The Accidental Webcam
macOS Ventura introduced a powerful feature called Continuity Camera, allowing you to use your iPhone’s high-quality rear lens as a webcam for your Mac. While the video quality is excellent, the implementation can be overly aggressive. If your iPhone is nearby, locked, and on the same Wi-Fi network, opening any app that requests camera access (like Zoom, FaceTime, or even a web browser site) might cause macOS to automatically hijack your iPhone camera instead of using the built-in Mac webcam. This can lead to awkward moments where your video feed suddenly displays the inside of your pocket or the ceiling of your living room.
Severing the Camera Link
To ensure your Mac only uses its built-in camera and to stop macOS from automatically connecting to your iPhone via Continuity Camera, you must disable the feature directly on your iOS device, not on the Mac itself.
Unlock your iPhone (not your Mac). Open the Settings app. Scroll down and tap on General. Next, tap on AirPlay & Handoff. Look down the list for the toggle switch labelled Continuity Camera. Tap this switch to turn it completely Off (the switch will turn gray). This action severs the wireless handshake for this specific feature. The next time you open a video conferencing app on your Mac, it will default back to the built-in FaceTime HD camera, and your iPhone will remain completely uninvolved until you actively choose to turn the setting back on.