Use iPhone as webcam for Mac with highly effective Camo app

Camo is a strong app that permits you to use your iPhone, and any linked USB digital camera, as a webcam on your Mac. I take advantage of it each week to file movies and livestream podcasts. The digital camera constructed into the MacBook — and even the high-end Studio Show — simply doesn’t evaluate to the readability and high quality of an iPhone digital camera.

Apple constructed a primary model of this characteristic into macOS and referred to as it Continuity Digital camera. However like most apps which have been sherlocked, Camo goes above and past with highly effective instruments and professional options.

Camo additionally works with Home windows PCs, Android telephones and most trendy cameras, not simply Macs and iPhones.

The right way to use your iPhone as a webcam in your Mac with Camo

First, you might want to obtain the Camo Digital camera app from the App Retailer in your iPhone (or Android telephone) and from the Camo web site on your Mac (or Home windows PC). There’s a free tier with watermark-free video recording, but it surely’s restricted to 720p video, the iPhone’s primary digital camera lens, 30 FPS and commonplace picture mode. Unlocking all of the options prices $40 yearly or $5 month-to-month.

After you have the apps arrange, simply launch them on every system.

If you wish to use your smartphone as a webcam with Camo, I like to recommend utilizing a wired connection. Nevertheless, when you don’t have a cable helpful, you’ll be able to go wi-fi. Simply click on Join a tool in your pc, faucet the Wi-Fi icon in your telephone, after which scan the QR code.

Notice: Whereas the Camo Digital camera app runs in your telephone, its display screen will flip black after a number of moments. This ensures your telephone gained’t overheat or run out of juice.

Get your digital camera arrange

Within the Camo app in your Mac, beneath Digital camera settings, you’ll be able to decide which digital camera lens in your telephone to make use of, and set the main focus and body charge. Audio settings, instantly beneath, allow you to decide which microphone to make use of.

Camo additionally offers you choices for the way your video will look once you use your iPhone as a webcam. Beneath Presets within the Mac app, you’ll be able to change between a number of totally different colour modes. You possibly can select from various customizable overlay templates if you wish to present your identify and speak to data. (In case you later determine you don’t prefer it, simply click on the layer button on the bottom-right to show it off.) To customise a template, right-click and choose Duplicate and Edit.

Beneath Framing, you’ll be able to select to have the digital camera routinely zoom out and in and pan round to maintain your face centered. For some purpose, you set how shut you need the digital camera to trace your face on a scale of strawberry to pumpkin (pumpkin being a tighter crop) — but it surely does monitor my face fairly intently.

Report movies from Camo

To file movies from Camo, click on the Report button within the toolbar. Click on the arrow to the best to choose the place to avoid wasting the video. It constantly writes to the file as you file, so if the app crashes or one thing breaks partway by means of, not all might be misplaced.

One other nicety is that you could be on a FaceTime or Skype name whereas Camo continues to be recording.

Superior picture controls to be used with iPhone as webcam on Mac

Camo additionally offers you further digital camera controls, which you will see on the best facet of the Mac app. Picture enhancements use depth knowledge out of your telephone to provide your background a blur impact. You possibly can go for a delicate inventive blur, a extreme privateness blur or a full greenscreen background.

This doesn’t work nice when you (a) have a microphone on an arm in entrance of you and (b) haven’t had a haircut in six months. It appears satisfactory in a screenshot, however dwell, it sparkles noticeably.

The Picture changes settings offer you detailed management over colour correction by hand. Beneath Superior, you’ll be able to compensate for flickering fluorescent lights. In the UK, for instance, 50 Hz workplace lighting usually conflicts with 30 FPS cameras — set it to 50 Hz to curtail the impact.

Total, Camo is a well-made and thoughtfully designed Mac app that permits you to use your iPhone or different smartphone as a webcam. If you wish to go the additional mile and step up your video conferencing recreation, it’ll allow you to take full benefit of the highly effective digital camera you carry in your pocket.

We initially printed this submit on find out how to use your iPhone as a webcam with a Mac on April 17, 2023. We up to date the information.