MacOS Ventura will finally let you use your iPhone as a webcam

Apple on Monday announced the new “Continuity Camera” feature on MacOS that will essentially let you use your iPhone as a webcam. The new feature — part of macOS Ventura, the latest version of the desktop operating system — was announced during the WWDC 2022 keynote address. 

The new feature allows a user to wirelessly connect their Mac to their iPhone. The Mac will automatically recognize and use the camera on iPhone when it is nearby, without the need to wake or select it. 

Continuity Camera effectively gives you a webcam upgrade without having to buy any new hardware — except, perhaps, a clip to attach your phone to your Mac.

It brings new videoconferencing features to any Mac, including Studio Light — an effect that illuminates a user’s face while dimming the background. The feature can also leverage the Ultra Wide camera on iPhone to enable Desk View, which simultaneously shows the user’s face and an overhead view of their desk. Desk View could be useful for tasks like creating DIY videos or showing off sketches over FaceTime, Apple suggests.