by Joe Lonergan

If you are an Apple TV owner or you are thinking of purchasing an Apple TV, did you know you can make FaceTime calls on it with the help of your iPhone or iPad as a continuity camera?

This could be of interest to those who have some useful vision and would like to get their FaceTime calls up on their large sitting room TV. As the Apple TV does not have a camera or a microphone, you have to do this with the help of your phone. Note, that both devices will have to be running iOS17 for this to work.

1. Launch the FaceTime app on your Apple TV. The best way to do this is with the Siri remote. Hold the side button on the remote and say “Open FaceTime”.
2. Select your name under users.
3. A notification will be sent to all your devices running iOS17 asking you to allow continuity camera for TV OS.
4. Tap this notification on your iPhone or iPad and allow permission.
5. The Apple TV will now use your iPhone or iPad for audio and video input.

Pick a good place to put your iDevice, use a steady object to lean it against or a stand to hold it in either landscape or portrait mode. Note Portrait mode will blur your background automatically.

If you have a newer iPhone or iPad that supports Centre Stage, it is even better as you can move around the room and Centre Stage will keep you in the picture.

Once this is all set up you can use your Siri remote to change the settings such as Centre stage, Portrait, and reactions.

Then you can press down on the direction pad on your Siri remote to go through your recent calls and select one, or you can swipe to add and pick a new contact to call.

When you choose a contact, hold the centre of the Direction pad to call that contact and when the person answers the call you will see them on the big screen. We noticed when you have voiceover activated on your Apple TV 4K you have to give a long press on the select button on your Siri remote to activate some options such as calling a contact or selecting some options in the FaceTime call area.

In the future Apple TV may have a camera and microphone but for now, this is a good workaround to get FaceTime calls on your big TV screen from the comfort of your sitting room.