macOS #Ventura