Mac virtual cameras
Virtual camera for Mac: which apps work in FaceTime, Zoom, and Google Meet
Xamera, OBS, Camo, and Ecamm Live all work in FaceTime
Xamera is a virtual camera for Mac that works in FaceTime, Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and OBS. It adds beauty filters, color looks, background effects, and privacy tools to your real camera, and it needs an Apple-silicon Mac with macOS 15.5 or later. Other virtual cameras suit other jobs: OBS Studio for free scenes with screen capture, Camo for using your phone or a DSLR as the webcam, and Ecamm Live for streaming. All three also say they work in FaceTime on recent macOS; ManyCam and Airtime (formerly mmhmm) don't mention it. Xamera is made by NANOSQUID, the publisher of this page.
Product information checked on each product's website on October 21, 2026.
- 1Your real camera
- 2Virtual camera app
- 3FaceTime, Zoom, or Meet
Why some virtual cameras don't show up: since macOS Sonoma 14.1, cameras that don't use Apple's modern camera extensions no longer appear in apps unless you restore legacy support from Recovery mode. That also turns off the menu bar camera indicator while the older camera is in use. Read Apple's note on cameras after macOS Sonoma 14.1
Choose a virtual camera by what you need it for
Each app below shows up as a camera you can pick in other apps, but each is built for a different job. If you only need background blur, lighting, or framing, try the Video menu in macOS first: on supported Macs, Apple's built-in effects need no extra app.
Xamera (our app)
Beauty filters and a better-looking camera, including in FaceTime
Xamera adds Face Studio beauty controls, full-frame looks, background effects, and privacy tools to your real camera. It then appears as Xamera in FaceTime, Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and OBS. It needs Apple silicon and macOS 15.5 or later, and it's a free download with in-app purchases. It doesn't build scenes or capture your screen.
OBS Studio Virtual Camera
Free scenes with screen capture, text, and overlays
Build a scene in OBS, click Start Virtual Camera, then choose OBS Virtual Camera in your video app. OBS says the virtual camera in version 30 or later works with all apps on macOS 13 or later. OBS has Intel and Apple-silicon builds. It's free and open source, but it has no beauty filter of its own.
OBS 30 release notesOBS download and Mac requirementsCamo
Using your phone, a DSLR, or a webcam as a better camera
Camo Studio takes video from an iPhone or Android phone, a built-in camera, a webcam, a DSLR, or Continuity Camera. It adds LUT filters, a Retouch softening slider, and background effects. Camo's FAQ lists FaceTime as supported from macOS 12.3. The free version goes up to 720p with no watermark; Pro adds up to 4K and Background Replace.
Camo's supported-apps FAQCamo Studio featuresCamo pricingEcamm Live
Live streaming and recording on a Mac
Ecamm Live is a streaming and video studio built for Mac. Its virtual camera, part of the Pro plan, appears in apps such as Zoom and Google Chrome. Ecamm's release notes say version 4.2 added a camera-extension virtual camera on macOS 13 or later that works in FaceTime. There's a 14-day free trial.
Ecamm's virtual camera guideEcamm release notesManyCam
Switching between many video sources, with masks and backgrounds
ManyCam mixes webcams, videos, images, and screens, and adds masks, effects, and background blur or replacement. Its site names Zoom, Webex, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet. Its macOS camera extension needs macOS 12.3 or later and also works in Safari and Photo Booth. ManyCam doesn't mention FaceTime, and its requirements page says Apple-silicon Macs run it through Rosetta 2.
ManyCam's macOS camera extensionManyCam system requirementsAirtime Camera (formerly mmhmm)
Presenter looks and visuals in work meetings
mmhmm is now Airtime, and its meeting camera is Airtime Camera. It adds presenter lighting, a blurred or virtual background, name tags, and visuals, and appears as Airtime in Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and Webex. Airtime needs macOS 13 or later, and its site doesn't mention FaceTime. Paid plans follow a 14-day free trial.
Airtime CameraAirtime's Mac requirementsAirtime pricingMac virtual cameras compared
What each app offers on a Mac, according to its maker's website or documentation.
| App | Best for | Works in FaceTime | Apps its maker names | Mac requirements | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xamera (our app) | Beauty filters, color looks, backgrounds, and privacy for one real camera | Yes | FaceTime, Zoom, Google Meet, Teams, OBS | Apple silicon and macOS 15.5 or later | Free download; in-app purchases |
| OBS Studio | Scenes with screen capture, text, and multiple sources | Yes; OBS says all apps work from OBS 30 on macOS 13 or later | Any app that can choose a camera | macOS 13 or later; Intel or Apple silicon | Free and open source |
| Camo Studio | Using a phone, DSLR, or webcam as a better camera | Yes, from macOS 12.3 | Zoom, Google Meet, Teams, Slack, Discord, OBS, Apple apps | macOS 12.3 or later | Free up to 720p, no watermark; Pro for up to 4K |
| Ecamm Live | Live streaming and recording on a Mac | Yes, from version 4.2 on macOS 13 or later | Zoom, Google Chrome, FaceTime, Safari, Keynote, Discord | macOS 11.2 or later | Virtual camera needs the Pro plan; 14-day free trial |
| ManyCam | Many sources, masks, and background effects | Not listed | Zoom, Webex, Teams, Google Meet; Safari and Photo Booth | macOS 10.15 or later (Apple silicon through Rosetta 2); camera extension needs macOS 12.3 or later | Free version; paid yearly plans remove the ManyCam logo |
| Airtime Camera (formerly mmhmm) | Presenter looks, name tags, and visuals in meetings | Not listed | Zoom, Google Meet, Teams, Webex | macOS 13 or later | Paid plans after a 14-day free trial |
Checked on each product's own website on October 21, 2026. "Not listed" means the maker's site doesn't mention FaceTime, not that it can't work, so test with the free version or trial before you pay. Features and prices change. Xamera is made by NANOSQUID, the publisher of this page.
Xamera Camera
When Xamera is the right virtual camera
Choose Xamera when you want your own camera to look better in every app where you can pick a camera, FaceTime included, without building scenes. Xamera processes your physical camera on your Mac and publishes the result as a camera named Xamera, so the calling app receives the finished feed.
- Face Studio beauty controls for skin, teeth, face shape, eyes, nose, and lips
- Full-frame looks such as Golden Hour, Vintage, Vivid, Mono, Noir, and Sepia
- Background blur, image replacement, or a solid color
- Face blur, pixelation, and automatic camera privacy controls
- Built-in, external, and Continuity Camera inputs
- Camera-effect processing stays on your Mac
How to create a virtual webcam on a Mac for Zoom, Google Meet, or FaceTime
- 1Install a virtual camera app that uses a macOS camera extension, such as Xamera, OBS 30 or later, or Camo. Allow camera access when macOS asks.
- 2Turn on the app's camera extension when it asks. If no prompt appears, look for it in System Settings → General → Login Items & Extensions → Camera Extensions.
- 3Choose the input camera or build your scene. In Xamera, pick your physical camera and an effect, and keep Xamera open. In OBS, click Start Virtual Camera.
- 4In the calling app, choose the virtual camera: Settings → Video & effects → Camera in Zoom, Settings → Video → Camera in Google Meet, or the Video menu in the menu bar during a FaceTime call.
- 5Check the preview in the calling app before you join. If the camera is missing, quit and reopen the app, or reload the browser tab.
Virtual-camera limitations on Mac
- Xamera requires Apple silicon (M1 or later) and macOS 15.5 or later. It doesn't run on Intel Macs.
- Xamera enhances one camera feed. It doesn't compose scenes, capture your screen, add text overlays, or stream. Use OBS or Ecamm Live for that; you can also choose Xamera as a camera source inside OBS.
- Xamera has no phone app of its own. To use an iPhone, select it through Continuity Camera as Xamera's input. For an Android phone, Camo is a better fit.
- Older virtual cameras built as DAL plug-ins don't appear in apps on macOS Sonoma 14.1 or later unless you restore legacy camera support. Prefer apps that use a camera extension.
- The destination app must let you choose a camera. Camera extensions may need approval in System Settings, and apps that were open during setup may need to be reopened.
- Resolution and frame rate depend on the input camera, the virtual-camera app, and the destination app. Running several effects or scene processors increases CPU, GPU, and memory use.
- Always check the preview in the calling app, because that's the feed other people see.
Mac virtual-camera questions
What's the best virtual camera app for Mac?
It depends on the job. For beauty filters and a better-looking real camera in FaceTime and meeting apps, use Xamera, our app, on an Apple-silicon Mac with macOS 15.5 or later. For free scenes with screen capture and overlays, use OBS Studio. To use your phone or a DSLR as the webcam, use Camo. For live streaming on a Mac, Ecamm Live includes a virtual camera on its Pro plan. ManyCam suits switching between many sources.
Is there a virtual camera for Mac that works with FaceTime?
Yes. Xamera works in FaceTime. OBS says its virtual camera works in all Mac apps from OBS 30 on macOS 13 or later. Camo lists FaceTime from macOS 12.3, and Ecamm Live added FaceTime support in version 4.2 on macOS 13 or later. ManyCam and Airtime don't mention FaceTime on their sites. To switch, start a FaceTime video call, click Video in the menu bar, and choose the virtual camera.
What are alternatives to OBS Virtual Camera on Mac?
Camo turns a phone, DSLR, or webcam into a better camera and is free up to 720p. Ecamm Live is a paid Mac streaming studio with a virtual camera on its Pro plan. ManyCam mixes many sources and adds masks and backgrounds. Airtime Camera, formerly mmhmm, adds presenter looks in Zoom, Google Meet, Teams, and Webex. Xamera adds beauty filters and camera looks to one real camera, including in FaceTime. None of them is open source like OBS. You can also keep OBS and add Xamera as a camera source inside it.
How do I create a virtual webcam on macOS that works in Zoom and Google Meet?
Install a virtual camera app that uses a macOS camera extension, such as Xamera, OBS 30 or later, or Camo, and approve the extension when macOS asks. Set up your camera or scene in that app and keep it running; in OBS, also click Start Virtual Camera. In Zoom, open Settings → Video & effects and choose it from the camera list. In Google Meet, open Settings → Video and choose it under Camera. If it's missing, quit and reopen Zoom, or reload the Meet tab.
What does a virtual camera do on a Mac?
It lets an app process a physical camera or build a scene, then offers the result to other apps as a webcam you can select. The other app receives that output instead of your unprocessed camera.
Does a virtual camera replace my physical camera?
No. It normally uses a physical camera or software scene as its input. The virtual camera is the processed output selected in the destination app.
Why is my virtual camera not listed?
Check that its app is open and the virtual camera is running. Approve its camera extension in System Settings, then quit and reopen the calling app. In a browser call, also check the site's camera setting and the browser's camera permission. On macOS Sonoma 14.1 or later, older plug-in-style virtual cameras don't appear by default; ask the maker for a version that uses a camera extension.
Are macOS video effects a virtual camera?
No. Apple's Portrait, Studio Light, Center Stage, Reactions, and Background features can change your video in supported calls, but they do not add a separate camera source to select. Availability varies by Mac, camera, and macOS version.
Is Xamera the same as OBS Virtual Camera?
They use the same general virtual-camera concept but serve different jobs. Xamera focuses on camera enhancement and privacy; OBS focuses on composing complete scenes from one or more sources. You can also choose Xamera as a video source inside OBS.
Does Xamera work on an Intel Mac?
No. Xamera requires an Apple-silicon Mac (M1 or later) running macOS 15.5 or later. OBS Studio offers an Intel build if you need a virtual camera on an older Mac.
Can I use my iPhone as a virtual camera on a Mac?
You don't need a virtual camera for that. Continuity Camera lets a supported iPhone work as a Mac webcam, and Xamera can use it as its input to add effects. Camo is an alternative that also works with Android phones.
Try Xamera as your Mac virtual camera
Download Xamera if you want beauty filters, camera looks, and privacy tools in FaceTime, Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and OBS. If you need scenes or screen capture instead, OBS is free.