How to Use a Phone as a Webcam [7 Ways]

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How to Use a Phone as a Webcam [7 Ways]

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In this article, we’ll discuss how to use your phone as a webcam in a few different ways: with Android and iOS apps, on a PC with a cable, and without side apps.

Software	Best for	OS
EpocCam	High-quality recordings on iPhone	iOS, macOS, Windows
DroidCam	Simple webcam recordings	iOS, Android, Windows, Linux
iVcam Webcam	Video calls and online lessons	iOS, Android, Windows

NDI HX Camera	Working with NDI devices	iOS, Android, Windows
IP Webcam	Surveillance for Android users	Android, Windows, macOS
iCam	Surveillance for iPhone users	iOS, Windows, macOS
Reincubate Camo	Having precise control over the image	iOS, Android, Windows, macOS
NeuralCam Live	Professional work on iPhone	iOS, macOS

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Best programs for using a phone as a webcam

EpocCam

Best for: high-quality recordings on iPhone

OS: iOS, macOS, Windows

Price: a free version with the paid upgrade of $7.99

Reviews on the App Store: 4.5/5 stars, 2 600 reviews

EpocCam is an excellent choice for using a phone as a webcam. It is available for iOS devices and PC, and it's easy to set up. Simply download the app, and you're ready to go. EpocCam works with all major video chat applications, including Skype, Google Hangouts, and FaceTime. Whether you're using it for calls, webinars, or just to keep an eye on your pets while you're away from home, EpocCam is a great option.

Features:

1080p resolution
Supports OBS Studio, Zoom, and many other programs

Pros:

Wireless connection to PC
Compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems
Fast set-up

Cons:

Android devices aren’t supported
Some users have reported connection issues

DroidCam

Best for: simple webcam recordings

OS: iOS, Android, Windows, Linux

Price: a free version and the paid upgrade of $5.49

Reviews on Google Play: 4.4/5 stars, 111 500 reviews

DroidCam is a great tool that lets you use a cell phone as a webcam for your PC. It's really easy to use, and it works with Skype, Google Hangouts, and other video chat applications.

One of the best things about DroidCam is that it is very easy to set up. All you need is an Android phone and a computer with an internet connection. Once you have installed the app on your phone, all you need to do is connect your phone to your computer via USB or Wi-Fi and follow the instructions on the screen.

Another great thing about DroidCam is that it has a lot of features that other webcam apps don't have. For example, USB-only mode option or phone calls muting. It also has a zoom function that allows you to get a closer look at things.

Features:

Microphone noise cancellation
Both Wi-Fi and USB connection supported

Pros:

No watermarks
Unlimited usage

Cons:

Sometimes PC doesn’t detect the phone

iVcam Webcam

Best for: video calls and online lessons

OS: iOS, Android, Windows

Price: a free version, one-year subscription of $9.99, and the full version of $24.95

Reviews on Google Play: 3.8/5 stars, 53 800 reviews

With iVcam, you can use a smartphone as a webcam on a Windows PC. It's user-friendly and provides good quality video and audio. The app also has a built-in camera roll, so you can easily save your photos and videos. The iVcam app has many features that make it a great webcam for your needs: it has an adjustable resolution of up to 1080p, automatic low-light correction and can even be used as a document camera. If you're looking for an alternative to using your webcam, or if you don't have one at all, then the iVcam Webcam app is definitely worth checking out.

Features:

Portrait and landscape modes
Customizable frame rate and video quality
Runs in the background

Pros:

High-quality recordings
Supports all common resolutions

Cons:

Contains ads in the free version

NDI HX Camera

Best for: working with NDI devices

OS: iOS, Android, Windows

Price: $12.99

Reviews on Google Play: 2.5/5 stars, 500 reviews

NDI HX Camera turns your smartphone into a wireless webcam for NDI-supported equipment on the same network. It is extremely easy to use and set up. The app contains a few features to make your life easier, including the ability to flip the camera horizontally for wide-angle shots. Also, a built-in test pattern generator will allow you to quickly check for proper alignment and framing. You can adjust the video resolution and frame rate directly from within the app. With its advanced imaging capabilities, NDI HX Camera is ideal for a variety of uses, including live streaming, videography, and more.

Features:

Front and rear camera selection
Audio mute

Pros:

Easy to use
Supports resolutions up to 4K
Automatic NDI device recognition

Cons:

Some users have reported problems with camera recognition

IP Webcam

Best for: surveillance for Android users

OS: Android, Windows, macOS

Price: free with the pro version of $4.99

Reviews on Google Play: 3.9/5 stars, 99 000 reviews

If you’re wondering how to use a phone as a webcam for PC, IP Webcam is a great option. It's a free app that lets you use your phone's camera as a network camera. Since it doesn't require any special hardware, it's easy to set up and use: you'll need to install the app on your phone and then set up an account with the service. You can use it to check on your kids, make sure your pets are okay, or just see what's going on around the house.

Features:

Night vision
Sound and motion detection

Pros:

User-friendly
Supports multiple video and audio formats

Cons:

Contains ads
The free version puts watermarks on your recordings

iCam

Best for: surveillance for iPhone users

OS: iOS, Windows, macOS

Price: $4.99, $19.99, or $49.99 per month depending on the cloud storage size

Reviews on the App Store: 4.4/5 stars, 717 reviews

iCam allows you to remotely monitor your webcam feed on iPhone or iPad over Wi-Fi. With this app, you can use your old iPhone or iPad as a surveillance camera. The app supports a video feed from up to four webcams at the same time. It’s a great way to keep an eye on things while you're away. It's also easy to set up and use, and it gives you peace of mind knowing that you can check in on your home or office anytime, anywhere.

Features:

Automatic motion events backup to the cloud
Offline mode

Pros:

Recordings go to cloud storage and don’t use your hard drive space

Cons:

No trial version available

Reincubate Camo

Best for: having precise control over the image

OS: iOS, Android, Windows, macOS

Price: free version, $4.99/month, $39.99/year, the lifetime license of $79.99

Reviews on the App Store: 4.8/5 stars, 1 500 reviews

Camo is a well-versed app for casual and professional work. You can use it for video calls, live streaming, or online lessons. The app is easy to use, and it provides a high level of security and privacy. It is also very affordable, so you can protect your online privacy without breaking the bank. Great customization options let you change your video feed however you please while not complicating the usage.

Features:

Includes support for Zoom, Google Meet, Skype, etc.
Can operate with multiple iOS devices at once

Pros:

Rich customization
High-privacy usage
Low latency

Cons:

Free version has watermarks

NeuralCam Live

Best for: professional work on iPhone

OS: iOS, macOS

Price: free version, $4.99/month, and $29.99/year

Reviews on the App Store: 4.5/5 stars, 352 reviews

NeuralCam Live is an app that turns your iPhone into a neural network-powered camera. The app uses artificial intelligence to improve the quality of your video, and it’s available for free. To use NeuralCam Live, simply open the app and point your camera at whatever you’d like to take a video of. The app will then analyze the scene and make adjustments to the exposure, white balance, and other settings accordingly. You can also adjust these settings manually if you prefer.

Features:

Gesture guard
Low-light mode
Head-bubble mode

Pros:

Easy-to-use
Suitable for amateurs

Cons:

Some features are locked behind the paid version

How to use a smartphone as a webcam

If you don’t want to download any unnecessary side apps, it’s still possible to use your smartphone as a webcam. Nowadays, almost anyone has a dedicated program for online lessons or video calls. Most of these apps have built-in features that let you turn a phone into a webcam. Some apps have a direct option to choose your phone as a webcam. Others may not have it, but you could circumvent it, for example, by calling yourself on your phone and turning on the video feed on your computer.

However, if you don’t have such software installed on your device, you can check out some programs with instructions to them below:

How to use an Android phone as a webcam with DroidCam

If you’re an Android user and wondering how to use a phone camera as a webcam, read these instructions:

Download and install DroidCam on your smartphone and Windows or Linux PC. In the desktop app, allow installing audio drivers.
Open your desktop app. It will ask you to put your Android phone’s IP address in the Device IP field. To get the IP, open DroidCam on your mobile device, it’ll show in the Wifi IP line at the top of the screen.
Check the Video and Audio boxes on your desktop.
In the mobile app, tap the three dots on the top right. Choose between front-facing and back-facing cameras in the Camera section.
Click the Start button on your PC.
Open a videoconferencing app and change the default camera to DroidCam Source 2 or DroidCam Source 3 in the settings. Then, go to the audio input or microphone section and select DroidCam Virtual Audio.

How to use an iPhone camera as a webcam with EpocCam

iOS has just as many options as the Android operating system. You can try out EpocCam to set your iPhone as a webcam. Just follow the guide below:

Install the app on your phone. Then, download and install the desktop drivers from the Elgato website.
Go to Elgato.com
Open the mobile app and wait until your iPhone connects to your computer.
Launch the desktop app you need a webcam for. Choose EpocCam as the webcam in the settings.
If you’re using a browser-based videoconferencing app, grant it permission to access your webcam.

How to use an iPhone as a webcam for Mac with Continuity Camera

There’s a feature called Continuity Camera that lets you use your iPhone as a webcam for your Mac without any third-party apps. However, you’ll need iOS 16, and your Mac needs to be on MacOS 13 Ventura.

To set up Continuity Camera follow the instructions below:

Turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for your Mac and iPhone.
In your video-calling app’s settings, choose your iPhone as the camera source.
If you try to do anything else on your iPhone, the camera feed will pause.

If your devices support the latest versions of iOS and macOS, this is the best way to turn your iPhone into a webcam.

How to use a phone as a webcam for PC with USB

In this section, we’ll discuss how to connect your Android phone to a PC and use it as a webcam. You can do it in three ways: via Wi-Fi, LAN, or by connecting the two devices with a cable. Here, we’ll look at the latter method, using a Samsung smartphone and the DroidCam app as an example.

On your phone, go to Settings, tap About phone, select Software information, and tap seven times on Build number.
Tap the newly appeared Developer options menu in Settings, enable the USB debugging option.
Connect your PC and phone with a USB cable. Open the DroidCam app on both devices. Click Connect over USB and the Refresh button on your computer – the app should detect the connection. Select it and hit Start.

How to improve video and audio quality in video calls

The popularity of video calls has grown exponentially in recent years, and many people have encountered problems with video and audio quality in their conversations. So here, we have compiled a few tips on how to set up your workplace to improve your experience.

Use headphones
Try not to use speakers when in a video call, otherwise your microphone will capture the voices of others from your speakers, and other people will hear an echo. Using headphones will help reduce it and make it easier for the person you are talking to hear you clearly.
Tweak your microphone sensitivity
If other people have problems hearing you, go to your microphone settings. Sometimes, the default sensitivity of your mic is too low, so increasing it will help a lot.
Mind your lighting
Before joining a call, launch a preview of your webcam video feed and try to find a position where other people can see you clearly. A safe place would be in front of a window – natural light will point towards your face, making the image much clearer.
Adjust your camera angle
Some camera angles can distort your appearance. A good rule of thumb is placing your camera on the same level as your face or a little higher. This way, your face will look thinner, and other people will have a clearer view.
Get a strong Internet connection
Another way to improve the quality of your video calls is to make sure that you have a strong Internet connection. If possible, connect your computer directly to your router with an Ethernet cable for the best results. This will help ensure that there is no lag or buffering during your call. If you use mobile devices instead, moving to the room with your Wi-Fi router will be very helpful – walls can noticeably slow down the Internet speed.
Restart your router or computer
If you are having trouble with the audio or video quality in your video calls, try restarting your computer or router. This can help to resolve any technical issues that may be causing the poor quality as a last resort.

How to choose mobile webcam software

We hope this article has been helpful for you in choosing a suitable program. Sometimes, however, it can be difficult to pick just one app over many others. So, here’s a list of key points you should consider:

Platform: make sure the software works on the platform you’re using (Windows 10, 8, 7; Mac, Linux, Android, iOS).

Connection type: nowadays, most webcam apps go with the wireless connection. But, if you prefer using a USB cable, double-check if the program actually includes such a function.

Reviews: browse through user reviews before purchasing or downloading an app. Other people may have pointed out its important advantages or problems.

Support: be sure to look if the service has accessible customer support. It’ll help you out in case of trouble.

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Frequently asked questions

How can I use my phone as a webcam?

You can try out DroidCam for Android. Just follow these steps:

Install DroidCam on your phone and PC.
Download DroidCam
Open the app on PC and install audio drivers.
Input your phone’s IP in the Device IP field.
Check the Video and Audio boxes.
In the mobile app, choose the front- or back-facing camera.
Click Start in the desktop app.

How can I use my phone as a webcam via USB?

If you prefer using a USB cable over the wireless connection, try out DroidCam. Read this guide to know how to use an Android phone as a webcam with this app: