How to Turn on a Webcam on a MacBook Pro

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The external iSight camera is extinct; Apple's newer models have an internal webcam.

MacBook Pros come with a built-in webcam called iSight that works with different software programs. The iSight was an external camera until Apple integrated it into newer computer models, such as the MacBook Air, iMac and MacBook Pro. The programs iChat, iMovie and Photo Booth all come pre-installed on Apple computers and use the iSight webcam for various purposes. These include taking static photos, recording film for movies or transmitting live video for online chat sessions.

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Turn On Your Webcam With iChat

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Step 1

Launch iChat. Select your account type from the drop-down menu if you are a first-time user. Type your screen name and password, and click "Continue."

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Step 2

Click "Done" on the Conclusion page and your "Buddy" list will pop up.

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Step 3

Bring up the iSight camera box by clicking on the "Camera" icon at the top of your buddy list. Alternatively, go to "Video" at the top of the iChat Screen, then select "Video Preview."

Step 4

Click the "Camera" icon next to an online buddy if you want to initiate a video chat session or conferencing call.

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Turn On Your Webcam With iMovie or Photo Booth

Step 1

Launch iMovie or Photo Booth.

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Step 2

Click the "Video Camera" icon on the left side of the middle bar in iMovie. In Photo Booth, click the "Movie Clip" icon to the left of the red "Camera" button.

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Step 3

Click "Capture" and select "Capture" again in the pop-up dialog box to start recording in iMovie. When finished, click "Stop." For Photo Booth, click the red "Camera" button to start recording and the square button to stop.

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