The whole reason the notch exists is the camera. Apple shrank the bezel and pushed the FaceTime HD webcam into a small cutout at the top of the screen. That's the notch camera on Mac — and there's more to it than video calls.
What the notch camera is
On MacBook Pro (2021+) and MacBook Air (2022+) the notch holds a 1080p FaceTime HD camera plus the ambient light sensor. It supports Center Stage on supported models and feeds every app that uses your webcam.
How to preview the notch camera quickly
Normally you only see yourself once you're already in a call. To check framing and lighting beforehand, open Photo Booth or QuickTime → New Movie Recording. Both show a live feed from the notch camera.
A notch camera mirror — check yourself in one hover
Opening a whole app just to see your face is clumsy. NotchNest includes a camera mirror built into the notch: hover and a live webcam preview appears right where the camera physically sits. Fix your hair, check your background, then dismiss it — no Photo Booth, no extra window. See it in the notch playground.
Privacy
The green LED beside the notch camera lights whenever the camera is active — it's hardwired and can't be bypassed by software. A notch mirror only shows you your own feed locally; nothing is recorded or sent anywhere.
Make your notch useful
NotchNest puts ten tools in your MacBook's notch. Free on the Mac App Store.
