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Tired of looking like a pixelated blob on your Zoom calls? Why use that pesky, tiny, low-quality webcam embedded in your laptop when you have a seriously great smartphone camera in your pocket? It has become really easy to use your smartphone as a webcam these days, and some options don’t even require you to plug anything in. We’ve detailed how to do this whether you have an iPhone or Android, on Windows or Mac.
We also have instructions for using a professional camera or GoPro to handle the same task. If you don’t want to fuss with apps, check out our Best Webcams guide.
Updated June 2024: We've vetted every pick again, removed older methods, and added steps for Pixel and Motorola phones.
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Before converting your smartphone into a webcam for your computer, the obvious thing might be to try using your smartphone to run a video meeting. Services like Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams generally have Android and iPhone apps available. All you need to do is install the app, log in, and use your phone’s selfie camera and microphone to participate in the meeting.
Whether you do this or follow our methods below, invest in a small tripod to prop your phone up so you don’t have to balance it against a pile of books. The Joby GripTight is a popular and affordable tripod with legs that can contort to stay stable on almost any surface, though a height-adjustable tripod like this might be a better option. Lume Cube’s Panel Mini is also a nice way to illuminate your face.
You can use a videoconferencing app on your phone if you quickly need to sit in on a meeting and chime in now and then, but you’ll need a better system if you’re presenting and have to share your screen. That’s where it could help to convert your smartphone into a webcam.
General tip: Make sure your preferred videoconferencing app is closed when installing a webcam client on your desktop PC or laptop. You may need to relaunch the app or restart your computer to get it all working.
The solution that works—whether you have an iPhone, Android, Mac, or Windows, in any combination—is a service called Reincubate Camo. It’s compatible with more than 40 video-calling apps, from Google Meet and Zoom to FaceTime and Discord. The steps below will work if you’re trying to connect an Android to a Mac, an iPhone to a Windows PC, or vice versa.
You get quite a few options to choose from in the Camo desktop app to customize the video feed. That includes 720p video quality and zoom options, and you can remove the watermark. Much of this is free, but unfortunately, you'll need to pay for Camo Pro for several nifty features, like 4K recording, the ability to switch lenses, and Portrait mode (iPhone owners are likely better off using Apple's Continuity Camera, which we detail further below). Camo offers a few payment options: a lifetime license ($100), an annual subscription ($50), or a monthly subscription ($9).
Apple's Continuity Camera lets you use your iPhone as a webcam for your Mac—no third-party software required. Your iPhone needs to be on iOS 16 or later, and your Mac needs to be on macOS 13 Ventura or later. (iOS 16 isn’t available for the iPhone 7 or older, so you’ll need to upgrade your device.)
When you open a video-calling app with your iPhone nearby, you’ll see a pop-up explaining that you can use your iPhone as a webcam. The first time I tried to switch the camera it didn’t work, but a restart of my phone and MacBook did the trick.
In most video-conferencing apps, like Zoom, you can toggle on HD mode to improve the video quality. When you tap the Control Center in the taskbar, you'll see a Video Effects button. Tap it and you'll get options to turn on Center Stage, which will pan the camera to make sure you’re always in the frame; Portrait, which will blur the background; and Studio Light, which will glam you up with some studio-like lighting. The same goes for Desk View mode, which will use the ultrawide camera on the iPhone to show what’s on your desk (er, crumbs, really).
Belkin has a mount for MacBooks ($30) and Macs ($40) that sticks to the back of your iPhone using the MagSafe magnetic connection. This lets you place the iPhone on top of your computer so you don't need to hold it or use a tripod. It works well, but for MacBooks, make sure the screen is almost at a 90-degree angle to prevent the phone from falling off. This is the best way to use your iPhone as a webcam with a MacBook.
It's also worth noting that if you have an Apple TV 4K (second-gen or newer), you can use your iPhone as a webcam for FaceTime calls. Just make sure your TV's operating system, tvOS, is running the latest version. Anyone on the same Wi-Fi network running iOS 17 or iPadOS 17 and newer will be able to use their iPhone or iPad as a FaceTime camera.
Google has added support for using a Pixel phone as a webcam; however, you'll need a Pixel 6 or newer (make sure it's updated to the latest version). Your PC will need to support the USB Video Class (UVC) specification, though this extends to tablets, TVs, and even cars. Unfortunately, this means you have to use a USB cable; it doesn't work wirelessly.
Got a Motorola phone? Select devices support Motorola's Moto Connect platform (formerly called Ready For). You can connect your phone to a PC through it, though the webcam function is but one of many other features it offers. You can see a list of compatible Motorola devices here. The caveat? This does not work on Apple's macOS. You need Windows 10 or Windows 11.
When launching your video-conferencing app again, as long as Smart Connect is your camera source and your Motorola phone is nearby, it should automatically use your phone as a webcam without needing to fuss with anything. It's worth noting that if your TV supports Miracast, you can use your Motorola as a wireless webcam—you can start this directly from the phone.
If you’re on a PC running Windows and you use an Android phone or iPhone, one of the easiest (wireless) methods is to use a free app called DroidCam. It also works with Linux, but there is no MacOS support. You can also connect via a cable if you’d rather not drain your phone’s battery.
Steps to set up DroidCam:
To get it to work with your videoconferencing software, you’ll always need to launch the DroidCam PC client and app first (steps 3 and 4 above). Then, go to your videoconferencing app’s settings and change the camera and microphone input to DroidCam and DroidCam Virtual Audio. It should immediately start using your phone’s hardware.
DroidCam is free, but it hides a few features—like better video quality, contrast, sharpness tools, and more—in its DroidCamX paid app on Android, which also gets rid of ads in the app. You can unlock similar features by using the Upgrade feature in the iPhone app’s settings. Try the free version first, but it might be worth the $5 if you use it a lot.
Note: On Windows, DroidCam doesn’t work with apps downloaded from the Microsoft Store. For example, with Skype, make sure you download the desktop client instead of installing the app from the store.
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