Continuity Camera Not Working? Use iPhone as a Webcam on Mac

Q: My iPhone keeps disconnecting mid-call — why?

Heavy Bluetooth or Wi-Fi use can drop it. Plug the iPhone into the Mac for a stable wired connection, or turn off cellular data while you use it as a camera.

Q: Does it work over USB if Wi-Fi is off?

Yes. Connect the iPhone by cable and tap Trust on the iPhone; the wired connection also keeps it charged.

Published ✓ Verified ⏱️ 2 min read October 9, 2025 · by Ryan Bennett

You want to use your iPhone as the camera on your Mac, but the iPhone never appears as a camera choice in FaceTime, Zoom, or another app, or it connects and then drops.

Why: Continuity Camera links the two devices over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi using your Apple Account. If they’re on different accounts, a radio is off, the feature is switched off on the iPhone, or the Mac is already using AirPlay or Sidecar, the camera won’t appear.

Fix 1: Confirm the requirements

Continuity Camera needs an iPhone XR or later running iOS 16 or later, and a Mac running macOS Ventura 13 or later.

Sign both devices in to the same Apple Account with two-factor authentication.
Turn on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on both, and keep them near each other.
Make sure the iPhone isn’t sharing its cellular connection (Personal Hotspot off) and the Mac isn’t sharing its internet.

Fix 2: Check that Continuity Camera is turned on

It’s on by default, but a previous setup may have switched it off.

On the iPhone, open Settings > General > AirPlay & Continuity (called AirPlay & Handoff on some versions).
Turn on Continuity Camera.
Mount the iPhone near the Mac, locked, stable, with the rear cameras facing you and unobstructed, ideally in landscape.

Fix 3: Pick the iPhone manually in your app

If it doesn’t switch automatically, choose it by hand.

Open FaceTime or your video app.
From the app’s Video or Camera menu, select your iPhone as the camera (and as the microphone if you want).
The iPhone shows a “Connected” screen with Pause and Disconnect when it’s the active camera.

Fix 4: Clear the blockers and reconnect

To use it wirelessly, your Mac must not be using AirPlay or Sidecar at the same time — stop those first.
To use it over USB, connect the iPhone and tap Trust if asked.
If you haven’t unlocked the iPhone since it last restarted, unlock it, then lock it again.
Install the latest macOS, iOS, and video app updates, then restart the iPhone or Mac and try once more.

FAQ

My iPhone keeps disconnecting mid-call — why? Heavy Bluetooth or Wi-Fi use can drop it. Plug the iPhone into the Mac for a stable wired connection, or turn off cellular data while you use it as a camera.

Does it work over USB if Wi-Fi is off? Yes. Connect the iPhone by cable and tap Trust on the iPhone; the wired connection also keeps it charged.

Sources: Apple Support — Continuity Camera: Use iPhone as a webcam for Mac, Apple Support — Continuity features and requirements for Apple devices