FAQ
General Questions
What is Camera Bridge?
Camera Bridge is a Mac app that brings your IP cameras into Apple Home with live view, HomeKit Secure Video recording, motion events, and two-way audio — all without leaving your local network.
How much does Camera Bridge cost?
Camera Bridge is free to download. The free plan lets you add one camera to Apple Home. Camera Bridge Pro ($2.99/month, $19.99/year, or $49.99 once) adds all your cameras to Home. See Pricing for details.
Does Camera Bridge send video to the cloud?
No. All video stays on your local network between your cameras and your Mac. Camera Bridge never records, processes, or stores video. See Privacy Policy for complete details.
What Mac do I need?
Any Mac with macOS 13 or later. Older Macs (pre-2016) may be slower with multiple cameras, but they work. See System Requirements.
Can I run Camera Bridge on a Mac mini or older Mac?
Yes. A Mac mini is actually a great choice for Camera Bridge since it can stay plugged in all the time. Older Macs work but may be slower with multiple cameras.
Camera Compatibility
What cameras work with Camera Bridge?
Any camera with an RTSP stream works. If the camera also supports ONVIF Profile S or T, you get automatic discovery and settings control. See Camera Compatibility for details.
Do I need to buy specific cameras?
No. Camera Bridge works with almost any IP camera, as long as it has an RTSP stream. Check your existing cameras first.
Will Camera Bridge work with my camera?
If your camera offers RTSP (check the manual or camera settings), it will work. Add it in Camera Bridge and you'll see what's supported before finishing setup. See Adding Cameras.
What about battery cameras or solar cameras?
Most battery cameras only stream on demand and sleep otherwise. Camera Bridge needs a always-on stream to work. Check your camera's manual or contact the maker to confirm it supports continuous streaming.
HomeKit Integration
Do I need a home hub to use Camera Bridge?
No, for basic live view on your local network. But for HomeKit Secure Video recording and remote access (viewing from outside your home), you need a home hub (Apple TV 4K or HomePod mini).
Can I view cameras remotely from my iPhone?
Yes, if you have a home hub and are signed into Home with the same iCloud account. The hub acts as a relay between your camera and your iPhone. See Remote Access.
Does HomeKit Secure Video need iCloud+?
Yes. An iCloud+ subscription (50 GB or larger) is required for HomeKit Secure Video recording. See HomeKit Secure Video.
Can I use Camera Bridge with HomeKit Secure Video?
Yes, absolutely. In fact, that's one of Camera Bridge's main features. Once a camera is in Apple Home (through Camera Bridge), you can enable HomeKit Secure Video recording in the Home app. See HomeKit Secure Video.
What if I have multiple homes?
A camera can only be in one Home at a time. To move it to a different Home, remove it from the first and re-add it to the second. Camera Bridge advertises to your local network, so any Home on that network can add the cameras.
Pricing and Subscriptions
Can I try Camera Bridge Pro for free?
Yes. Every Camera Bridge user gets a 14-day free trial of Camera Bridge Pro, once per Apple Account. No payment information needed — it won't charge after the trial ends.
What happens after the free trial ends?
Your subscription ends and you return to the free plan. The app shows you which cameras left Home. You can start the trial again later from the paywall.
Can I cancel Camera Bridge Pro?
Yes, anytime. Use Manage Subscription in the Camera Bridge paywall or in your Apple Account settings. Cancellation takes effect at the next renewal date.
Is the $49.99 lifetime purchase really one-time?
Yes. The $49.99 lifetime purchase is a one-time payment with no renewal or subscription. It works forever (even if you cancel other purchases).
Can I switch between monthly, yearly, and lifetime?
Yes. Open the paywall (sidebar › Camera Bridge Pro) and choose a different option. Your new plan takes effect at the next renewal.
What payment methods do you accept?
Payment is through Apple's App Store, which accepts credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay, and other methods on file with your Apple Account.
Privacy and Security
Does Corey Silvia see my video or camera data?
No. Camera Bridge never sends video, images, or camera data to our servers. See Privacy Policy.
Are my camera passwords secure?
Passwords are stored in the macOS Keychain (Apple's encrypted password manager). Camera Bridge never sends them to our servers. See Privacy Policy.
Can I share my cameras with family?
Camera streams are encrypted between your Mac and your iPhone/iPad. Family members on the same Home can view cameras through the Home app. Each person needs to be signed into the same iCloud account or be invited to the Home.
What about "Setup Reports" and diagnostics?
Setup reports are off by default and only sent if you click "Send" in the dialog. They contain your camera model and what settings Camera Bridge could and couldn't apply — nothing about you, your network, or your passwords. See Diagnostics.
Troubleshooting
My camera won't connect.
See Common Issues for detailed troubleshooting. Most often it's a wrong IP address, RTSP path, or username/password.
Live view is slow or freezes.
Check your Wi-Fi signal and see Performance for optimization tips.
HomeKit clips aren't recording.
See Recording Problems. The most common issue is the keyframe interval being too long.
Motion detection isn't working.
See Motion Detection and Common Issues.
I lost a camera or it won't reconnect.
Restart Camera Bridge. If it still doesn't work, see Common Issues.
My home hub shows as not connected.
Restart your home hub (Apple TV or HomePod) by unplugging it for 30 seconds. Wait 2 minutes for it to reconnect.
Support
How do I contact support?
Email support with your camera model and what you see in Diagnostics. Check the Privacy Policy or About window for contact details.
Can I request a feature?
Definitely. Include your idea in a support email. No promises, but feedback helps shape future versions.
Is there a community or forum?
Not yet, but you can email support to connect with other users or get help.