Apple may have improved the webcams on its laptops recently, but there’s a better option – and it’s likely to already be in the pockets of many MacBook owners. The iPhone’s rear cameras are among the best you’ll find on a smartphone, and Apple’s Continuity Camera tech allows you to link it up to your MacBook and use it as a video-conferencing camera and microphone combo.
You get the benefit of the triple-camera array on the back of most iPhone Pros, with its ultra-wide and short telephoto views, and you can take the phone off its mount to use Desk View to share a top-down view of whatever you want people to see instead of your face. There's Center Stage, just like Apple’s other webcams, which keeps you in frame as you move around, and Studio Light which brightens your face while darkening the background.
There are a few things you’ll need first, however. You need an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 16 or later. You’ll also need a Mac running macOS Ventura or later, and both devices need to be signed into with the same Apple ID and are on the same Wi-Fi network.
The phone doesn’t need to be strapped to the back of the MacBook’s lid – but it helps if it is, as the camera lenses are pointing in the right direction. This is where the best Continuity Camera mounts come in, specially formed mounting points that attach to the back of the MacBook’s lid and hold your iPhone in exactly the right position.
These mounts are more than just shaped pieces of plastic anyone could run off on a 3D printer, however. Some take advantage of the MagSafe feature on newer iPhones (12 and later) that attaches them to a wireless charger to hold them steady, while others have foldable hinges to get them into the perfect position.
Ian Evenden
Ian Evenden has worked for newspapers, magazines, book publishers, and websites during his 20-plus years in journalism, and is never happier than when taking a new piece of expensive technology out of its box. When he's not slaving over a hot keyboard, he lies in wait for wildlife with a long camera lens.
3. Stouchi Aluminum MagSafe Continuity Camera Mount
If you like a bit of polish in your accessories, this aluminum mount comes in a choice of two colors, with rubber to protect your iPhone. Read more below…
The integrated light in this mount makes you look better, and you can pivot it downwards to present what’s happening on your desk. Read more below…
Best Continuity Camera mounts in 2024
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Best Continuity Camera mount overall
(Image credit: Belkin)
1. Belkin iPhone Mount with MagSafe
The best Continuity Camera mount for most people
Specifications
Connection type: MagSafe
Dimensions: 50 x 50 x 28mm
Weight: 70g
Reasons to buy
+
MagSafe compatible
+
Sold by Apple
Reasons to avoid
-
Better value elsewhere
-
MagSafe phones only
Belkin is a prolific maker of iPhone and Mac accessories, so it’s no surprise to see it create this excellent Continuity Camera mount. It’s sold through the Apple Store itself, along with other outlets, so it seems to have the Cupertino seal of approval.
What you get is a small circle that attaches via magnets to the MagSafe wireless charging hotspot on the back of an iPhone, then clips over the top of your MacBook lid with a simple hook. You can rotate the phone into portrait orientation if you want to, and it also features a kickstand so you can use it away from your laptop, perhaps to prop up your iPhone while you watch a movie.
This no-frills mount handles all the basics if you’re either on a tight budget or you want to see if Continuity Camera is going to be useful for you without making a larger spending commitment. The circular mount attaches readily to your MagSafe-compatible iPhone or case, and you can rotate your phone to either portrait or landscape orientation.
There’s a little bonus in the form of a simple magnetic metal ring, which you can attach to a conventional phone case, giving you a roundabout way to use older iPhones that support Continuity Camera but not MagSafe (see our list below).
3. Stouchi Aluminum Mag-Safe Continuity Camera Mount
Best metal Continuity Camera mount
Specifications
Connection type: MagSafe
Dimensions: 100 x 77 x 12mm
Weight: 30g
Reasons to buy
+
Versatile
+
Durable aluminum build
+
Choice of gray or silver
Reasons to avoid
-
MagSafe connection only
This is a circular magnetic mount like many others, but this time it’s made from aluminum and offers a degree more versatility. Not only does Stouchi’s mount work with Continuity Camera, attaching solidly to the top of the laptop screen in the classic piggyback style, it also functions as a desktop stand and as a grip ring: you can put your finger through it while holding your phone up for filming or video calls, giving it extra stability and theft protection.
The surfaces that come into contact with your phone or laptop are coated in rubber to prevent scratching, and you can easily rotate your phone into portrait orientation if you need to.
Clip relies on balance, so there’s the potential for slipping
This clever little design sets out to cover all the bases. A magnetic disc attaches to your MagSafe-compatible iPhone, and sits on a simple hinged mechanism that enables you to adjust the height to tilt the viewing angle. The hinge system also goes wide enough that it can clip not only to a MacBook screen, but also to the top of a modern iMac or pretty much any external flat-screen monitor.
The icing on the cake is that the magnetic disc can also detach from the hinge and has its own clip, so you can use it on your MacBook screen in the same way as many of the other mounts you’ll see here. If you want to travel with as few extras as possible, just leave the hinge at home.
Alternatively, you should be able to use a disc-shaped MagSafe charger (not included) with the hinge, so that you can charge your iPhone while you’re on a video call. This configuration works with official Apple chargers, but not necessarily with some third-party chargers.
This mount does something slightly unusual, but obvious when you think about it. Naturally, it can hold your iPhone with its rear cameras facing you, so it can act as an enhanced webcam when you’re taking a video call on your laptop screen; but it can also flip the other way around, so that a video call can appear on the phone screen, using the phone’s front camera, keeping your laptop screen clear for other things.
It can also mount on the side of your monitor, holding the phone in portrait orientation, so you can keep a messaging, social media or music app in your eyeline but without cluttering up the larger screen. Made from aluminum, the mount also comes with magnetic discs, so you aren’t confined to using it with MagSafe-compatible phones.
The beauty of Continuity Camera is that it’s wireless, so you don’t have to keep your camera in the traditional webcam position at the top of the screen. This spring-loaded arm allows you to swing your camera away from your screen, rotating it into the perfect position using its ball head, then to add a little illumination with its ring light.
A clamp at the bottom of the arm gives it a solid grip on your desk, and the light’s USB power connector means you can hook it up to a rechargeable power bank to keep things fully mobile. It’s ideal for filming things on your desk, giving demonstrations such as cooking tutorials, or just making sure you appear in the best light possible.
Which iPhone models are compatible with Continuity Camera mounts?
To use the Continuity Camera mounts in this guide, your iPhone needs to be running iOS 16 or later; to be capable of running Continuity Camera; and to support the use of MagSafe mounts.
So the full list as of May 2024 is:
• iPhone 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max
• iPhone 13, 13 Mini, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max
• iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max
• iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max
Some older iPhones are able to run Continuity Camera, but do not support MagSafe mounts, so you would also need to buy a MagSafe-compatible phone case:
• iPhone XR, XS, XS Max
• iPhone 11, 11 Pro
• iPhone SE (2020 or later)
What about the Mac my iPhone connects to?
Your Mac needs to be running macOS 13 (Ventura) or later to support Continuity Camera.
Selected Continuity Camera features require macOS 14 (Sonoma) and iOS 17.
In addition, both your Mac and your iPhone:
• Must be signed into the same Apple ID account
• Must have both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on, and be within range of each other
• Must not be using other network-sharing services such as AirPlay, Sidecar or mobile sharing while using Continuity Camera over a wireless connection
Ian Evenden has worked for newspapers, magazines, book publishers, and websites during his almost 25 years in journalism, and is never happier than when taking a new piece of expensive technology out of its box. When he's not slaving over a hot keyboard, he lies in wait for wildlife before shooting it with a long camera lens.
