Learn how to make a FaceTime call from your Apple TV or transfer an ongoing iPhone or iPad FaceTime call to your TV without disconnection.
Prerequisites
- An iPhone or an iPad that will function as your Apple TV’s wireless camera and microphone. The supported devices are mentioned below.
- Make sure your iPhone or iPad and Apple TV are using the same Apple Account.
- Enable Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on both devices.
- Make sure FaceTime is set up on your iPhone or iPad, and that you’re using your Apple ID (not only your phone number) for it.
Supported devices
To make a FaceTime video call, you need an Apple TV 4K (2nd generation or later) running tvOS 17 or later.
And you can use Continuity Camera for Apple TV FaceTime calls on these devices running the latest version of iOS or iPadOS:
- iPhone XR, SE 2nd generation, or later
- iPad Pro (M4 and later)
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation or later)
- iPad Pro 11-inch (all models)
- iPad Air (with M2 chip or later)
- iPad Air (3rd generation and later)
- iPad (8th generation or later)
- iPad with A16 chip
- iPad mini (5th generation or later)
Start a FaceTime video call from your Apple TV
1) Open the FaceTime app on your Apple TV.
2) Select your name under the Users heading. If you don’t see your name, select Other and then scan the QR code that appears on your television using the Camera app on your iPhone or iPad.
3) You’ll now get a notification on your iPhone or iPad to use it for Continuity Camera. Tap Accept.
4) Now, turn your iPhone to landscape orientation, have the rear phone cameras face you, and place it on a stand. Note that you can also keep the iPhone in portrait mode if you want.
After this, the full-screen message should go away in a few seconds from your television screen. But if it doesn’t, tap “Skip this step” on your iPhone or press the play/pause button on the Siri Remote.
Shortly, your iPhone and Apple TV will be connected, and you’ll see the FaceTime app interface on your TV and the standard Continuity Camera’s “Connected to Apple TV” message on your iPhone. Leave the iPhone unattended on the stand.
5) You’re now ready to make a FaceTime video call from your Apple TV. To do that, select a recent call and click it to start a new call.
Or, click the New (formerly plus button), mark a contact, and click the FaceTime Video or FaceTime Audio call button.
6) When you’re done talking, use the red end button on the Apple TV or tap “End Call and Disconnect” button on your iPhone or iPad.
When you’re on a FaceTime call
You have your regular FaceTime controls that you’re already familiar with.
- Three-dot icon (formerly info ⓘ): Make it a group call by adding more participants, or turn on Live Captions to convert what the other side says into text.
- SharePlay: Enjoy a shared movie, TV show, or music experience remotely with others (see the screenshot above).
- Mute: Cut off the microphone for this FaceTime call.
- Camera: Turn off your camera feed.
- End: Hang up the call.
When you’re on a FaceTime call, you can make hand gestures, and it will automatically add a beautiful effect to the video call, which is seen by you and the participants of the call. For instance, if you make a two-thumbs-up gesture, fireworks will be added to the FaceTime call.
Here’s an image that tells you about all the screen effects you can trigger with the corresponding hand gesture.
Use Control Center options during FaceTime call
When you’re on a FaceTime call from your Apple TV, touch and hold the TV button on the Siri remote and switch to the Continuity Camera or FaceTime tabs to access additional options like Center Stage, Portrait effect, Mic Mode, etc.
Use FaceTime in Picture in Picture on Apple TV
When you’re on a FaceTime call on your Apple TV, press the back button (<) on the Siri Remote to exit the FaceTime app and continue the video call in a small Picture in Picture (PiP) window.
To manage the Picture in Picture window, press the TV button on the Siri Remote and then:
- Hide the FaceTime call screen. Press the TV button again to bring back the FaceTime PiP window.
- Change the Layout. You can choose from Picture in Picture, Split View, Full Screen, or move this PiP window to other corners of the TV screen.
- End the call.
You can learn more about this in our tutorial on using Picture in Picture for videos on Apple TV.
Transfer an ongoing FaceTime call to your Apple TV
Your Apple TV can detect when you’re on a FaceTime call and suggest you continue the call on the big television screen. Use that alert to move the iPhone or iPad FaceTime call to your Apple TV.
If you don’t get the alert, press and hold the TV button on the remote to open tvOS Control Center, go to the camera tab, select your iPhone or iPad, and then hit Move FaceTime.
Yet another method is to open the FaceTime app on your Apple TV, and you’ll see a “Move call to this Apple TV?” screen. Select your iPhone or iPad under the “Active Nearby” heading and then tap Move on your iPhone to confirm you want to transfer this call to the big television screen.
Lastly, you can also tap the speaker icon on the FaceTime screen on your iPhone or iPad and select your Apple TV to move the call. Your iPhone will connect to Apple TV, and Continuity Camera will kick into action. Place the iPhone horizontally on a stand with its rear camera facing you, and your video call will now continue on Apple TV.
Move a FaceTime call from Apple TV to iPhone or iPad
You can transfer your Apple TV FaceTime call to the iPhone or iPad that’s being used as the camera. Just wake the device and tap Switch to iPhone or Switch to iPad.
Accept an incoming FaceTime call on Apple TV
When you get a FaceTime call, a small banner will appear in the top right corner of your Apple TV screen. Press the TV button on the remote and then hit Accept.
Other Apple TV tips for you: