How to Use the New Continuity Camera Feature in macOS Mojave - MacRumors
Skip to Content

How to Use the New Continuity Camera Feature in macOS Mojave

by

In macOS Mojave, Apple has extended its Continuity features so that now you can use your iPhone or iPad's camera to take a photo or scan a document, and it will be immediately available on your Mac.

continuity camera 2
Continuity Camera works in several native Mac apps, including Pages, Keynote, and TextEdit. The following steps explain how to use it. Bear in mind that both your iOS device and your Mac need to be logged into the same Apple ID for this feature to work.

How to Add a Photo Using Continuity Camera

  1. Launch the app that you want to import a photo into.
  2. Open an existing project or document, or create a new one.
  3. Right-click (or Ctrl-click) the location where you want to insert the photo.
    continuity camera 1
  4. In the contextual menu, click Take Photo under the name of the iOS device that you want to use.
  5. Take the photo on your iPhone or iPad.
  6. Tap Use Photo on your iOS device, and the image will appear in the open project or document on your Mac.
    continuity camera 3

How to Scan a Document Using Continuity Camera

  1. Launch the app you want to use and open a project or document, or create a new one.
  2. Right-click (or Ctrl-click) the space where you want to insert the captured document.
  3. In the contextual menu, click Scan Document under the name of the iOS device that you want to use.
  4. Using your iPhone or iPad's camera, frame the document in the onscreen viewfinder. The document should turn yellow and scan automatically. You can repeat this step to scan several documents if desired.
  5. Tap Save on your iOS device, and your scanned documents will be inserted into the open project or document on your Mac.
Related Forum: macOS Mojave

Top Rated Comments

Benjamid Avatar
Benjamid
103 months ago
Hmm, I don’t get why it can’t just create a document as pdf. It’s already annoying that I have to create a note to scan documents in iOS than move the scan to files and then delete the note...
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
D
Darth-Kylie
100 months ago
Hmm, I don’t get why it can’t just create a document as pdf. It’s already annoying that I have to create a note to scan documents in iOS than move the scan to files and then delete the note...
You can scan docs directly from your iPhone to a file on your Mac. In Finder, Ctrl-click in an empty area in the folder where you want scanned docs to be saved, then choose Import from iPhone or iPad > Scan Documents. This saves as a PDF.

Attachment Image
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BWhaler Avatar
BWhaler
103 months ago
I’m really looking forward to Mohave. Reminds me of old school Apple, where there were new touches which ended up being remarkable useful in your workflow. And quality, the old, “ it just works”

Fingers crossed App,e has learned some good lessons this year. I’m hopeful.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
D
Druid54
103 months ago
In macOS Mojave, Apple has extended its Continuity features so that now you can use your iPhone or iPad's camera to take a photo or scan a document, and it will be immediately available on your Mac.



Continuity Camera works in several native Mac apps, including Pages, Keynote, and TextEdit. The following steps explain how to use it. Bear in mind that both your iOS device and your Mac need to be logged into the same Apple ID for this feature to work.

How to Add a Photo Using Continuity Camera
[LIST=1]
* Launch the app that you want to import a photo into.
* Open an existing project or document, or create a new one.
* Right-click (or Ctrl-click) the location where you want to insert the photo.

* In the contextual menu, click Take Photo under the name of the iOS device that you want to use.
* Take the photo on your iPhone or iPad.
* Tap Use Photo on your iOS device, and the image will appear in the open project or document on your Mac.


How to Scan a Document Using Continuity Camera
[LIST=1]
* Launch the app you want to use and open a project or document, or create a new one.
* Right-click (or Ctrl-click) the space where you want to insert the captured document.
* In the contextual menu, click Scan Document under the name of the iOS device that you want to use.
* Using your iPhone or iPad's camera, frame the document in the onscreen viewfinder. The document should turn yellow and scan automatically. You can repeat this step to scan several documents if desired.
* Tap Save on your iOS device, and your scanned documents will be inserted into the open project or document on your Mac.


Article Link: How to Use the New Continuity Camera Feature in macOS Mojave ('https://www.macrumors.com/how-to/use-continuity-camera-in-macos-mojave/')
[doublepost=1530967502][/doublepost]Note that the camera app must be open/active on your iOS device for it to show the 'Take a photo' and 'Scan document' contextual menu items. If Camera app is NOT open, you get the regular contextual menu without those items.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
S
shuntva06
103 months ago
Hmm, I don’t get why it can’t just create a document as pdf. It’s already annoying that I have to create a note to scan documents in iOS than move the scan to files and then delete the note...
This gets a photo directly from iOS directly into most Mac apps WITHOUT having to use AirDrop and Copy / Paste. If you need a PDF of ONLY the image ... just Open Photo on iOS device and Save it as a PDF.

Also ... if you already have an image on the Mac -- copy it to the Clipboard -- Open Preview and Save as a PDF.

Having several ways to skin a cat is a big help.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
amaze1499 Avatar
amaze1499
103 months ago
This. I came here to type exactly this.
Because some like to scan directly into a document. This feature makes totally sense to me.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments

Popular Stories

Apple Wallet

iOS 27 Will Add Two New Apple Wallet Features to Your iPhone

Monday June 1, 2026 12:15 pm PDT by
Apple is set to unveil iOS 27 during its WWDC 2026 keynote on Monday, June 8, and the update will reportedly include two new Apple Wallet features. First, iOS 27 will reportedly let users create their own digital passes by scanning items like movie tickets, concert passes, and gym membership cards. Many apps already offer Apple Wallet passes, but now users will be able to create a custom...
Read Full Article
Dynamic Island iPhone 18 Pro Feature

iPhone 18 Pro Battery Capacities Allegedly Leaked

Tuesday June 2, 2026 1:54 am PDT by
Battery capacities for Apple's upcoming iPhone 18 Pro have allegedly surfaced, and the numbers suggest only a modest increase over the iPhone 17 Pro. According to prolific Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station, Apple is testing the iPhone 18 Pro with different battery capacities for the China and U.S. versions of the device, similar to last year's iPhone 17 Pro models. The Chinese model is ...
Read Full Article • 39 comments
Apple Foldable Thumb

First 'Confirmed' iPhone Ultra Color Allegedly Revealed in Leaked Image

Monday June 1, 2026 4:39 am PDT by
Apple is expected to launch its first foldable iPhone later this year. Rumors suggest the "iPhone Ultra" will come in two color options, and a leaker shared an image today that allegedly shows one of them. Posted on Weibo by the Chinese leaker known as Ice Universe, the image purportedly offers a first glimpse of Apple's foldable in white. The device is believed to have entered early mass...
Read Full Article • 99 comments