How to Enable Desk View Using Continuity Camera on Mac

Desk View is a macOS 13 feature that leverages an iPhone's Ultra Wide camera via Continuity Camera to simulate an overhead view of your desk without requiring an overhead camera rig. This guide provides a direct, step-by-step walkthrough to set up Continuity Camera, launch Desk View, and calibrate your workspace for video calls or presentations.

Prerequisites

Before using Desk View, ensure your devices meet the following requirements:

  • A Mac running macOS 13 Ventura or later.
  • An iPhone 11 or later running iOS 16 or later.
  • Both devices signed in to the same Apple ID with two-factor authentication enabled.
  • Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on for both devices.
  • An iPhone mount compatible with your Mac's display (such as a MagSafe mount).

Step 1: Connect Your iPhone to Your Mac

  1. Place your iPhone securely in an approved mount on top of your Mac display.
  2. Ensure the iPhone is oriented horizontally (landscape mode) with the rear cameras facing you.
  3. Lock your iPhone display; Continuity Camera activates automatically when the device is locked and motionless.

Step 2: Open Desk View

You can launch Desk View either through an active video conferencing app or as a standalone utility.

Method A: Using Control Center during a video call

  1. Open your preferred video calling application (such as FaceTime, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams).
  2. Click the Control Center icon (the two toggle sliders) in the top-right corner of the macOS menu bar.
  3. Click Video Effects.
  4. Click Desk View. A separate Desk View window will appear on your desktop.

Method B: Launching directly via Finder or Spotlight

  1. Press Command + Space to open Spotlight Search.
  2. Type Desk View and press Return.
  3. Alternatively, open Finder, navigate to Applications, and double-click Desk View.

Step 3: Calibrate and Share Your Desk View

  1. The Desk View window displays an interactive frame.
  2. Use the on-screen zoom control or drag the corners of the guide box to align the frame with your physical desk surface and keyboard area.
  3. Click Start Desk View (or Done) to apply the framing.
  4. To share this view in a third-party video app (like Zoom or Teams), open the screen-sharing settings within that app and select the Desk View window as your shared source.