The 2021 iPad Pro was the first iPad with Center Stage, in Dutch this function is called ‘center stage’. With the help of machine learning and the ultra-wide-angle front camera, you will always be in view during FaceTime video calls.
When you walk around, the camera moves with you so that you are always in the picture. If someone joins you, the camera zooms out and if someone leaves, it automatically zooms back in. On an iPhone, this Center Stage camera works to automatically take portrait or landscape photos. We explain how to activate this and which Apple devices support the centerpiece.
Apple devices that support midpoint
- iPhone 17 or newer
- iPhone 17 Pro (Max) or newer
- iPhone Air or newer
- 11-inch iPad Pro 2021 3rd generation or newer
- 12.9-inch iPad Pro 2021 5th generation or newer
- 10.2-inch iPad 2021 9th generation or newer
- 8.3-inch iPad mini 2021 6th generation or newer
- 10.9-inch iPad Air 2022 5th generation or newer
- Apple Studio Display
- MacBook Air M4 or newer
- MacBook Pro with M4, M4 Pro, M4 Max or newer
- iMac M4 or newer
Operation of Center Stage for iPad and Mac
The above Mac and iPad models and the Studio Display feature a 12MP ultra-wide-angle front camera with a 122° field of view. This has the advantage that the lens can look wider and can also be used conveniently. When you make a video call via FaceTime, the camera will use machine learning to ensure that you remain in the picture.
As you walk around, the camera moves with you. This is useful if you have a video call while cooking or when you are active. The camera will focus on your face and follow it. When someone comes into view, the camera zooms out and zooms back in when you are alone. It is good to know that the camera itself cannot move, but the wider viewing angle makes it possible to respond intelligently to this.
Center Stage Camera for iPhone
The Center Stage front camera is a smart feature from Apple that uses machine learning and an ultra-wide-angle lens to always keep you in the center of the frame during video recording or video calling, without having to move the device.
Thanks to the square sensor, the camera can automatically adjust the viewing angle and switch between portrait and landscape mode without rotating the phone. This keeps the user visible at all times, making for a smoother experience, even as you move or other people approach. This feature improves the experience with FaceTime or other video apps.
Enable Center Point on an iPad
- Open the Settings
- Tap ‘FaceTime’
- Enable the ‘Middle’ option
Of course, you can also disable the option permanently if you find it annoying that the camera keeps moving with you.
During a FaceTime video call, it is also possible to manually turn off Center Stage. To do this, swipe up on the controls and tap the ‘Center’ option to turn it on or off.
iPhone as a webcam for Mac
With continuity camera it is possible to use your iPhone XR or newer as a webcam. This allows the Mac to immediately use Center Stage on iPhone models with an ultra-wide-angle camera (iPhone 11 or later). Since the M4 series in the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and iMac, these Macs have included a Center Stage camera as standard.
- Start a FaceTime call and optionally choose your iPhone as a webcam
- Open the control panel during the call
- Click on ‘Video Effects’
- Turn on Center Point