Backdrop Cam
Get Backdrop Cam
FaceTime · Mac
A video background in FaceTime, on your Mac
Updated October 2026 · checked against FaceTime's own documentation
Short answer
FaceTime and macOS don't support video backgrounds. Since macOS 15 Sequoia, the Video menu's Background effect replaces your room with a color, a built-in image or a photo of your own. For a moving video, choose Backdrop Cam as FaceTime's camera.
What FaceTime supports on its own
| Your own video | Your own image | Blur |
|---|---|---|
| No | Yes | Yes |
macOS 15+ Background replacement: a color, a built-in image or your own image. Portrait mode blurs. No video.
Source: Apple Support: Use video effects during video calls on Mac, checked October 2026.
How to use a video background in FaceTime
Pick your video in Backdrop Cam
Click the Backdrop Cam icon in the menu bar, then the background thumbnail. Add a clip with +, from Photos, or by dragging a video file in. Click a tile to use it.
Choose Backdrop Cam in FaceTime
In FaceTime, open the Video menu in the menu bar and choose Backdrop Cam.
Turn off macOS Background and Portrait
During the call, open the Video effects menu in the menu bar and turn off Background and Portrait, so macOS doesn't add its own effect on top.
What macOS gives you
Apple's Background replacement (macOS 15 or later, Apple silicon) works in FaceTime and most video apps, but it's still: a color, one of Apple's images, or your own photo. Portrait mode blurs instead. Reactions, Presenter Overlay and Studio Light are separate effects.
Works with iPhone as your webcam
Backdrop Cam can use your iPhone through Continuity Camera as its source. If the iPhone walks away, Backdrop Cam falls back to another camera, tells you, and switches back when it returns.
Photo Booth and QuickTime too
Any Apple app with a camera picker sees Backdrop Cam, so you can record yourself in front of a video with QuickTime Player's New Movie Recording.
Questions
Can you put a video background on FaceTime on Mac?
Not with FaceTime alone: macOS backgrounds are a color or an image. Choose Backdrop Cam from FaceTime's Video menu to appear in front of a looping video.
How do I get rid of the FaceTime background on Mac?
During a call, open the Video effects menu in the menu bar and turn Background off. To stop Backdrop Cam, choose your normal camera in FaceTime's Video menu.
Why can't I change my background on FaceTime on Mac?
Apple's Background effect needs macOS 15 or later on Apple silicon, or Continuity Camera with an iPhone 12 or later on iOS 18. Backdrop Cam needs a Mac with Apple silicon and macOS 15 or later.