How To Use My Windows Phone As A Web Camera

If you're working from dwelling and need to communicate with your team, a trivial video chatting goes a long way. While most laptops come with built-in webcams, desktops do not, and laptop cameras can break at whatsoever time.

Y'all could become and purchase a new webcam, only if you don't want to spend the money or won't need information technology long-term, a flake of complimentary software can help yous out. If you're willing to give it a effort, you tin turn your telephone—or any spare smartphone—into a webcam for your PC.

For Android Phones: DroidCam

Android users can try a free app chosen DroidCam to plow it into a webcam. The gratis version has everything you need to get started, though a $v.49 upgrade to DroidCamX adds 720p/1080p video with Hard disk drive Mode, plus information technology gets rid of the small-scale banner ads. If you plan on using it a lot, it's a worthy upgrade, but I felt the experience with the complimentary version was pretty solid.

To get started, you'll need two pieces of software: the DroidCam Android app from the Play Store and the Windows client from Dev47Apps. In one case both are installed, make sure your computer and telephone are on the same Wi-Fi network. The DroidCam Android app should have an IP address listed—something like 192.168.ane.91—which you tin can enter in the desktop app to connect the two.

Be sure to bank check the Sound box if you lot don't have a microphone on your PC. Click the Offset button, and you should be continued. Most video chat apps should recognize DroidCam equally a valid webcam, though y'all may demand to restart them if they were running when DroidCam was installed. (Skype is an exception, which can be a flake finicky—you may need to use the one-time, non-Microsoft Store version.)

In my experience, DroidCam worked well plenty. Friends on the other cease said the SD video quality looked fine, simply there may be a flake of a filibuster. Some had trouble with the audio coming from my phone, then my figurer'due south microphone was still platonic.

You tin adjust a few things in the settings, similar which camera to utilize (forepart or rear), which microphone to use (camera or speakerphone), and a few battery-saving features, but but know that it probably won't be as good as a traditional webcam.

If you prefer to connect over USB rather than Wi-Fi, DroidCam can do that too, though information technology requires a little advanced finagling with some telephone-specific drivers—you can refer to DroidCam's instructions here. Even if y'all stick with Wi-Fi, though, you may want to accuse your telephone while video chatting, since it volition drain the battery fairly quickly.

For iPhone Users: EpocCam

If you accept an iPhone, EpocCam is the app I'd recommend for turning it into a webcam. However, the free version includes intrusive ads and very few features, most necessitating the $7.99 paid upgrade. With the upgrade, yous get microphone support, Hd video, USB connections, and zoom/focus adjustments.

To employ EpocCam, download the EpocCam app to your iPhone and download the drivers for Windows or macOS. You may need to restart your computer subsequently installing the desktop software. Once you restart, you tin can launch the EpocCam Viewer app on your estimator alongside the EpocCam app on your phone to see if it's working.

As long equally the two devices are on the same Wi-Fi network, or continued by USB, they should link without any extra steps. EpocCam should show up as a webcam for Zoom, Hangouts, or any other video chat application you might apply.

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In my testing, information technology worked as well as can be expected, despite the annoying full-screen ads and a watermark on your video, but if you're not willing to upgrade, DroidCam may be the better option overall. Your mileage may vary, though.

Alternating Workarounds

If the above apps don't quite meet your standards, or you lot'd rather not use third-party software, you could just utilize your phone without your PC. Nigh video conferencing apps, including Zoom, Skype, Hangouts, and others have mobile apps that yous can exist used to conversation right from your telephone. You won't be able to see your friends or coworkers every bit easily on the pocket-sized screen, but it'll do the play a joke on when y'all don't need a PC. (If you lot take an iPad or Android tablet with a front-facing camera, all the better.)

If you similar seeing people on a bigger screen, or y'all need to use screen sharing from your figurer, here'south a nifty workaround: connect to the video conference using both your PC and your telephone (once more, using the mobile app for Zoom, Skype, or whatever app your compatriots require). You can utilize your phone to transmit your video, but apply the PC to see and hear everyone else. As long as you have enough bandwidth to handle both chats at one time, it'll work in a pinch.

Whichever of these options you apply, brand sure you have a skillful mode to stand up your telephone up, then you don't accept to hold your arm out for an hour. I used a flexible Gorillapod I already had, but but virtually any phone or tablet stand should piece of work. You may only demand to prop information technology up on some books to go it to heart level to avoid giving anyone an upwardly-the-nose view.

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Source: https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-turn-your-smartphone-into-a-wireless-webcam

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