If you want to use your smartphone as a webcam, then try out the different ways shared in this article to connect your phone to your PC.
Before you turn your phone into a screen for your computer, it might make sense to try running a video meeting from your phone first. Most services, like Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom, have apps for both iPhone and Android. You can use a video-calling app on your phone to join a meeting and speak once in a while. But if you need to share your screen while giving a presentation, you will need a better method. That’s when turning your phone into a webcam could come in handy.
There are various ways to connect your smartphone with your laptop or desktop. You can either use a cable or try connecting both devices wirelessly. However, to make sure that the connection is strong, you need to keep your drivers updated and for that, you can use the Best Driver Updater Software or do it manually. Today in this article, we will look at the different ways to connect your phone with your PC and to ensure a strong connection. So without any further ado, let’s jump right into it.
Use Your Smartphone as A Webcam On Your Computer
Below are some methods that you can use to make your phone camera a webcam by connecting it to your PC.
Method 1: Connect Your Android Phone Using A USB Cable
Your phone must be running Android 14 for this approach to work. A high-quality USB transfer cable is also required. Google has made the method’s execution easier on this OS version. Check out the instructions below as they will guide you through the entire process.
Step1: Once you plug in your phone’s USB cord to your computer, the USB prompt should appear.
Step2: To use the webcam, launch it and go to the Use USB menu.
Step3: You may get the same view on your PC by opening the Device as Webcam prompt that appears and clicking on the notification.
Step4: You may now use your phone’s camera as a webcam. This feature is available in the meeting app’s settings for all video-calling apps.
Method 2: Connect Your iPhone Using a Cable
This functionality is only compatible with Macs running MacOS (13) Ventura or later. Although any iPhone model after 11 will do, you’ll need one that’s compatible with iOS 16 or later. A combination of an iPhone running iOS 17 and a Mac running MacOS 14, or newer versions of both operating systems, is required to use the most recent Continuity Camera capabilities. Follow the steps below to connect your iPhone with your Mac successfully.
Step1: Make sure the accounts on your Mac and iPhone are the same.
Step2: Turn on the wireless networking capabilities of both devices. Or you might use a USB cord to link the two gadgets together.
Step3: Navigate to the Settings app and toggle on the Continuity Camera.
Step4: Toggle the function on or off by selecting AirPlay & Handoff in the General Settings.
Step5: Make sure the two gadgets are near one another.
Step6: Launch any camera-based Mac software.
Step7: Navigate to the app’s settings and choose the iPhone camera option.
Step8: Convert your iPhone’s Continuity Camera into a webcam for your Mac.
Pro Tip: Keep Your Webcam Drivers Updated
Drivers are a piece of software that creates a medium between the electronic components to communicate with each other. In computers, the driver plays a very important role as it takes the command from the computer and passes it to the connected devices. Keeping your drivers updated will help you create a better connection between your computer and other devices. Hence, here we are providing you with some instructions that will help you update your Windows drivers easily.
Step1: Search Device Manager in the Taskbar and hit the Enter key.
Step2: On the Device Manager window, look for either Imaging devices option and then expand it.
Step3: Right-click on the webcam device you are using.
Step4: Now, choose the Update driver option from the context menu list.
Step5: A window will appear on your screen, over there go with the “Search automatically for drivers” option.
Step6: Next, you need to wait for some time till your computer searches for a new driver online. The time taken by your computer to search for new drivers online will depend on your internet speed.
Step7: After downloading the webcam driver on your device, you need to follow the instructions on the setup wizard window to install them properly.
Step8: Once the driver is installed successfully, restart your computer and it will automatically start using the new drivers.
Wrapping Up the Methods to Connect the Mobile Camera to Your PC
Some people can’t afford a fancy mobile camera, but luckily, you can make your phone work like one. There are many apps out there that make it easy to use your phone’s camera as a recorder for your next virtual recording, whether you have an iPhone or an Android. To get the best results from recording with your phone as a webcam, make sure you use the right settings and the main camera on your phone. For better sound and film, use an additional mic and a stand.