Your Apple gear likely meets the Continuity Camera system requirements<\/a>. You need an iPhone XR or later (all iPhones introduced in 2018 or later) running at least iOS 16 and a Mac running macOS 13 Ventura or later. Both must be signed in to the same Apple ID.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll want a mount that holds your iPhone in landscape orientation (horizontally) at the top of your Mac\u2019s screen, with its rear cameras facing you. The first such mounts for laptops<\/a> and desktops<\/a> came from Belkin, but numerous manufacturers<\/a> now sell inexpensive alternatives that have different industrial designs and support iPhones that can\u2019t use MagSafe. Continuity Camera can drain your battery, so it\u2019s worth plugging in a charger cable or getting a screen mount that also holds a MagSafe charger; look on Etsy<\/a> for options, such as this one<\/a>.<\/p>\n Although the samples above show the iPhone\u2019s cameras in the upper-right corner, you can rotate the iPhone to position the cameras in the lower-left corner, which may put them more in line with your eyes and improve eye contact.<\/p>\n (Technically, you can put the iPhone anywhere\u2014a tripod behind your screen would also work\u2014and it doesn\u2019t have to be in landscape orientation. However, apps detect the iPhone as a webcam automatically only when it\u2019s in landscape orientation, and if it\u2019s below or to the side of your screen, the video angle will likely be problematic. You can also take your iPhone off its mount and walk around with it as long as you stay in Bluetooth range of your Mac.)<\/p>\n When the iPhone is locked and in position, its camera and microphone become available to videoconferencing apps like FaceTime, Zoom, and Webex. Your app may start using the iPhone as a camera automatically, but if not, look for a menu or icon that lets you choose the desired camera. Similarly, you can use the iPhone\u2019s mic as your audio input for the call, although the Mac\u2019s built-in mic, AirPods, or other mic may offer equally good or better audio quality.<\/p>\n For the most part, the iPhone acts like a standard webcam. After you end the call, remove it from the mount to use it normally again. Should you need to check something on your iPhone during the call, you can remove it from the mount and either tap the Pause button or just unlock it\u2014your video (and audio, if you\u2019re using the iPhone as a mic too) will pause. To resume, lock and remount your iPhone. You may want to warn the other people on your call first in case something goes wrong and you get disconnected.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/macworks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/for-the-best-mac-webcam-use-your-iphone-1.jpg\")
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