BlogGuide2 October 20267 min read

Use your MacBook notch as a teleprompter

The worst part of reading notes on a video call is that everyone can tell. Your eyes drift down to a document and you lose eye contact. The MacBook's notch fixes that by accident: it holds the camera, so text scrolling right beneath it is about as close to the lens as you can read. Here's how to use it well.

Why the notch is the best spot for a teleprompter

Eye contact on camera is about angle. When you read text in the middle of your screen, your eyes point several degrees below the lens, and viewers notice. Text placed right under the camera shrinks that angle so much that on a call you look like you're talking to the person, not reading.

Traditional teleprompters use a mirror in front of the camera to get the same effect. On a MacBook, the notch gives you most of that benefit with no hardware at all.

What people use it for

• Sales demos and pitches. Keep your key points in order without looking away.
• Recorded videos. Loom walkthroughs, YouTube intros, and course lessons in fewer takes.
• Interviews. A few prompts for your own stories, not a full script. More on that below.
• Presentations and all-hands. Speaker notes that don't make you look down.
• Language practice. Read aloud at a steady pace.

How to set it up with NotchDude

NotchDude includes a Teleprompter widget alongside its other notch tools. (Disclosure: I make it.)

1. Open the Teleprompter. Hover the notch and choose Teleprompter, or press its ⌘-number shortcut.
2. Add your script. Type it, or press Paste to drop in whatever is on your clipboard. Press Done. The script is saved on your Mac for next time.
3. Pick a size and speed. Text size goes from 16 to 44 points, and speed from 0.5× to 3× a comfortable reading pace. Both can be changed while it's running.
4. Press Start. The script scrolls up past a reading line right under the camera. Pause whenever you like, drag the script to move back or forward, or jump back to the start.
5. Pin the panel so it stays open while you move your pointer to other apps.

Tips for sounding natural

• Write the way you talk. Short sentences and contractions. Read it aloud once before the call and cut anything you stumble on.
• Use bullet prompts for conversations. For interviews and meetings, a full script sounds rehearsed. Five or six short prompts keep you on track and still sound like you.
• Keep the text large and narrow. Bigger text with fewer words per line means your eyes move less, and that's what gives readers away.
• Set the speed slightly slower than feels right. Most people speak at about 130–160 words per minute on camera, and nerves speed you up. Pausing the scroll is less awkward than chasing it.
• Mark pauses. A line break or "…" in the script reminds you to breathe and look up.
• Share a window, not your screen. When you share only a specific window in Zoom, Meet, or Teams, the notch area isn't included. If you share your entire screen, others may see the script.

Notch teleprompter apps compared

Notch teleprompters have become their own category in 2026. Here's how the options compare:

Some dedicated apps add voice tracking, where the script scrolls only while you speak, or hide themselves from screen capture. If you record for a living, those features may be worth paying for. If you need a teleprompter a few times a week and would also like a clipboard history, focus timer, and music controls in the same spot, NotchDude covers it in one app.

Prices come from each developer's site as of October 2026. Check for current pricing.

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