Set up security cameras to use with Home on Mac
You can view video activity captured from your home’s security cameras when a person, animal or vehicle is detected. The video captured by your cameras is analysed and encrypted on your home hub device (HomePod, AppleTV or iPad) and securely uploaded to iCloud so that only you and those you share it with can view it. See the Home accessories website for a list of compatible security cameras.
Note: To stream and record from one camera, you must have a 200 GB iCloud storage plan. To stream and record from more than one camera, you must have a 2 TB iCloud storage plan, which lets you view activity from up to five cameras. Video content doesn’t count against your iCloud data limit.
Change camera options
By default, the camera is marked as a favourite and appears on the Home screen.
In the Home app on your Mac, click the camera tile, then click .
Choose an option to edit:
Room: A camera can be located in a room inside your home, or you can create a room for an outside location such as your front verandah or backyard.
Notifications: Choose when to receive a notification (anytime when you’re not home, for example), when motion is detected or when a clip is recorded. You can also choose to allow snapshots to be taken when motion is detected.
Streaming & Recording: Options include Off, Detect Activity, Stream, and Stream & Allow Recording.
You can create separate settings for when you’re home and when you’re away. For example, when you’re home you might choose to stop streaming and recording for a camera inside your home, but continue to stream and record from an outdoor camera.
Recording Options: Your camera can record when any motion is detected or when specific motion is detected. Choose Specific Motion to have video recording triggered by the motion of people, animals or vehicles.
Tip: Choosing a specific motion, rather than any motion, results in fewer clips (and fewer clip notifications) and less video to review. For example, choose People and your camera won’t capture the movement of leaves on a tree.
View video
In the Home app on your Mac, click the camera tile on the Home screen.
Live video should play automatically.
Click a clip to play it, or scrub through the time line at the bottom of the screen to browse recorded clips.
To switch back to live video, click Live.
When you set up a camera to detect specific motion, the timeline displays unique symbols for people, animals and vehicles.
Choose access options
You can allow other people to view video from your cameras.
In the Home app on your Mac, choose Edit > Edit Home.
Below the People heading, click a person.
Click Cameras, then choose an option.