While Macs are powerful and fast machines, their cameras are not as good as the iPhone. The good thing is that with Continuity Camera, Apple allows you to work with both iPhone and Mac within an ecosystem so you can use your iPhone’s high-quality camera as your Mac’s webcam and additional features like portrait mode and studio lighting.
The iPhone Continuity Camera works smoothly on a Mac most of the time, but if it doesn’t work for you, here are some troubleshooting tips to get it working on your Mac.
1. Make sure your device supports Continuity Camera.
First, make sure your Mac and iPhone meet the system requirements. You will need the following:
In general, all iPhone models released in 2018 or later (such as iPhone XR or later) running iOS 16 or later support this feature.
Other features only work with certain models:
- iPhone 11 or later for Center Stage
- iPhone 11 or later for desktop viewing (excluding iPhone SE)
- iPhone 12 or later for Studio Light
Now for the Mac, you can use Continuity Camera with any Mac compatible with macOS Ventura or later.
You must also be signed in with the same Apple ID on both devices. If your devices are compatible but still not able to use this feature, here are some fixes that may help you.
2. Update your software
As mentioned above, you must ensure that your devices are running supported operating systems.
- iPhone – iOS 16 or later
- Mac – macOS Ventura or later
3. Sign out and sign in with your Apple ID.
You can still encounter Apple ID issues even though both devices are registered with the same Apple ID. To be sure, try logging out and then logging back in on your devices.
- On your Mac: Click on the Apple logo → System Preferences → choose your name. Scroll down to the bottom of the window and select Sign Out. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the process.
- On your iPhone: Go to Settings → Apple ID. Scroll down and select Sign Out. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the process.
After a while, login to your devices.
4. Turn on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
This feature uses Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections to connect two devices, so make sure both settings are enabled on your iPhone and Mac.
5. Turn on Continuity Camera on your iPhone.
Continuity Camera is enabled by default. However, in case you accidentally turned it off, you will need to turn it back on again.
- Go to “Settings” → “General”.
- Touch AirPlay and Handoff.
- Turn on the continuity camera.
6. Unplug and try again.
If you are able to connect at first but fail to reconnect, you can try to disconnect and reconnect. Just press the “Disconnect” button on the iPhone and then reconnect.
7. Disable sleep mode
Some users have noticed that putting the iPhone to sleep, also known as sleep mode, can cause the connection to fail. To be sure, disable Focus Mode on your iPhone.
8. Set your iPhone properly
Apple recommends setting up your iPhone properly so that it works seamlessly with your Mac when using this feature. Make sure that:
- blocked
- near your Mac
- It is set firmly
- It is positioned so that the rear camera is facing you
- In landscape mode, make sure that the apps you use will automatically use the iPhone camera.
- in portrait orientation if you plan to use portrait mode
9. Turn off the hotspot
You cannot use Continuity Camera if you are currently sharing your network or Internet connection with other devices. Make sure that the hotspot is turned off on both devices before attempting to use the Continuity Camera.
10. Restart your iPhone
A quick reset fixes minor glitches and errors that can cause connection issues between iPhone and Mac. Here’s our guide on how to reset an iPhone.
11. Turn off your Mac’s firewall
If your firewall is enabled on your macOS Ventura, it may prevent your Mac from connecting to your iPhone to protect your Mac. Try turning it off before using Continuity Camera again. Do it:
- On a Mac, click on the Apple logo, then choose System Preferences.
- Select Network in the sidebar.
- Click Firewall → Turn off firewall.
12. Fixed a bug that caused Continuation to not work in Chrome.
You may also encounter problems when using the Continuity Camera in the browser, eg for live recording.
Many users have reported problems using this feature after upgrading to macOS Ventura. If you are facing the same problem, here is what you can do:
- While the app is active, tap Chrome in the menu bar → select Settings.
- Select Privacy and Security → Location Settings.
- Select the camera. You’ll see a bunch of different cameras, like your Mac’s FaceTime HD camera. If you don’t see your iPhone listed, you should open an app that has a working continuity camera, like FaceTime. With FaceTime open, tap Video in the menu bar and select your iPhone’s camera.
- Restart Google Chrome. Go back to Settings → Privacy and Security → Location Settings → Camera.
- You should see your iPhone’s camera at the bottom of the list. select it.
Try using the Continuity Camera again.
13. Reset Network Settings
Resetting network settings resets Wi-Fi, Cellular, and VPN networks, as well as passwords and APN settings. Do it:
- Go to “Settings” → “General”.
- Scroll all the way. Click Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Tap Reset → Reset network settings.
- Enter the password.
14. Other reforms
- If none of the above methods work, you can also try to connect your iPhone to your Mac if you have a Lightning-to-USB cable for your Mac. Make sure your iPhone is set up to trust your Mac if prompted.
- Another trick is to unlock and lock your phone. If you haven’t unlocked your iPhone since the last reset, unlock and lock it again.
- If all else fails, your best bet is to contact Apple Support to identify and fix the problem.
an end…
Continuity Camera is a great tool for using your iPhone’s camera as an HD video for your Mac. I hope this guide will help you resolve the issue and get back to your workflow. Tell us which solution worked for you in the comments.
Read more:
- How to use Continuity Camera on Mac and iPhone
- How to use Handoff between Apple devices
- How to use the Universal Clipboard on Mac, iPhone, and iPad