With iOS 15, Apple brought its popular Portrait mode from the Camera app to FaceTime. By using Portrait mode during your video call, everything behind you automatically blurs. Then you can highlight your face and eliminate background distractions.

What to Know

  • Before a call, open FaceTime and open your Control Center. Tap Video Effects and then tap the Portrait icon to enable Portrait mode.During your call, tap your camera’s thumbnail to enlarge the view. Then, tap the Portrait icon on the top left to enable Portrait mode.When you use Portrait mode during a FaceTime call on iPhone, your background is automatically blurred.

Enable Portrait Mode to Blur Your Background in FaceTime

Portrait mode lets those you’re calling see you clearly, So whether it’s a business call or a personal one, you can be almost anywhere or have nearly anything behind you without distracting from your video conversation. 

Not all iPhones that have iOS15 can use this feature. Only those that support Depth Control can use this feature.

With Portrait mode enabled, you can still use Memojis, filters, stickers, and text during your FaceTime call. So you can enjoy the same fun features for your call while blurring your background simultaneously.

You can enable Portrait mode in FaceTime in two ways.

Important

Portrait mode is not available if you switch to the back-facing camera on your iPhone.

Enable Portrait Mode Before a FaceTime Call

If you’re the one making the FaceTime call, you can prepare ahead of time by enabling Portrait mode.

  • Open the FaceTime app and swipe to display the Control Center on your iPhone as you normally would.
  • Tap Video Effects on the top left.
  • Tap the Portrait icon to turn on Portrait mode.
  • You can then swipe to exit Control Center, return to FaceTime, and place your call.

Enable Portrait Mode During a FaceTime Call

If you’re on the receiving end of a FaceTime video call, you can easily enable Portrait mode during the call.

Open the FaceTime app and swipe to display the Control Center on your iPhone as you normally would.

Tap Video Effects on the top left.

Tap the Portrait icon to turn on Portrait mode.

You can then swipe to exit Control Center, return to FaceTime, and place your call. 

  • Tap your camera view thumbnail in the corner.
  • Tap the Portrait icon on the top left of the larger view that displays. You should immediately see your background blur, and the icon will have a white outline.
  • You can return your camera view to a thumbnail by tapping the arrows on the top right.
  • You can then continue your FaceTime call without worries about what’s in the background for your caller to see. If you decide to unblur, tap your thumbnail and tap the Portrait icon to turn off Portrait mode.
  • Tip
  • Portrait mode is on when the icon is outlined in white and turned off when it has a black outline.

Wondering what other new features Apple brought to iPhone? Then, check out these iOS 15 features that didn’t make big news.

Tap your camera view thumbnail in the corner.

Tap the Portrait icon on the top left of the larger view that displays. You should immediately see your background blur, and the icon will have a white outline.

You can return your camera view to a thumbnail by tapping the arrows on the top right.

You can then continue your FaceTime call without worries about what’s in the background for your caller to see. If you decide to unblur, tap your thumbnail and tap the Portrait icon to turn off Portrait mode. 

Tip

Portrait mode is on when the icon is outlined in white and turned off when it has a black outline.

  • How do you get rid of background noise on FaceTime?
  • You can use the voice isolation feature to block out background noise if you have iOS 15. Start a FaceTime call, open Control Center, and toggle the Mic Mode to Voice Isolation.
  • How do I make the background louder on FaceTime?
  • You can increase ambient noise during a FaceTime call using the Wide Spectrum feature in iOS 15. Start a FaceTime call, open Control Center, and toggle the Mic Mode to Wide Spectrum.

You can use the voice isolation feature to block out background noise if you have iOS 15. Start a FaceTime call, open Control Center, and toggle the Mic Mode to Voice Isolation.

You can increase ambient noise during a FaceTime call using the Wide Spectrum feature in iOS 15. Start a FaceTime call, open Control Center, and toggle the Mic Mode to Wide Spectrum.

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