Using an Android Phone as a Webcam in OBS

The short answer

Yes, you can use an Android phone as a camera in OBS Studio. The phone needs a bridge, meaning a way to deliver its camera feed to the computer in a form OBS can read. There are three common bridges. Some recent phones can act as a standard USB webcam on their own. Other setups use a companion app with an app on the phone and a client on the computer. A third option streams video over your local network into an OBS media or browser source. Once the feed is in OBS, you can also pass it to video-call apps through OBS's Virtual Camera.

The method you can use depends on your phone model, its Android version, your computer's operating system and the software you install. This guide covers the general process. It does not test or rank specific apps, so check each tool's current documentation for supported devices, resolutions and any paid features.

Choose a connection method

Method | How the video reaches OBS | What you typically need | What to check first

Built-in USB webcam mode | The phone appears to the computer as a standard webcam, and OBS adds it as a Video Capture Device | A phone and Android version that offer a webcam option in USB settings, plus a data-capable USB cable | Whether your phone's USB preferences list a webcam option at all

Companion webcam app | A phone app sends video to a desktop client, which presents it as a camera device or an OBS source | The phone app, the matching desktop client or OBS plugin, and USB or Wi-Fi | Supported operating systems, connection types, and any resolution limits or watermarks in free versions

Network stream | A phone app publishes a video stream on your local network, and OBS pulls it in through a Media Source or Browser Source | A streaming app on the phone, with the phone and computer on the same network | Stream format, the address the app displays, and delay on your network

If your phone offers built-in USB webcam mode, it is usually the simplest choice because nothing extra is needed on the computer. If not, a companion app is the most common route. A network stream is useful when a cable is impractical, but it depends more on Wi-Fi quality.

Before you start

• Install OBS Studio on the computer and open it once so it can finish its initial setup.
• Use a USB cable that carries data, not just power. Some cables only charge.
• Charge the phone or keep it plugged in. Continuous video drains the battery and can make the phone warm.
• Close other apps on the computer that might already be using a camera. On many systems, only one app can use a camera device at a time.
• For wireless methods, connect the phone and computer to the same network. Guest networks and some workplace networks block devices from seeing each other.
• Get a stable mount or stand. A phone propped against objects tends to shift during a session.

Method 1: Built-in USB webcam mode

• 1. Connect the phone to the computer with a USB data cable and unlock the phone.
• 2. Open the USB notification on the phone, or find USB preferences in Settings under connected devices. The exact menu names vary by manufacturer.
• 3. Select the webcam option if it appears. If you see only file transfer, charging and similar options, your phone does not offer this mode. Move on to Method 2.
• 4. In OBS, click the plus button under Sources and choose Video Capture Device. On Linux, the source may be labeled for V4L2.
• 5. Name the source, then select the phone from the Device list.
• 6. Adjust resolution or format in the source properties if the options are available, then click OK.

Method 2: A companion webcam app

• 1. Install the webcam app on the phone and its matching client or OBS plugin on the computer. Download both from the official sources the developer lists.
• 2. Open the phone app and grant camera permission. Grant microphone permission too if you plan to use the phone's audio.
• 3. Choose USB or Wi-Fi in the app. Some apps require USB debugging, a developer option on Android, for wired connections. Enable it only if the app's instructions call for it.
• 4. Open the desktop client and connect to the phone. Depending on the app, you may need to enter the phone's IP address shown on the phone screen or select the phone from a list.
• 5. In OBS, add the feed as the app's instructions describe. That is usually either a Video Capture Device that lists the app's virtual camera, or a dedicated source type added by the plugin.
• 6. Confirm that a live preview appears in the OBS canvas.

Method 3: A network stream into OBS

• 1. Install an app on the phone that publishes the camera as a stream on your local network, and start the stream.
• 2. Note the stream address the app displays. It usually includes the phone's local IP address and a port number.
• 3. In OBS, add a Media Source for stream protocols. Uncheck Local File and enter the address in the Input field. If the app serves a web page instead, add a Browser Source and enter the address there.
• 4. Expect some delay. Network streams usually add more latency than USB, so test lip-sync before going live if you use separate audio.

Verify that it actually works

Check three separate things. A step can succeed while the next one fails.

• Device access: the phone or the app's virtual camera appears in the OBS device list. This shows only that the connection exists.
• Video capture: the OBS preview shows moving live video. If you see a black frame or a frozen image, the device is detected but video is not arriving.
• Usable quality: the image is sharp, correctly framed, reasonably smooth and not noticeably delayed. Record a short test clip in OBS and play it back to judge this. The preview alone can hide stutter or audio drift.

Using the phone camera in video calls

To use the phone feed in a call app, click Start Virtual Camera in the OBS controls panel. Then choose OBS Virtual Camera as the camera in the call app's video settings. Start the virtual camera before you open the call app, because some apps only check for cameras at launch. Do not select the phone device in both OBS and the call app at once, since one of them may lose access to it.

Using the phone's microphone

Some bridges can also send the phone's audio. When this works, it shows up as an audio device or as audio inside the source. Treat audio as its own checklist. First, the input should appear in OBS's Audio Mixer. Second, its level meter should move when you speak. Third, a recorded test should sound clear. A moving meter does not guarantee clear sound. If the phone sits far from you, a microphone near your mouth will often sound better than the phone's built-in mic.

Troubleshooting

Symptom | Likely cause | What to try

Phone not listed in OBS | Charge-only cable, wrong USB mode, missing desktop client, or phone locked | Use a data cable, re-select the USB mode, reinstall the client, unlock the phone, and restart OBS

Black preview | Another app is holding the camera, or the phone app is paused or in the background | Close other camera apps, bring the phone app to the foreground, and deactivate and reactivate the source

Wireless connection fails | Devices are on different networks, or the network isolates clients | Use the same network, try a home network instead of a guest network, or switch to USB

Choppy or delayed video | Weak Wi-Fi, high resolution, or an overheating phone | Move closer to the router, lower the resolution or frame rate, use USB, and remove the phone case

Image mirrored or rotated | Phone orientation or the app's mirror setting | Lock the phone's rotation, or fix it in OBS with the source's Transform options

Feed drops after a few minutes | Battery saver or screen-off behavior stopping the app | Keep the phone charging and exempt the app from battery optimization if the app's instructions recommend it

Getting a better picture

• Use the rear camera when you don't need to see the phone screen. On many phones it produces a better image than the front camera.
• Place the lens at roughly eye level and turn the phone sideways for a standard landscape frame.
• Face a window or a soft light, and avoid having a bright light directly behind you.
• Wipe the lens. Phone lenses pick up fingerprints easily.
• If the image looks blurry, check whether the app lets you lock focus and exposure. That keeps the image from shifting when you move.

Limits of this guide

No tested data was available for this article. It contains no measured latency, resolution or frame-rate figures, no app comparisons, and no list of phones that support built-in webcam mode. App features, free-version limits and system requirements change, so confirm them in each developer's current documentation. Your own test recording is the most reliable check of how your setup performs.