4 ways to use your phone as a webcam on Windows

Let’s be honest: Many Windows PCs don’t have great webcams. The webcam is often an afterthought where manufacturers cut costs when putting together laptops. And, if you have a desktop PC, you might not even have a webcam at all unless you go out and buy one.

But you almost certainly have multiple high-quality cameras built right into your smartphone of choice, whether you use an Android phone or an iPhone. And with the right bit of relatively simple setup, your smartphone’s high-end camera hardware can actually function as your PC’s webcam, too.

It might be just the secret to getting better video quality in your online meetings and other video calls — no extra expenses required.

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Use an Android phone as a webcam on Windows 11 (wirelessly)

Up first: If you have an Android phone and a Windows 11 PC, Microsoft now offers a built-in way to turn your phone into a camera. It all happens wirelessly, so you don’t even need a USB cable. However, this does require Windows 11 — Microsoft didn’t add the new feature to Windows 10.

To set this up, open the Settings app on Windows 11, select “Bluetooth & devices,” and click “Mobile devices.” Activate the “Allow this PC to access your mobile devices” option if it isn’t already enabled. Then, click the “Manage devices” button.

From here, add your Android phone if it isn’t already connected to your PC. This will involve installing the Link to Windows app on your phone and signing in with the same Microsoft account you use on your PC.

Once everything is set up, ensure the “Use as a connected camera” option is activated.

If you have any trouble, try toggling the “Enabled” switch here to turn the connection off and back on again.Chris Hoffman, IDG

Now, your Android phone will appear as a webcam in apps. (Want to test this? Try opening the “Camera” app built into Windows.)

When you select it as a webcam, you’ll see a notification on your Android phone. Tap it to allow the connection. You can then use the app on your phone or the floating panel on your PC to change settings.

You’ll see a floating window where you can switch between your phone’s front and back camera while using it as a camera.Chris Hoffman, IDG

Turn a Pixel phone into a Windows webcam via USB

Do you have a Pixel phone? Google has a very convenient built-in way for your phone to function as a webcam — no extra apps necessary. Here’s what you’ll need:

A Pixel 6, Pixel 7, Pixel 8, Pixel 9, or newer phone.

A Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC.

A USB cable to connect your phone to your PC.

To get started with this, plug your phone into your Windows PC with a USB cable — as if you were going to do an Android file transfer between your phone and the PC. You’ll see an Android system notification talking about USB connection settings on your phone. Tap it and then tap “Webcam” under “Use USB for.”

Your Pixel phone will then appear as a webcam to your Windows PC. You can select it as you’d select any other webcam device in your video-conferencing application of choice.

Pixel phones can easily function as USB webcams.Chris Hoffman, IDG

Set up DroidCam for iPhone or Android

You can turn to a third-party app that’ll allow your phone to double as a completely wireless Windows webcam. There are a variety of paid applications for this, but DroidCam stands out from the pack.

Despite the name, this app works with both Android phones and iPhones! And it’s completely free at standard resolution. (You can get a “Pro” upgrade for a one-time $15 payment to enable higher-resolution video streaming.) And there’s also a watermark unless you pay the fee. But the price is still a bargain compared to competing applications that charge higher prices or even ongoing subscription fees. As a useful professional tool, it’s very reasonable.

To set up DroidCam, you’ll need to install the DroidCam app on your phone — get it from Google Play for Android or the App Store for iPhone. Then install the DroidCam client app on your Windows PC. Launch the client app from the Start menu after it’s installed and follow the instructions to link the phone and PC apps.

Here’s another option: Reincubate Camo has a lot of good reviews, but you’re looking at a $50 per year subscription for all the features rather than a one-time $15 payment.

DroidCam works with both iPhones and Android phones — as long as you have a Windows PC or Linux system.Chris Hoffman, IDG

Try a phone manufacturer-specific Android app

While Android phones from other manufacturers may not offer the convenient webcam-over-USB feature Google offers on its Pixel phones, they sometimes do have their own solutions.

Samsung, for example, offers a “camera sharing” feature for Galaxy phones — but it only works with specific laptops also made by Samsung. According to Samsung’s website, you can only use the Galaxy camera sharing feature if you have a Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 Windows laptop from Samsung.

If you have a Motorola phone, it might support Motorola’s “Smart Connect” platform. If so, you can install Lenovo’s Smart Connect app (Lenovo owns Motorola) and use it to position your Motorola phone as a webcam from your PC.

Overall, you’re generally better off going with the more broadly applicable solutions, such as the ones I mentioned. But if your phone has a built-in option provided by the manufacturer and it works with your PC hardware — which might be a tall order, as we see with the Galaxy phone example — it could be worth considering.

Who needs Apple’s Continuity Camera?

Of course, if you’re using an iPhone and a Mac, you can use Apple’s Continuity Camera instead. But Windows users have a lot of great options here, and the integrated solutions work well — especially with Android devices.

Oh, and there’s one more simple solution worth noting: If you want to use your phone as a webcam in a video meeting with a service like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet, you could also just join the meeting directly from your phone. Your phone would function as your webcam. Then, you could participate in the meeting from your phone, without even involving your computer.

While you don’t get the full-screen video-meeting experience in that scenario, it can work well for a quick call and is a great option to turn to in a pinch.

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