How to Use an Android Phone As a Webcam
Sometimes the best way to solve a problem is to sit straight in front of you. If your problem is that you need a webcam, you can try using an Android phone for the job instead of buying a dedicated device. This is especially useful if you have a spare Android phone and need it for video calls on your PC or Mac. You can also use your main Android phone as a webcam, but its usefulness will be limited since you’ll have to constantly unplug it, remembering to put it in Do Not Disturb mode or turn on Airplane mode to ensure your video call isn’t interrupted. Here are all the ways to use your Android phone as a webcam.
Use webcam mode on your Android phone
If you have a phone running Android 14 or later, you can use its built-in webcam mode. It’s as simple as connecting your phone to your computer using a USB cable and turning on webcam mode. Here’s what you need to do:
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Unlock your Android phone and use a USB data cable to connect it to your PC or Mac.
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The moment your phone is connected, you will see a USB mode notification that will tell you that the phone is currently charging. Click on this warning and select “Webcam” .
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This will put your phone into webcam mode and display a notification with additional information. Tap a notification to see the viewfinder and customize the frame to your liking.
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On your PC or Mac, open any video calling app and under Camera Options you will see Android Device or Android Webcam as an available camera. Select this option to have your phone serve as a webcam.
Be sure to turn off all notifications on your phone or put it in airplane mode to avoid interruptions. If someone calls your phone while it is being used as a webcam, your video call will be paused and will only resume when the phone call is disconnected.
Using Third Party Apps to Turn Your Android Phone into a Webcam
The built-in method works great on Pixel devices and other phones running stock Android, but it may not always work correctly if your phone is running a highly customized version of Android. It’s also not an option for people who use phones with older versions of Android, which is a good enough reason to turn to third-party apps to get the job done.
Good old DroidCam (free, ad-supported) or its paid version DroidCamX ($5) are quite handy for this job. Install the client on your PC or Linux computer and follow the on-screen instructions to set up the application on both devices. The advantage here is that you can connect via Wi-Fi and USB cable, whereas the built-in method is only for wired connection. The free version has ads and restrictions that prevent you from rotating or flipping the camera, but otherwise it’s good enough for most people. The free version has no watermarks or other usage restrictions.
Camo is an extremely feature-rich alternative to using your Android phone as a webcam. You can use this app with both Windows and Mac, which may appeal to a wider audience since DroidCam doesn’t have a Mac app. The app is free to use for videos up to 720p, which is honestly good enough for video calls, but if you need up to 4K video for your webcam, you can subscribe to the Pro tier ($50 per year).
This app supports both Wi-Fi and USB connections, but the developers recommend USB for initial setup and improved performance, including lower latency. Setup is pretty simple – just install the app on your phone and on your Mac or Windows, connect your Android phone to your computer via USB, and follow the onscreen instructions. The benefit of using Camo is that it’s not just a bridge app that connects your phone to your PC. It also works with dedicated webcams and supports video effects such as portrait mode (for background blur) and lighting effects. It also allows you to adjust the resolution, frame rate, and focus point in your videos. Read more in Camo’s official video setup guide .