Did you know that you can turn your iPhone into your Mac’s mic input? Times when you are not impressed with your Mac’s microphone or prefer to use the mic of your iPhone for recording any audio or creating out-of-the-box audio, this all-new Continuity feature will have a role to play. While this feature has worked reliably for me, many users have found it ill-functioning. If you have also run into the same problem, check out these 15 best tips and tricks to fix iPhone not working as Mac’s mic input.
15 Best Tips to Fix iPhone Not Working As Mac’s Mic Input
Before getting started, let’s first check out some of the possible reasons that could be preventing iPhone from working as a microphone input on Mac.
Why is My iPhone Not Working As Mac’s Mic Input?
There could be multiple reasons why you are unable to convert your iPhone into a microphone input if your macOS device. For instance, your iPhone might be incompatible, there might be an occasional glitch or there could also be a software bug.
While some users have reported that they don’t see the iPhone in the microphone’s “Input” section, others have complained that the Continuity Camera option does not show in the iOS settings. Having looked into several complaints, we have discussed solutions that are likely to resolve the issue.
1. Make Sure Your iPhone is Compatible
First off, ensure that your iPhone supports Continuity Camera. Since this new feature has been locked to the latest iPhone models, be sure you have a compatible device. Here’s the list of devices that support Continuity Camera:
- iPhone XR
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XS Max
- iPhone 11
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone SE 2
- iPhone SE 3
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 mini
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 mini
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 14
- iPhone 14 Plus
- iPhone 14 Pro
- iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 15
- iPhone 15 Plus
- iPhone 15 Pro
- iPhone 15 Pro Max
2. Make Sure Your iPhone is Perfectly Connected to Your Mac
While this tip sounds quite basic, I would recommend you give special attention to making sure that the iPhone has perfectly connected to your Mac. Disconnect your iPhone from your Mac and then reconnect both devices.
3. Ensure That You Are Using an MFi-Certified Cable
Be sure that you are using an MFi (stands for Made for iPhone and iPad) cable. If your cable is fake or not MFi certified, your iPhone may not appear in Finder or the sound section on your Mac.
4. Be Sure Your Charging Cable is Not Damaged
Take a close look at your charging cable to ensure it’s not damaged or frayed out. Try using a different cable. Now, if your iPhone shows inside the Sound section (System Settings -> Sound -> Input), your cable (and not your iPhone) is at fault.
5. Clean the USB Port to Remove the Dust or Pileup of Smudge
Also, clean the USB port to remove any smudge that may have sneaked inside. Believe it or not, it’s one of the main reasons why the iPhone fails to show on the Mac.
6. Make Sure to Trust Your Mac
When you connect your iPhone to your Mac, you will get a popup on your iPhone to trust the Mac. After that, make sure to enter your device passcode to authenticate.
7. Allow Your Mac to Show the Connected iPhone
Slightly buried inside the Finder setting exists an option to show the connected CDs and iOS devices. Therefore, make sure your Mac is allowed to show the iPhone.
- On your Mac, open Finder -> click on the Finder menu at the top left corner of the screen -> Settings.
- Now, ensure that the Sidebar tab is selected.
- Scroll down to the Locations section and then check the box CDs, DVDs, and iOS Devices.
8. Turn OFF/ON Continuity Camera
Another simple but pretty reliable solution that you should try to resolve is to turn off/on Continuity Camera. As it has worked for me many times, I’m very optimistic about it.
- Go to the Settings app on your iPhone > General > AirPlay & Handoff > turn off/ on the toggle for Continuity Camera.
9. Disable/Enable Handoff
Turning off/on Handoff has done the trick for me on a few occasions. So, I’m going to count on it to get rid of the problem.
- On your iPhone or iPad: Go to the Settings app -> General -> AirPlay & Handoff -> turn off/on the toggle for Handoff.
- On your Mac: Head into the System Settings app -> General -> AirPlay & Handoff and then turn off/on the toggle for Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices.
10. Restart Both Your iPhone and Mac
If you are still unable to use your iOS device as the microphone input of your Mac, restart both the iPhone and Mac. At times, a simple restart works wonders in fixing weird issues. So, make sure to try it out as well.
11. Hard Reset Your iPhone
In terms of effectiveness, a hard reset is a step further than a soft reset. Hence, make sure to give it a try as well.
- Press and quickly release the volume up button. Then, press and quickly release the volume down button.
- After that, press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo on the screen.
12. Reset Location and Privacy
Even after trying several tips, if your iPhone still refuses to appear in the sound setting, reset the location and privacy.
- On your iPhone, open the Settings app -> General -> Transfer or Reset iPhone -> Reset -> Reset Location and Privacy and confirm the action.
13. Sign Out of Apple ID and Sign Back In
No solution as yet? Do not worry! Now, sign out of Apple ID and sign back in. Note that both your iPhone and Mac must be signed in using the same Apple ID. Therefore, make sure to tick off this must-have requirement.
- On your iPhone: open the Settings app -> Apple ID banner > sign out and confirm.
- On your Mac: launch System Settings > Apple ID banner > sign out and confirm.
14. Factory Reset Your iPhone
Factory reset is also highly effective when it comes to fixing annoying issues. Therefore, do not miss out on this one either.
- Go to the Settings app on your iPhone -> General -> Transfer or Reset iPhone -> Reset -> Reset All Settings and confirm the action.
15. Update Your iPhone and Mac
If the problem has not been sorted out yet, there could be a software bug at the heart of the problem. But bother not, a software update may help you get rid of the issue.
- On your iPhone: open the Settings app > General > Software Update. After that, download and install the latest version of iOS as usual.
- On your Mac: launch System Settings app > General > Software Update. Then, download and install the latest iteration of macOS.
Signing off…
So, that concludes this guide about fixing the iPhone not working as microphone input of Mac. That said, which one of these solutions has worked in fixing the issue? Make sure to let us know your feedback with us:
