Choose which camera an app uses on your Mac

Why it happens

Each app chooses its own camera, and there's no single camera setting for the whole Mac. If your iPhone or another webcam was nearby when the app started, the app may have picked that one. Most apps remember your choice next time.

How to fix it

1. Open the app and turn on the camera, for example by starting a FaceTime call.

2. In FaceTime, click Video in the menu bar and choose the camera you want from the list.

   FaceTime›Video

3. In other video apps, look in the app's settings for a Video or Camera section, or open the menu next to the camera button during a call.

4. On a website, use the site's own camera menu or the camera choice your browser shows when the site asks for the camera.

Still not fixed?

1. If your iPhone keeps taking over as the camera, that's Continuity Camera. On the iPhone, open Settings > General > AirPlay & Continuity and turn off Continuity Camera.

2. External webcam not in the list? Plug it straight into the Mac, not through a hub, then quit the app and open it again.

3. If the app shows no picture at all, check it's allowed to use the camera in Privacy & Security > Camera.

   Privacy & Security›Camera

4. If the camera you want doesn't show in any app, even after a restart, it may be faulty. For a Mac's built-in camera, contact Apple Support; for a webcam, try it on another computer first.