Although PCs and laptops have become powerful with their specs, the webcam game is still mediocre. Finding a good-quality webcam on a suitable-spec laptop is hard. Thanks to Android, there are multiple apps that you can use to turn your Android smartphone into a webcam on your Windows PC. However, you had to rely on a third-party tool to do this, as there was no official way to use your smartphone’s high-end camera as a webcam.
That’s changing now, as Microsoft has started to gradually roll out a new feature to all Windows 11 Insider channels that lets you use your Android smartphone’s camera as a webcam. The best part is that the Android smartphone can be used as a webcam for any application on the Windows 11 PC. If you’re already on your way to using your Android smartphone as a webcam on your Windows 11 PC, there are a few things to keep in mind, which we’ll discuss in this guide. Let’s get started right away.
How to use an Android phone as a webcam on Windows 11?
For several years, Windows users have been complaining about the poor quality of webcams on Windows laptops, but there has been no solution to this other than using third-party tools combined with an Android phone as a webcam. Apple also found itself in a similar situation and, after numerous complaints, allowed its users to use the cameras on their iPhones as a webcam for Mac computers.
Finally, a similar feature is now available for Windows users. This feature was first announced during CES 2024, but its availability wasn’t made clear. Now that the feature is gradually rolling out, Microsoft mentions in its official blog that you need a phone running Android 9.0 or above and version 1.24012 or newer of the Link to Windows app, along with the Insider version of Windows 11. In addition, your PC must download and install a Cross Device Experience Host update for this feature to work correctly.
Here are the steps involved:
- Download the Link to Windows version 1.24012 on your PC. It is currently available in the beta channels, or you can grab it from a trusted third-party source, i.e., APKMirror.
- Install the apt version of the Link to Windows app on your PC and also ensure that you have the Insider version of Windows 11 on your PC.
- On your PC, press Win + I keys to launch Settings.
- Select Bluetooth & devices.
- Click on Mobile devices and select Manage devices.
- Pair your phone to your PC.
- After pairing, enable the Use as a connected camera toggle.
Now you can use the high-quality cameras on your Android phone as a webcam for your Windows 11 PC. That means if you have the new Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, you can use its high-quality 200 MP AI camera as a webcam for your meetings. According to the official blog, you can also switch between the front and rear cameras and have the option to enable HDR.
Have your video calls from your PC in crisp quality
It’s nice that Microsoft is finally listening to our complaints and allowing us to officially use the cameras on our Android smartphones as webcams. For now, we wouldn’t recommend you install the Insider version of Windows 11 just for this one feature. Because the feature will be available to everyone with the Windows 11 24H2 update, which is expected to be released in the second half of 2024. So you can wait a little longer to get the feature officially.
FAQs about using Android phones as a webcam on Windows 11
1. Can a third-party app let me use my phone camera as a webcam on Zoom?
With most third-party webcam apps, you can use your phone camera as a webcam for Zoom. However, to make everything clear, you should always look for an app that explicitly states that it can be used with a specific app, in our case with the Zoom app. If the app supports this, all you have to do is open the Zoom app, select your phone camera and use it as a webcam.
2. Which is the best webcam app to turn a smartphone camera into a webcam?
If you’re looking for ways to turn your smartphone camera into a webcam, you’ll usually be directed to the DroidCam download. However, we would recommend that you take a look at Iriun Webcam. This platform works for both Android and iOS. The quality of the videos is excellent and you can even use your smartphone’s camera via a USB cable or wirelessly. The setup is also very simple and you can set up your high-quality webcam in just a few minutes.
