Use Center Stage to keep you centered in the camera frame

Center Stage helps keep people in the frame when using your camera. On Mac and iPad, it helps keep you centered as you move around in video calls. On iPhone, it can also rotate and zoom out automatically when taking a photo.

• Use Center Stage on iPhone

• Use Center Stage on Mac

• Use Center Stage on iPad

• Center Stage system requirements

Use Center Stage on iPhone

The Center Stage front camera on iPhone 17 models and iPhone Air automatically zooms and rotates based on who is in frame when taking photos and keeps you centered in video calls.

Use Center Stage for photos on iPhone

1. Make sure that your device meets the Center Stage system requirements below.

2. Open the Camera app.

3. Press the camera chooser button to switch to the front camera.

   

4. To change settings, tap the Center Stage button, then turn the following on or off:

   • Auto Zoom: Automatically expands the frame when a face is detected at the edge of the frame.

   • Auto Rotate: Automatically rotates the frame to landscape to include more people in the frame.

If you tap the selfie zoom button or change aspect ratio button to manually zoom or rotate the frame, Center Stage turns off. To turn Center Stage back on, tap the Center Stage button, then turn on Auto Zoom and Auto Rotate.

Use Center Stage for video calls on iPhone

1. Make sure that your device meets the Center Stage system requirements below.

2. Open the FaceTime app.

3. Center Stage is on by default and keeps you in the camera frame. If you want to turn it off, tap the video thumbnail of yourself, tap Camera Effects, then tap Center Stage.

Use Center Stage on Mac

1. Make sure that your device meets the Center Stage system requirements below.

2. Open your video app, such as FaceTime.

3. Turn Center Stage on or off:

   • macOS Sonoma 14 or later: From the Video menu in the menu bar, choose Center Stage.

     

   • macOS Ventura 13 or macOS Monterey 12: Click the Control Center button in the menu bar, click Video Effects, then click Center Stage.

When using Center Stage with Continuity Camera, you can also choose which rear camera of your iPhone to use: Click the arrow next to Center Stage in the menu, then choose Main or Ultra Wide.

Manual framing adjustment

Instead of having Center Stage keep you centered in the frame, you can zoom, pan, and recenter manually. Turn off Center Stage, then move your pointer over the preview in the Video menu to reveal the controls. Learn more about manual framing adjustments and other video features.

Use Center Stage on iPad

1. Make sure that your iPad meets the Center Stage system requirements below.

2. Open your video app, such as FaceTime.

3. Open Control Center by swiping down from the top-right corner of your screen.

4. Turn Center Stage on or off:

   1. Tap the [App Name] Controls button at the top of Control Center. For example, if using FaceTime, tap FaceTime Controls. (In iPadOS 17 or earlier, tap the Video Effects button instead.)

   2. Tap the Center Stage button in the additional controls that appear.

      

During a FaceTime call, you can instead tap the video thumbnail of yourself, tap the Camera Effects button, then tap the Center Stage button.

Center Stage system requirements

Center Stage is available when using these devices with a compatible app that supports this feature.

Learn more

• Use other video features on Mac

• Use other video features on iPad