With the rise in video conferencing throughout the world during the Coronavirus lockdown, having a webcam and a high-speed Internet plan is no longer a luxury. Many employees also had to upgrade their Internet packages to work from home. I upgraded the speed of my Optimum Internet too. However, I didn’t have the budget to invest in a webcam. If that’s you too, don’t fret because I was able to convert my smartphone into a webcam as an alternative. You can too!
So how is it done, you ask? Follow along!
When Can You Use Your Phone as a Webcam?
Remember this trick won’t work all the time. You can only use your phone as a webcam if you simply need to follow a meeting. In case you have to share the screen or present, you will need an actual webcam.
Requirements
Here’s a list of mandatory items required:
Video Conferencing App
Of course, you need an app that facilitates video conferring such as Google Meet, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams. Android and iPhone apps are available for all these services. Simply download and install them on your device and use the selfie camera and microphone to participate in the meeting.
Tripod
You are going to need another accessory called a tripod. This will eliminate the need to balance your phone against a pile of books. It’s easy to find a tripod that stays stable on any type of surface.
Webcam App
This could be any webcam app you trust. DroidCam is a recommended option if you have a Windows PC and an Android phone. It’s available on Google Plays Store. Download and install this app on your smartphone.
Also, download the Windows Client version of DroidCam on your PC and follow the instructions on the setup wizard.
How to Use Your Smartphone as a Webcam?
Let’s look into the steps to convert your phone into a webcam and participate in a video call:
Step 1: Open the DroidCam App
Double click on the DroidCam app on your PC. At the same time, open it on your smartphone as well. Your PC and phone must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
Step 2: Enter the Numerical values
You will see some numbers on your Android app after Wi-Fi IP and DroidCam port. Enter these numbers into the fields on your computer. Turn off the audio and video and click on “start.”
Step 3: There Cam Is Ready to Use
After this, the app on your phone will launch the camera automatically and you will be able to see the feed on your computer.
Step 4: Go to the Settings of Your Videoconferencing App
To make the app work with your videoconferencing software, you must launch the PC client and app as mentioned in the steps. Then, go to the settings of your video conferring app and change the camera and microphone into DroidCam and DroidCam virtual audio. Once you are done, the videoconferencing app will start using your smartphone’s hardware right away.
Other Top Apps to Use
Apart from DroidCam, other options to converting your phone into a webcam include:
iCam
This app supports Android, iPhone, macOS, and Windows. iCam doesn’t have a free trial. It requires $5 upfront but that’s not a bad deal at all because it comes with features such as full-resolution video. You can either stream the video via Wi-Fi or connect it directly to your PC by using a USB.
After downloading the iCam app, you must install the video conferencing app on your PC or Mac. When you turn on the app on your smartphone, it talks to the program on your PC and then identifies the camera. You are then ready to roll.
iVCam
It’s a free app that works with android and iPhone. The only problem is it’s limited to 640×480 resolution. The free version contains ads and the company’s watermark. By investing in its premium version, not only do these two are removed, but it enables a handful of features too.
The desktop version of this app works on PCs only. Therefore, it’s not an option for Mac users.
EpocCam
It supports iPhones only but works on Macs and PCs. Once you have downloaded and installed the webcam app on your iPhone, go to www.kinoni.com for installing the right drivers for your macOS. After this, you must download the web viewer of EpocCam on your Mac or PC.
Once you launch the app on your PC/macOS, you should be able to see video from the camera of your iPhone on the computer.
A weird feature of this app is that it initially lets you use the rear camera on your iPhone. However, the front camera can be unlocked by leaving a rating on the app.
Conclusion
All good webcam apps come with a price. Even though signed up for one of the high-speed Optimum plans, I was still able to afford a webcam app. the expense is very limited as compared to buying a webcam.
Choose any webcam app that works for you and convert your phone into a webcam in easy steps!
