Top 5 tips for augmenting the quality of video calls on your Mac

Video calls have become the new normal, and they are an integral part of work meetings and connecting with colleagues, loved ones, and clients across the world. Although this is an excellent way to communicate with your team members or family, grainy visuals and choppy audio can quickly ruin the experience. It may make you feel that joining or starting a video call is the biggest mistake of your life.

Luckily, Mac users don’t have anything to worry about. You can implement the following tips to transform your video calls into a productive and hassle-free experience.

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Adjust Mac Camera Quality Via Communication Tools

Provided you have cleaned the MacBook camera clean, and there’s no dust on the webcam, you can use the communication tools you are using for your video calls to adjust the camera quality. Whether you are using Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or Google Meet, they offer various levels of video customization.

For instance, if you are using Zoom, you can adjust the brightness of your Mac’s camera and improve your appearance. You can also reduce noise and set the quality to HD.

If you are still wondering how to fix MacBook camera quality using third-party apps, here are some specific ways.

If you are using Zoom, open Settings > switch to the Video tab > choose your camera from the dropdown menu > check the box next to HD > check the box next to Touch Up My Appearance and utilize the slider > check the box next to Adjust for Low Light and choose Manual or Auto.

Remember, you must explore the different camera settings on the video communication tool you are using.

Use Light To Your Advantage

Does your Mac’s built-in webcam feel shadowy, grainy, or poor? If you have cleaned the camera but to no avail, the issues are probably caused by poor lighting. So, you need to find good lighting and utilize it to your advantage.

You can experiment with the existing lighting in your room before starting a video call. If it doesn’t bring out the best in your camera, you can get a ring light to ensure the focus is on you.

The trick is to experiment with different sources of light to find what works best.

Use An External Webcam Or Your Iphone As A Webcam

Are you unhappy with the quality of your Mac’s built-in camera? If you have experimented with light and cleaned the webcam, the next step might be to consider getting an external webcam or using your iPhone’s camera as a webcam for your Mac.

External webcams are built for the purpose of video calls, and they typically pack superior hardware. They offer better video quality, and you can get a 1080p webcam at a decent price. This is going to instantly improve your video quality. Once you have connected the external camera, do not forget to change the settings of the apps so that they use this camera.

If you have an iPhone, you don’t need to look elsewhere because your phone can double as a webcam for your Mac. For this trick to work, your Mac must run on macOS Ventura or later, and your phone must run on iOS 16 or later. The latest OS versions of Mac and iPhone offer the Continuity Camera feature. Once this feature is turned on, you can easily use the primary camera of your phone as your Mac’s webcam.

The Continuity Camera feature comes in handy because you don’t need to spend money buying an external camera. Also, the quality of the iPhone camera is much better than most webcams.

What’s more, you ask? The feature works wirelessly, and you can utilize features like Desk View.

Ensure Your Internet Connection Is Stable

No matter the camera quality, your video calls will be choppy and grainy if you have a lagging connection. A slow Internet connection can quickly make video calling an annoying experience.

Therefore, ensure you have a stable, speedy Internet connection. If possible, you can directly connect to your router using an Ethernet cable. This is known to offer superior speed and stability.

However, if Wi-Fi is your only option, you can try moving closer to the router. Also, reduce interferences and close all the redundant applications so that there’s enough bandwidth for your video call.

Optimize The Performance Of Your Mac Device

Is your Mac’s performance sluggish? This might also be the reason why the quality of your video calls is dropping significantly.

One way to speed up your device is closing all the unnecessary applications running in the background. You can also close the redundant tabs that are open. Doing this will help free up space and resources.

To identify resource-intensive apps that are hindering the performance of your device, you can count on Activity Monitor.