How to turn your smartphone into a webcam

For many people of all ages, a smartphone has become a tool that can completely replace a computer. But not everyone knows that a phone can be turned into a full-fledged webcam – of course, if the need arises. Most modern laptops are equipped with such a device by default, in the case of a desktop PC it must be purchased separately. But if you have a smartphone (and we are sure that this is so), spending money on a webcam is not necessary – your mobile gadget will cope with all tasks just as well, and even better.

Ways to create a webcam from a mobile phone

The scope of use of webcams is quite extensive, but most often they are used to make video calls, there are also cases of their use as a means for remote video surveillance or for Internet broadcasts.

Your smartphone can cope with all these tasks, and to configure it, you will not need any specific skills, and the procedure itself will not take much time, especially after the initial setup.

There are several known options for turning a mobile phone into a functional analogue of a webcam, but in any case, you will need, in addition to a smartphone, access to a Wi-Fi network. If there is no Internet – USB cable. You will also need an application used to pair your mobile device with your computer. It doesn’t matter what platforms your devices operate on – there are solutions for Android and iOS, Windows, Apple OS and even Linux systems.

Considering that the most common smartphones are Android devices, we recommend using the following popular applications:

• DroidCamX, there is a client of the same name for Windows, it must also be downloaded and installed on a PC. The application is free and can be installed on a tablet. Allows you to broadcast the picture along with sound, provides for the possibility of integration over the air or through a cable. There is a function of remote access to the camera;
  
• IP Webcam is an application whose main purpose is to organize video surveillance. Naturally, using your mobile phone. On a PC, you can use the IP Camera Adapter utility. Videos can be viewed using the player or through the browser;
  
• EpocCam is a simple application used to synchronize a smartphone and a computer without any frills, only the most necessary set of functions. There is software for both PC and mobile gadgets.
  

For owners of iOS devices, we can recommend the following popular applications among users, the principle of pairing them with a computer is about the same:

• iVCam – connection to a PC occurs automatically, without the need to enter an IP address. There are advanced settings (shooting resolution, frame rate, picture orientation). There is a client for the computer;
  
• EpocCam – in terms of capabilities, the application is identical to the version for Android. Automatic synchronization, it is possible to use any of the cameras for recording;
  
• iCam is an application that allows you to store recorded video or broadcasts in the cloud for remote viewing through a browser. There are also settings that allow you to use the flash or change the brightness / contrast of the picture. You do not need to install a client for the computer.
  

Step-by-step instructions for turning a smartphone into a webcam over the air

Let’s consider how to use a mobile phone as a full-fledged webcam using the example of the DroidCam X application, which allows you to pair the gadget with a PC via a wireless connection. This is one of the most popular options. Step by step algorithm:

• download the application from the Play Market, install it;
  
• launch DroidCam, allow the application to access the Internet connection and, of course, to the camera of your Android device;
• install the DroidCam client on your computer;
  
• run the utility on a PC, select the pairing of devices via Wi-Fi by clicking on the corresponding icon;
• after that, the IP-address of the camera should appear in the application;
• we drive this address into the DeviceIP field on the computer, put a checkmark in front of the Audio and Video items, click on the Start button.
  

As you can see, there is nothing complicated, but there is an even simpler option, without the need to enter IP – this is the use of EpocCam, in which the devices are synchronized automatically. It can be recommended to inexperienced users. Again, you need to download both the application and the client utility and run them on your phone and PC.

Connecting an iOS phone to a computer is basically just as easy. For example, using the iVCam app. The step-by-step instructions for the procedure are as follows:

• looking for an application in iTunes, installing it on a smartphone / tablet;
  
• we start, go to the settings and activate the transmission of the audio signal. We answer in the affirmative to requests for access rights;
  
• perform a similar operation with the PC utility: download, install, run;
  
• pairing of devices will happen automatically, as a result, your smartphone will turn into a fully functional webcam.
  

Using your smartphone as a full-fledged webcam via a USB cable

This method is much more difficult to set up, but in the absence of the Internet on one of the synchronized devices (computer or phone) there is no alternative to it. The main difficulty lies in the need to use the debug mode on the mobile phone.

As an example of turning an Android phone into a webcam, consider using the already familiar DroidCam X application. Here is a step-by-step instruction:

• we connect a smartphone and a computer with a cable;
• launch DroidCam on a mobile gadget;
• we do not do the same on a PC;
• we activate the mode “Debugging via USB” – go to the settings, to the section “About the phone”, to the subsection “Build number”. Then be very careful: to get into the “Developer Menu” you need to quickly tap on the “Build number” label 7 times, and then activate the debug mode;
  
• in the utility running on the PC, select the method of connecting to the smartphone via USB by clicking on the corresponding icon;
• then put a checkmark in the same fields and click on the Start button;
  
• then the devices are synchronized, and the video stream captured by the smartphone camera will appear in the computer program.

Note that now the camera will be available for many other programs installed on your computer, if they have such an option.

Making an iOS phone a webcam via USB is even easier, for a computer the steps are exactly the same, but for an iPhone / iPad the algorithm is much simpler, since the Apple ecosystem is more user-friendly and does not require debugging mode to be enabled.

Let’s consider the procedure using an example of using the iVCam application:

• download the application from iTunes, install, launch;
• go to the settings, activate the sound transmission function;
• we answer in the affirmative to requests for access;
• install the iVCam client on your computer;
• run the utility and enjoy transferring the video sequence to the PC.

If your computer runs on alternative Windows platforms (I mean MacOS or a Linux system like Ubuntu), we use the EpocCam application, which includes clients for both non-standard operating systems.

In case of pairing iPhone with Mac, the iCam application is also suitable, for Ubuntu the alternative software is Droidcam.

Smartphone as a webcam, remote use

If you want to use your phone to organize video surveillance, using the IP-Webcam application, you will be able to monitor what is happening from any remote point if you have access to the Internet. Any device will do for this – a PC, laptop, tablet, another smartphone.

Connecting your makeshift webcam to your smartphone or computer will require the following steps:

• go to ivideon.com, go through the simple registration procedure;
  
• install the application on your smartphone, launch it;
• in the connection settings, select the last item – “Internet broadcasting”;
  
• in the window that opens, enter the registration data under which you created an account on ivideon.com;
• on a PC in the browser, go to the tab with ivideon and press the F5 button, as a result, a broadcast will appear in the work area of ​​the site, which will be conducted in real time.
  

Conclusion

Regardless of the purpose for which you want to use your smartphone as a webcam, it’s easy to do. However, even with a full-fledged webcam, using a smartphone may be preferable, since modern gadgets, as a rule, have a higher resolution, so the quality of the resulting video will be higher.