So, you need to do an online video interview and you don’t have a webcam. What are your options?
You can save some money and time by using your phone as a webcam, and it’s a lot easier than you might think! There are several apps that you can use to quickly turn your phone into a webcam.
The upsides to using your phone as a webcam are you don’t need to spend extra money and your phone’s camera is much better quality than a budget webcam. It’s a great solution for when you need to do a one-off interview. Nowadays, many remote jobs will conduct interviews online to confirm you’re the person you claim to be.
Don’t worry, we will show you how to use your phone as a webcam in a few simple steps. Let’s dive in!
Use Your Phone’s Native Webcam Apps
Apple Continuity Camera
Apple released a feature called Continuity Camera that allows people to use their phone’s camera as a webcam without any third-party applications. It’s a native feature that’s built into the latest macOS and iOS. For iPhone users, this is your best option.
Using Continuity Camera on your iPhone is a straightforward process. First of all, you need to make sure Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are enabled on both your iPhone and Mac. You also want to make sure that both devices are signed in the same Apple ID.
On your iPhone, navigate to General Settings, AirPlay & Handoff, and enable Handoff and Continuity Camera. Your iPhone and Mac should connect automatically in the background.
To test it, open Facetime on your Mac, and it should automatically detect your phone’s camera as the webcam. If your phone is lagging, connecting it to your Mac with a USB cable should improve the response time.
Android
Unfortunately, at this time, Android does not offer native apps that allow you to use your Android phone as a webcam. There are rumors that Android plans to launch a webcam service, but nothing concrete has emerged yet.
A service called DeviceAsWebcam was found in the Android Open Source code, which may hint that the feature is coming soon. When it arrives, we will update this article. However, that does not mean you can’t use your Android as a webcam. You’ll just have to use third-party applications, and we will discuss the best ones below.
Best Apps for Using Your Phone as a Webcam
| App | Top Feature | Store Rating | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| DroidCam | Unlimited free use | 4.3 | Windows, Linux, iOS |
| IP Webcam | Motion detection | 3.8 | Windows, macOS |
| Iriun Webcam | Most user-friendly | 3.4 | Windows, macOS, Ubuntu |
DroidCam
DroidCam is the best third-party app for using your phone as a webcam. Previously, it was only available to Android users but now it’s on the App Store.
It works by creating a video feed and broadcasting it over the local area network. DroidCam offers great features such as quality selection, framerate, and zoom functions. To use DroidCam on Windows, download Windows DroidCam here.
You can also use DroidCam with OBS for streaming on Twitch and other services. You can connect multiple phones to the same server and switch between their cameras. The free version of DroidCam can be used indefinitely but many features are locked.
DroidCam is available on Google Play and the App Store. A couple of downsides to DroidCam is the free version is very low quality. It doesn’t interrupt your video with ads but the video quality is not good. To improve the quality, you need to buy DroidCamX.
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IP Webcam
IP Webcam was designed to turn an Android-based phone or tablet into a personal security camera.
It’s available on Google Play and the App Store. You can use multiple phone cameras to patch into the same feed. It’s a budget-friendly way to make a makeshift chain of security cameras.
There are a few notable features we should talk about. For one, the free version offers impeccable video quality and a wide range of camera controls. Another interesting feature is the Motion Detection option. You can configure the IP Webcam app to start recording video when motion is detected. The video can be automatically sent to an online storage service such as DropBox or Google Drive.
To use an IP Webcam to turn your phone into a webcam for Windows, install the app on your phone and start the server. Next, visit the IP address on a separate machine and there will be an option to install the drivers on your operating system. Once installed, Windows should be able to use your phone as a webcam. IP Webcam offers plenty of configuration options but it’s not very user-friendly.
Note: Take a look at our picks for the best security cameras here.
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Iriun 4K Webcam
Iriun 4K Webcam is one of the easiest ways to use your phone as a webcam. It’s available on Google Play and the App Store and it’s compatible with Windows, macOS, and Ubuntu. The free version of the app offers basic webcam functionality and it does not limit the video quality.
While this app doesn’t have as many features as the aforementioned apps, it’s very straightforward. You don’t need to navigate to an IP address in a web browser; instead, open the Iriun Webcam app on your computer.
To use Iriun as a webcam, open the app on your phone. Next, download the Iriun Webcam server for your operating system. Once you launch the program, it should automatically detect your phone’s camera, as long as both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. From there, you can open a video-calling app to test the camera. You might need to select the Iriun Webcam as your video source.
Iriun 4K Webcam is great but the free version has a watermark in the corner, which doesn’t look very professional. To remove the watermark, you have to upgrade to the paid edition. The Pro version also unlocks more features such as flash, image mirror, and zoom.
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Webcam Phone Mounts
When you use your phone as a webcam, you want it aligned with your face. That’s not as easy as it sounds, especially if you’re using a PC with a bulky monitor. Apple designed a MagSafe mount for MacBooks that allows you to mount your phone for Continuity Camera. However, the mount is specifically designed for MacBooks and iPhones.
For other phones, you could use a third-party mount with an adjustable arm to get the position you need. One example would be the SHAWE Gooseneck phone mount. If you only need a one-time setup, you could consider taping your phone to your monitor too.
- Flexible arm
- 360-degree mount clip
- Adjustable bracket
- Compatible with iPhone 11 Pro, XS, Max, XR, X, 8, 7, 6, Plus, 5, 4, Samsung S10, S9, S8
- For bedroom, desk
Best Practices to Improve Your Webcam Quality
If you use these apps, you might notice that the video quality occasionally dips or stutters. It’s bothersome when you’re in a professional video meeting or interview. There are a few ways to fix these issues, so read on.
Use a USB Connection
To eliminate stuttering on these apps, it’s best to use a USB connection. Set up the app the same way but connect your phone to your computer with a USB cable.
Wired connections are much more reliable than Wi-Fi because they can transfer data faster. If your video feed is lagging, try using a USB connection. The video quality might improve too.
Switch to 5GHz Wi-Fi
5GHz Wi-Fi is much faster than the standard 2.4GHz. Make sure that your phone and computer are connected to the same 5GHz Wi-Fi network. Even better, consider connecting your computer with an Ethernet cable for an even faster connection. You will get the best performance from these apps over 5GHz Wi-Fi.
Close Background Apps or Downloads
Since these apps send video streams over the network, you should close apps that might be using your network bandwidth. Platforms such as Steam tend to squeeze out all the available network bandwidth in order to get the fastest download speeds. It’s also a good idea to close apps that may be running in the background on your phone.
Wrap Up
You don’t need to run to the store and buy a webcam! You have a perfectly good webcam in your pocket. With one of these apps, you can easily use your phone as a webcam.
The resolution will likely be much better than any webcam you can find on the market. Each app offers unique features, so you might need to test them to find one that works best for you.
