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What is a camera mirror on a Mac?

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A camera mirror is a live preview of your webcam, flipped left to right like a real mirror. You open it to check your hair, your lighting and your background before a call starts.

Why it matters

Joining a call and finding a problem on screen is a small, familiar embarrassment. A mirror in the notch lets you check in a couple of seconds without opening a video app or a photo booth.

How NotchStar’s Mirror works

The Mirror tab shows the camera feed only while the tab is on screen. The camera starts when the tab is visible and stops when it is not. The picture never leaves the app, and nothing is recorded or saved. macOS asks for Camera permission the first time, and you can change it later in System Settings. The app declares this in its camera entitlement and in the usage text that macOS shows.

Limits

A preview in a utility does not choose the camera your call app uses. Check the camera selected inside Zoom, Meet or Teams as well. The guide on checking your camera before a call has the steps.

Read how to check your Mac camera before a video call and see the Mirror page. If you read from a script on camera, a teleprompter in the same notch keeps your eyes near the lens.

Keep reading.

A quick mirror before every call
Check how you look before a call with a live, mirrored camera preview in the notch. The camera runs only while the Mirror tab is open.
Check your Mac camera before a video call
Preview your camera, check permissions and confirm the camera selected in your meeting app. Use a mirror preview without mistaking it for a recording test.
What is a teleprompter?
A teleprompter shows a scrolling script near the camera so you can read while looking at the lens. Learn how a notch teleprompter works on a Mac.
What are entitlements in macOS?
Entitlements are key value pairs signed into a Mac app that grant it permission to use a service or technology. Learn what NotchStar asks for and why.

More in Notch and apps.

What is a notch app?
A notch app is a Mac utility that puts a small panel of tools around the MacBook notch. Learn what it does and what it cannot do.
What is the Dynamic Island?
The Dynamic Island is Apple's name for an interactive area at the top of the iPhone screen. Macs have a notch instead. Some notch apps imitate the effect.
What is a live activity?
A live activity is a small readout of something happening right now, such as a timer or a song. Learn the iPhone meaning and how notch apps use the term.
What is a file shelf?
A file shelf is a temporary place to park files while you work, then drag them out or send them. Learn how it differs from a folder and from AirDrop.
What is clipboard history?
Clipboard history is a list of the things you recently copied, so you can paste an older item again. Learn how it works on a Mac and what to watch for.
What is the Pomodoro technique?
The Pomodoro technique splits work into timed focus blocks with short breaks. Learn the basic pattern and how a Mac timer in the notch tracks it.
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