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# ImageCaptureCore

Browse for media devices and control them programmatically from your app.

## Overview

Using ImageCaptureCore, your app can:

- Discover connected cameras and scanners
- View and modify the folders, files, and metadata on a connected camera
- Take photos directly on a connected camera using tethered capture
- Perform overview scans and scans on a connected scanner

![Diagram showing a macOS device connected by cables to a camera and a scanner, and an iPadOS device connected by cable to a camera.](images/com.apple.imagecapturecore/media-3501083@2x.png)

### Configuring tethered capture and photo import

To import pictures and tether from a macOS app, you first need to enable the Hardened Runtime capability in Xcode, and then add the <doc://com.apple.documentation/documentation/BundleResources/Entitlements/com.apple.security.personal-information.photos-library>.

Before you can tether from an iOS app, you need to tell the user why the app is requesting access to an external camera. Add the <doc://com.apple.documentation/documentation/BundleResources/Information-Property-List/NSCameraUsageDescription> key to your `Info.plist` file with a description of your intended use.

> Important:
> In macOS 14 and later, use the <doc://com.apple.documentation/documentation/BundleResources/Entitlements/com.apple.security.device.usb> entitlement key to allow your sandboxed app to interact with USB devices.

## Topics

### Essentials

[`ICDeviceBrowser`](/documentation/ImageCaptureCore/ICDeviceBrowser)

An object for finding digital cameras and scanners.

  <doc://com.apple.documentation/documentation/BundleResources/Entitlements/com.apple.security.personal-information.photos-library>

  <doc://com.apple.documentation/documentation/BundleResources/Information-Property-List/NSCameraUsageDescription>

### Cameras

[`ICCameraDevice`](/documentation/ImageCaptureCore/ICCameraDevice)

An object that represents a camera.

[`ICCameraDeviceDelegate`](/documentation/ImageCaptureCore/ICCameraDeviceDelegate)

Methods for detecting cameras, getting metadata and thumbnails, handling access and capability changes, and performing other actions on connected cameras.

[`ICCameraItem`](/documentation/ImageCaptureCore/ICCameraItem)

An abstract class that represents a camera item.

[`ICCameraFile`](/documentation/ImageCaptureCore/ICCameraFile)

An object that represents a file on a camera.

[`ICCameraFolder`](/documentation/ImageCaptureCore/ICCameraFolder)

An object that represents a folder on a camera.

### Scanners

[`ICScannerDevice`](/documentation/ImageCaptureCore/ICScannerDevice)

An object that represents a scanner.

[`ICScannerDeviceDelegate`](/documentation/ImageCaptureCore/ICScannerDeviceDelegate)

Methods for determining availability, selecting a functional unit, and performing scans on connected scanners.

[Scanner Configuration](/documentation/ImageCaptureCore/scanner-configuration)

Examine a scanner’s functional units and features.

### Errors

[`ICReturn`](/documentation/ImageCaptureCore/ICReturn)

[`ICLegacyReturn`](/documentation/ImageCaptureCore/ICLegacyReturn)

[`ICReturnConnectionError`](/documentation/ImageCaptureCore/ICReturnConnectionError)

A connection error returned from ImageCaptureCore.

[`ICReturnDownloadError`](/documentation/ImageCaptureCore/ICReturnDownloadError)

A download error returned from ImageCaptureCore.

[`ICReturnMetadataError`](/documentation/ImageCaptureCore/ICReturnMetadataError)

A metadata error returned from ImageCaptureCore.

[`ICReturnObjectError`](/documentation/ImageCaptureCore/ICReturnObjectError)

An object error returned from ImageCaptureCore.

[`ICReturnPTPDeviceError`](/documentation/ImageCaptureCore/ICReturnPTPDeviceError)

A PTP device error returned from ImageCaptureCore.

[`ICReturnThumbnailError`](/documentation/ImageCaptureCore/ICReturnThumbnailError)

A thumbnail error returned from ImageCaptureCore.

### Legacy Symbols

[`ICRunLoopMode`](/documentation/ImageCaptureCore/ICRunLoopMode)

### Articles

[ImageCaptureCore Constants](/documentation/ImageCaptureCore/imagecapturecore-constants)

[ImageCaptureCore Data Types](/documentation/ImageCaptureCore/imagecapturecore-data-types)

[ImageCaptureCore Enumerations](/documentation/ImageCaptureCore/imagecapturecore-enumerations)

[ImageCaptureCore Macros](/documentation/ImageCaptureCore/imagecapturecore-macros)


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