Center Stage option unavailable on M3 MacBook Pro

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Level 1

12 points

Center Stage option unavailable on M3 MacBook Pro

How do I disable Center Stage on my Macbook Pro (M3 Pro version), with Facetime HD camera, running on Tahoe 26.1?

I have two Macbook Pro's: 16" M3 Pro version with "Facetime HD" camera for work and a 14" M4 version with "Macbook Pro" for personal use. On my personal MBP I can disable Center Stage using the Video Settings (e.g. when I have Facetime open), on my work MBP the Center Stage option is not available in Video Settings. Both are on Tahoe 26.1.

I suspect the absence of these extended camera settings on the M3 Pro laptop is related to the "Facetime HD" camera. Is this a bug? I.e. did Apple developers miss testing for this? When I search for this issue, I see that people have run into it for years already, but I also see in that history that the "Center Stage" slider was available in the past on older MBP's too, so it's not like it only appeared in the M4 version.

MacBook Pro (M3 Pro, 2023)

Posted on Dec 1, 2025 8:37 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

neuroanatomist

Level 9

55,593 points

Dec 1, 2025 8:43 AM in response to maarten218

It's a hardware thing.

The requirements for Center Stage are:

Mac using Continuity Camera with iPhone 11 or later (excluding iPhone SE models)
MacBook Pro introduced in 2024 or later using its built-in camera
MacBook Air introduced in 2025 or later using its built-in camera
iMac introduced in 2024 or later using its built-in camera
Mac using the built-in camera of an Apple Studio Display

The M3 Pro MacBook Pro was introduced in 2023, meaning it does not support Center Stage. The M4 MacBook Pro was introduced in 2024 and does support Center Stage.

Note that the above means you can use Center Stage with the M3 Mac if you have an iPhone 11 or later (non-SE) and use the Continuity Camera feature. I've done that on my M1 Pro MBP, it works well. My M4 Pro MBP support it natively, as stated.

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Answer 2

maarten218 Author

Level 1

12 points

Dec 1, 2025 8:59 AM in response to neuroanatomist

Thanks, this is helpful. Indeed I tested using Continuity Camera with my iPhone 16 Pro and could adjust Center Stage on my M3 Pro MBP.

The problem is, I want to be able to disable this annoying automatic zoom and head tracking feature - it is very distracting when participating in video calls (Teams & Zoom). There is no such option now, because Apple has hidden all such configuration from the user.

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Answer 3

Dec 1, 2025 9:20 AM in response to maarten218

When in a meeting, click the green video camera icon in the menu bar, then click Center Stage to deselect it and that will return it to the regular 'fixed' view.

This Is Zoom on my M1 Pro MBP (with Continuity Camera and my iPhone pointed at my other Mac's external display):

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Answer 4

maarten218 Author

Level 1

12 points

Dec 3, 2025 3:22 AM in response to neuroanatomist

I have tried exactly this, yet when I'm back on my Facetime HD camera in a call and I move my head a bit, the camera starts the 'zoom & follow' behavior again (which I associate with Center Stage).

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