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Continuity Camera Not Working Unless Actual Webcam Is Connected To Mac Mini

D

DavidBurbank

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 19, 2023
2
1
Hi,

I've got a 2018 (Intel) Mac Mini running Ventura 13.4 and an iPhone 12 mini with iOS 16.5. Since the Mac mini obviously doesn't have a built-in camera, I figured using my iPhone with continuity camera would be a great solution to enable FaceTime calls on my Mac.

However, in FaceTime on the Mac, my iPhone does not show up as an available camera unless I first connect an actual external webcam to my Mac Mini via USB. Once I connect a webcam, my iPhone shows up as an available video source. Unplugging the webcam removes the iPhone as an available source.

Is this how continuity camera is supposed to work, or am I missing something? I don't want to have to connect my webcam (which is normally connected to my work computer) to the Mac just so that I can use my iPhone as a webcam.

For the record, before I connected my webcam, I tried the various fixes suggested online:

* Both devices are on the same Wifi, with bluetooth enabled
* Both devices are signed into my iCloud account
* Both devices were signed out, then back into my iCloud account
* Both devices had their network settings reset
* Both devices restarted

Thanks for any help.
 
Last edited:
DavidBurbank said:
Hi,

I've got a 2018 (Intel) Mac Mini running Ventura 13.4 and an iPhone 12 mini with iOS 16.5. Since the Mac mini obviously doesn't have a built-in camera, I figured using my iPhone with continuity camera would be a great solution to enable FaceTime calls on my Mac.

However, in FaceTime on the Mac, my iPhone does not show up as an available camera unless I first connect an actual external webcam to my Mac Mini via USB. Once I connect a webcam, my iPhone shows up as an available video source. Unplugging the webcam removes the iPhone as an available source.

Is this how continuity camera is supposed to work, or am I missing something? I don't want to have to connect my webcam (which is normally connected to my work computer) to the Mac just so that I can use my iPhone as a webcam.

For the record, before I connected my webcam, I tried the various fixes suggested online:

* Both devices are on the same Wifi, with bluetooth enabled
* Both devices are signed into my iCloud account
* Both devices were signed out, then back into my iCloud account
* Both devices had their network settings reset
* Both devices restarted

Thanks for any help.
Click to expand...
Yep, this is how mine "works," too. It's ridiculous. The whole point of Continuity Camera is be there when you don't have a camera. Requiring another camera plugged in is counterintuitive -- why wouldn't I just plug in a camera and be done with it?

I reported this to Apple, but it would be great if more people did so as well. Squeaky wheel, grease, etc.
 
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Same issue here, though I can get Continuity to work with a lot of fiddling around.

I absolutely MUST have the iPhone positioned above the computer/screen. I've found that it doesn't work unless I have the iPhone set in landscape with the external cameras in the upper right. And the camera must be completely stationary (it usually doesn't work just holding it above the screen for a few seconds to test). This is obviously not the way it's supposed to work, particularly having to have a USB camera plugged-in to avoid all the issues.
 
Well, this seems to be working for me now! No webcam hooked up at all and I can get my phone to act as a camera. It does take quite a while to connect, so it's not like you can get a call in and decide on-the-fly to use Continuity Camera, but when initiating, it's great.
 
I just went through this, mine was intermittent... discovered that I was extending my screen (using iPad as a 3rd screen) and if you do that, it will not work wirelessly.

But... what happens is that if the camera is already working wirelessly and then you extend the screen it works. It will not work if you are extending the screen before trying to use the camera. Odd and I finally figured it out yesterday.

I just cut to the chase and ran a Lightning/USB-C cable to the top of my monitor and plug it in when using continuity. I am using the Edge Pro from Rolling Square to mount it (MagSafe) and provide a light. Works great! A little redundant at the moment since I am using Lightning to connect the phone.

rollingsquare.com

EDGE® Pro Full Kit - MagSafe modular kit

EDGE® Pro is more than just a portable workstation solution designed for remote working and home office. It's a game-changer for your productivity and creativity, yet the natural "Pro" evolution our beloved first modular work from home kit, EDGE®. It includes EDGE® Pro Core, a detachable arm...
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anyone found a solution for this ?
It works fine on my MBP but on Mac Mini it does not show up until I plug it in with lightning cable, and then it just works sometime and sometimes not and just show a black screen on FaceTime.
 
Just ran into this today. Yeah it works super reliably with one plugged in

Not at all without one

Oddly, it seems it'll work one time after unplugging the webcam, then not again

I mean it looks amazing. It's such a well done feature. I see 60fps too, I believe. With portrait and stage light, it's just insane.
It's better than $300 webcams, and they managed to do it wirelessly!
But why this silly bug?

It's almost like it wasn't tested on Mac Minis, Mac Pros, or their new Mac Studios for that matter -- which all ship without a webcam.

Silly apple. Releasing half baked goods and touting them as the world's newest thing.
This was one of the biggest features of Ventura.

I'm not mad at it, it works great at home, but I just spent like 2 hours at a client's, troubleshooting this, pretty much pro bono, because I was hired to update to Ventura and the camera not working looked like Ventura was not working. Then finally this. But again, I'm not all pissed because of my man hours. Just cause of the half baked goods and Ventura has been out for a year now, we're on 13.5.2 for God's sake
 
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Same for me. Mac Mini 8/256 iPhone11 both with the latest OS no joy at all.

I can get handoff from a web page from iPhone to Mac Mini just fine!
 
TripleYoThreat said:
And have you tried with any cheap webcam plugged in? Then it works right?
Click to expand...
No, it does not work after trying my cheap webcam. I've tried all the things mentioned in this thread and another on Reddit. Wired, WiFi, horizontal, vertical steady for several minutes etc etc. The cheap webcam works fine though! I'm expecting Continuity Camera with my iPhone11 to actually work. I'm on Version 14.0 (23A344) on the Mac Mini, iOS 17.0.2 on the phone.
 
Thistle41 said:
No, it does not work after trying my cheap webcam. I've tried all the things mentioned in this thread and another on Reddit. Wired, WiFi, horizontal, vertical steady for several minutes etc etc. The cheap webcam works fine though! I'm expecting Continuity Camera with my iPhone11 to actually work. I'm on Version 14.0 (23A344) on the Mac Mini, iOS 17.0.2 on the phone.
Click to expand...
Are all requirements at the bottom of this URL met? https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213244

It could be as simple as Bluetooth was off on one of them, or, not using two factor authentication. You can also use the wire to establish connection, then disconnect

Most of us only had issues without any webcam plugged in, so you should surely be able to get it working with one plugged in, at the least


Mark.g4 said:
Same here,
don't work wireless but only with cable.
Click to expand...

And you have some kind of usb or other webcam plugged in?
 
TripleYoThreat said:
Are all requirements at the bottom of this URL met? https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213244

It could be as simple as Bluetooth was off on one of them, or, not using two factor authentication. You can also use the wire to establish connection, then disconnect

Most of us only had issues without any webcam plugged in, so you should surely be able to get it working with one plugged in, at the least




And you have some kind of usb or other webcam plugged in?
Click to expand...

no webcam.
There is a topic about this problem and m1 silicon Mac.
 
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TripleYoThreat said:
Are all requirements at the bottom of this URL met? https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213244

It could be as simple as Bluetooth was off on one of them, or, not using two factor authentication. You can also use the wire to establish connection, then disconnect

Most of us only had issues without any webcam plugged in, so you should surely be able to get it working with one plugged in, at the least




And you have some kind of usb or other webcam plugged in?
Click to expand...
Yes the Apple support site was my first place of call. I also saw a YouTube demo showing the webcam trick work but no joy in my case. I did try Bluetooth on/off etc but will do that again as obviously the Mac must pair to the iPhone(?). Yes a webcam is plugged in and that works and is the only one on the list.
 
Mark.g4 said:
no webcam.
There is a topic about this problem and m1 silicon Mac.
Click to expand...
This is that topic no? 😂

We all are facing that exact issue here

Try it with a webcam, should 'solve' it, as best as can be solved currently

Thistle41 said:
Yes the Apple support site was my first place of call. I also saw a YouTube demo showing the webcam trick work but no joy in my case. I did try Bluetooth on/off etc but will do that again as obviously the Mac must pair to the iPhone(?). Yes a webcam is plugged in and that works and is the only one on the list.
Click to expand...

You have a wired webcam connected and still not working? That's odd. I'm honestly surprised the iPhone 11 is even on that list of compatible devices. I'd figure it'd be too old to.
It doesn't need to be paired in bluetooth no, but they both need to be signed in to the same iCloud with handoff working. Which I do see you have. In your case it should work to be honest. Try connecting it by wire, using it that way, then doing it wirelessly.

All in all, this is proof that it's a poorly tested feature, while Apple touted it as one of the biggest features of Ventura..
 
TripleYoThreat said:
This is that topic no? 😂

We all are facing that exact issue here

Try it with a webcam, should 'solve' it, as best as can be solved currently



You have a wired webcam connected and still not working? That's odd. I'm honestly surprised the iPhone 11 is even on that list of compatible devices. I'd figure it'd be too old to.
It doesn't need to be paired in bluetooth no, but they both need to be signed in to the same iCloud with handoff working. Which I do see you have. In your case it should work to be honest. Try connecting it by wire, using it that way, then doing it wirelessly.

All in all, this is proof that it's a poorly tested feature, while Apple touted it as one of the biggest features of Ventura..
Click to expand...

No Sir,
I’m talking about this topic:

 
TripleYoThreat said:
Right, I think that's a manifestation of this same problem of not having a webcam physically connected. Although I suppose @Thistle41 is an example of it not working even with one connected

Which Mac do you have?

Try it with a cheap webcam connected (the cheapest one you can find on Amazon or eBay is fine), and it should work
Click to expand...

Of course,
I need to buy a USB webcam and connect it to use my iPhone as a webcam, because the software was poorly designed...

I reported my problem, which is also the problem of many other people, to Apple in every way: mail, apple store, telephone, chat... but nothing, the updates didn't solve it and left me with the problem and without answers.
I won't buy a webcam, but I will continue to use the iPhone connected with the cable.
However this way of doing things is not acceptable.
 
I 100% agree with you, it appears that it wasn't tested on 3/6 Macs in the lineup because they ship without cameras, the Mac Mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro, which are the most expensive Macs in the lineup, one being brand new, and the most likely to use this feature.

They won't do a thing, Apple has fell off a cliff recently and I was at a client's spending 2 hours on this problem pro bono because I conducted an upgrade to Ventura and this feature not working appeared such that Ventura was not working --- I understand and feel you completely. But a $15 webcam hanging at the back of the desk is not the worst solution if it fixes this problem completely. It should work quite smooth after that.

Which Mac do you have?
 
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