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How to use your phone as a webcam

How to utilise your phone as a webcam

Image showing a woman talking into a smartphone in a tripod
(Prototype credit: Shutterstock)

While it'due south become easier to find webcams, some of the best webcams are all the same in brusque supply. However, if the depression-resolution camera on your laptop just isn't cut it for your Zoom meetings, at that place'southward another option: using your phone equally a webcam.

This guide will show you how to utilize your phone as a webcam, and lists several apps that tin help you get the well-nigh out of your telephone'south camera, and video conference like a champ. We have options whether you're on Mac, Windows, Android, or an iPhone.

  • Best webcams
  • Look practiced on calls with i of the best ring lights
  • The best microphones to make you sound better

For starters, y'all can simply download one of the best video chat apps directly to your smartphone. Zoom, Skype, Google Duo, and Discord all take free mobile apps for both Android and iOS devices.

However, if you want to use your smartphone every bit your computer's webcam, you'll take to do something a petty dissimilar. This involves downloading an app to your phone, which broadcasts a signal via Wi-Fi to an app on your computer. This desktop app then tells the videoconferencing service of your option (Skype, Zoom, etc), that your telephone is a webcam.

Ready to larn how to use your telephone as a webcam? Here are our favorite apps for converting your smartphone into a videoconferencing camera.

How to use your phone as a webcam: Acme apps

How to use your phone as a webcam - EpocCam

EpocCam (Epitome credit: EpocCam)

EpocCam

Specifications

Supported phones: iOS

Supported operating systems: MacOS, Windows

Reasons to buy

+

Works with Macs and PCs

Reasons to avoid

-

But works with iPhones

Afterwards downloading and installing the EpocCam Webcam app on your smartphone, yous will be directed to go to www.kinoni.com to install the appropriate drivers on your Mac or PC. Y'all then need to download the EpocCam iPhone Webcam Viewer from the App store on your Mac or PC, and have both your phone and computer on the same Wi-Fi network. You tin can too connect your iPhone to your computer via USB. (Yous tin use iPads, too.) Unfortunately, this app no longer works with Android devices.

After the drivers take installed, the app on your iPhone will change to show an icon of your telephone with some circles beaming out of it. Afterward launching the app on your notebook, you should see video from your phone'southward camera on your reckoner.

You can only use either your rear or front camera on your iPhone. The free version of EpocCam limits the resolution of your camera to 640 x 480, and the app launches with an advertisement; if you lot upgrade to the paid version ($7.99), y'all can stream at resolutions up to 1080p, use pinch-to-zoom, employ the iPhone's flash as a light source, get HDR video, and more.

How to use your phone as a webcam - iVCam

iVCam (Image credit: IVCam)

iVCam Webcam

Specifications

Supported phones: Android, iPhone

Supported operating systems: Windows

Reasons to purchase

+

Works with Android and iPhones

Reasons to avert

-

Only works on Windows PCs

iVCam has a costless trial version, but you also have three additional versions to upgrade to (although the price construction is a bit confusing). The trial version limits the resolution to 640 x 480 and includes ads.  Hither are some details on the 3 upgrades:

Bones: $7.99 for one year, but lacks the microphone feature:
Premium: $9.99 for one year, and includes the microphone feature:
Permanent: $24.99 forever, and too includes the microphone.

IVCam's mobile app is available for both Android and iPhones, only its desktop software only works on PCs, so it isn't an selection for Mac users.

How to use your phone as a webcam - NDI HX

NDI HX (Image credit: NDI)

NDI HX Camera

Specifications

Supported phones: iPhone

Supported operating systems : Windows

Reasons to buy

+

Works with iPhones and Android phones

Reasons to avert

-

Only works with Windows

-

Pricey

NDI requires you to download an app to your iPhone, as well as an app and driver to your laptop. Both your computer and your smartphone need to be on the same wireless network; the NDI HX app then transmits a feed from your smartphone to the NDA app on your PC. Using the NDI Virtual Input program, you can then tell the chat app of your pick to utilize your iPhone as the photographic camera.

NDI'southward mobile app has some nice on-screen tools, such as zoom, exposure adjustment, and the power to utilise your telephone's flash as a low-cal source. But its desktop software for chat apps is only available for PCs, and, at $20, information technology's pricey, too.

How to use your phone as a webcam: DroidCam

DroidCam (Image credit: DroidCam)

DroidCam

Specifications

Supported phones: iPhone, Android

Supported operating systems : Windows, Linux

Reasons to buy

+

Lets you run app in background

+

Gratis and paid versions

Reasons to avoid

-

Doesn't piece of work on Macs

-

Max resolution is 720p

As with competing products, DroidCam is offered in both free and paid versions. The paid version, DroidCamX Pro, which costs $5, gets rid of in-app advertisements, boosts the resolution to 720p, and gives y'all more camera controls, such as flip, mirror, and rotate video, adjust effulgence and contrast, and turn your smartphone's LED flash on for more lite.

DroidCam, made by Dev47apps, has an app for both Android and iPhones, but its desktop client only works on Windows and Linux systems. If you have a Windows machine, you'll need i running 64-scrap Windows 10, just if you're on Windows 7 or 8, both 32- and 64-fleck versions are supported.

You can connect your smartphone via Wi-Fi or USB, the latter of which will assist preserve the bombardment life of your phone.  If you're using an Android telephone, you can run DroidCam in the groundwork and use it as an IP webcam.

how to use your phone as a webcam: NeuralCam Live

(Epitome credit: NeuralCam)

NeuralCam Live

Specifications

Supported phones: iPhone

Supported operating systems: MacOS

Reasons to purchase

+

Unique AI-based features

+

Free (merely upgrade is a bit expensive)

Reasons to avoid

-

Merely connects via USB cable

-

Only for iOS/MacOS devices

NeuralCam Alive is like shooting fish in a barrel to fix and use, although it'due south only for those who have an iPhone or iPad, and it'south simply for MacOS. Unlike other apps in this roundup, this app runs via USB connected to your Mac laptop or computer. But in one case you're hooked up, it works reliably. Merely open it up in your Google Meet coming together, Zoom, or other videochat app. Have note, though, that the app doesn't work with Safari. So apply Chrome and Firefox.

In add-on to turning your iPhone into a Webcam, the free or trial version of this app besides has a few unique features: Head Bubble puts your head in a circle and and then masks most everything else. Gesture Guard detects and blurs different types of gestures that you may not desire others to see. We found it wasn't consistent at detecting and blurring images.

NeuralCam Alive is free, but if you upgrade ($29.99/twelvemonth or $4.99/month), NeuralCam Alive Plus gives you boosted features, such as a Low Low-cal mode, a special "Soften" way and other video editing styles. Plus, it removes ads for other NeuralCam apps.

how to use your phone as a webcam: Reincubate Camo

(Image credit: Reincubate)

Reincubate Camo

Specifications

Supported phones: iPhone, Android (beta)

Supported operating systems: MacOS, Windows

Reasons to buy

+

Quick setup

+

Gratuitous (but pricey subscription)

Reasons to avoid

-

Only works via USB

Reincubate Camo Studio'due south software provides some nice controls and settings: For instance, you lot can switch between your iPhone's different lenses, stream your video at higher resolutions, zoom and pan, add more filters, etc. Nevertheless, yous'll demand to upgrade for these features—which costs $4.99 a month or $39.99 a year.

However, the free app does let you cull between your front and back iPhone lens. And the free trial also allows you to select ane of several different color or black-and-white filters.

Initially, Reincubate Camo worked only with Macs and iPhones, merely has since been updated so that it'southward uniform with Windows PCs. And, as of August 2021, the company has released a gratuitous beta of its app for Android devices. However, regardless of the platform, yous'll demand to connect your phone to your figurer via USB.

Tips for looking and sounding your best on video calls

While the camera on your smartphone is pretty capable — some of the best photographic camera phones take some pretty incredible pictures — in that location are still a few things y'all can practise to ensure that yous look and sound your all-time when video chatting with friends, family, and colleagues.

ane. We recommend you pick up one of the best iPhone tripods, so that you don't have to prop your phone up on a set of books, or something else more precarious. Android owners fearfulness not, as these tripods generally piece of work with phones of all types.

3. Considering the audio quality from your phone isn't always the best, check out the all-time microphones to make yous sound ameliorate on calls.

4. Using one of the best ring lights can also massively meliorate the quality of your video.

5. Keep an eye out for updates, price changes or additional features for these apps. In some cases, a new update might issue in better resolution settings or the inclusion of an important characteristic. Or the app might exist bachelor at a lower price.

six. You lot'll also desire to proceed your phone plugged into a power source, as streaming video from your phone will use upwards its battery in no fourth dimension.

If you don't want to utilize your telephone, you have other options at your disposal. Hither's how to apply your photographic camera as a webcam, and how to utilize your GoPro as a webcam.

Set up your abode office:

Best webcams | Best monitors | Best keyboard | Best mouse | Best all-in-one printers | Best business VPN | Best desks | Best desk lamps | All-time office chairs

Michael A. Prospero is the deputy editor at Tom's Guide overseeing the domicile, smart abode, drones, and fitness/wearables categories, too equally all buying guides and other evergreen content. When he's non testing out the latest running spotter, skiing or grooming for a marathon, he'due south probably using the latest sous vide car or some other cooking gadget.

Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/news/how-to-use-your-phone-as-a-webcam

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