---
title: AVCaptureOutput
framework: avfoundation
role: symbol
role_heading: Class
path: avfoundation/avcaptureoutput
---

# AVCaptureOutput

An abstract superclass for objects that provide media output destinations for a capture session.

## Declaration

```swift
class AVCaptureOutput
```

## Mentioned in

Setting up a capture session

## Overview

Overview This class provides an abstract interface to connect capture output destinations, such as files and streams, to a capture session. A capture output can have multiple connections, one for each stream of media that it receives from a capture input. A capture output doesn’t have any connections when you create it. When you add it to a capture session, the session automatically forms connections between compatible inputs and outputs.

## Topics

### Accessing connections

- [connections](avfoundation/avcaptureoutput/connections.md)
- [connection(with:)](avfoundation/avcaptureoutput/connection(with:).md)
- [AVCaptureOutput.DataDroppedReason](avfoundation/avcaptureoutput/datadroppedreason.md)

### Managing deferred start

- [isDeferredStartEnabled](avfoundation/avcaptureoutput/isdeferredstartenabled.md)
- [isDeferredStartSupported](avfoundation/avcaptureoutput/isdeferredstartsupported.md)

### Converting between coordinate systems

- [transformedMetadataObject(for:connection:)](avfoundation/avcaptureoutput/transformedmetadataobject(for:connection:).md)
- [metadataOutputRectConverted(fromOutputRect:)](avfoundation/avcaptureoutput/metadataoutputrectconverted(fromoutputrect:).md)
- [outputRectConverted(fromMetadataOutputRect:)](avfoundation/avcaptureoutput/outputrectconverted(frommetadataoutputrect:).md)

## Relationships

### Inherits From

- [NSObject](objectivec/nsobject-swift.class.md)

### Inherited By

- [AVCaptureAudioDataOutput](avfoundation/avcaptureaudiodataoutput.md)
- [AVCaptureAudioPreviewOutput](avfoundation/avcaptureaudiopreviewoutput.md)
- [AVCaptureBroadcastVideoOutput](avfoundation/avcapturebroadcastvideooutput.md)
- [AVCaptureDepthDataOutput](avfoundation/avcapturedepthdataoutput.md)
- [AVCaptureFileOutput](avfoundation/avcapturefileoutput.md)
- [AVCaptureMetadataOutput](avfoundation/avcapturemetadataoutput.md)
- [AVCapturePhotoOutput](avfoundation/avcapturephotooutput.md)
- [AVCaptureStillImageOutput](avfoundation/avcapturestillimageoutput.md)
- [AVCaptureVideoDataOutput](avfoundation/avcapturevideodataoutput.md)

### Conforms To

- [CVarArg](swift/cvararg.md)
- [CustomDebugStringConvertible](swift/customdebugstringconvertible.md)
- [CustomStringConvertible](swift/customstringconvertible.md)
- [Equatable](swift/equatable.md)
- [Hashable](swift/hashable.md)
- [NSObjectProtocol](objectivec/nsobjectprotocol.md)

## See Also

### Capture sessions

- [Setting up a capture session](avfoundation/setting-up-a-capture-session.md)
- [Accessing the camera while multitasking on iPad](avkit/accessing-the-camera-while-multitasking-on-ipad.md)
- [AVCam: Building a camera app](avfoundation/avcam-building-a-camera-app.md)
- [Build a responsive camera app that launches quickly](avfoundation/build-a-responsive-camera-app-that-launches-quickly.md)
- [Capturing Cinematic video](avfoundation/capturing-cinematic-video.md)
- [Supporting Center Stage front camera in your iOS app](avfoundation/supporting-center-stage-front-camera-in-your-ios-app.md)
- [AVMultiCamPiP: Capturing from Multiple Cameras](avfoundation/avmulticampip-capturing-from-multiple-cameras.md)
- [AVCamBarcode: detecting barcodes and faces](avfoundation/avcambarcode-detecting-barcodes-and-faces.md)
- [AVCaptureSession](avfoundation/avcapturesession.md)
- [AVCaptureMultiCamSession](avfoundation/avcapturemulticamsession.md)
- [AVCaptureInput](avfoundation/avcaptureinput.md)
- [AVCaptureConnection](avfoundation/avcaptureconnection.md)