Elgato iPhone Webcam: How to Use Your iPhone as a Webcam with Elgato

The short answer

When people search for an Elgato iPhone webcam, they usually mean EpocCam. EpocCam is an Elgato app that sends your iPhone's camera feed to a computer. A companion driver on the computer makes the phone appear as an ordinary webcam. Once that is set up, video-call apps, browsers and streaming software can select the iPhone like any other camera.

Two points can change that answer. First, Elgato also sells dedicated webcams and HDMI capture devices. Those are separate products, not phone bridges, so check which one you actually have or are considering. Second, no confirmed current information was available for this guide on EpocCam's availability, pricing, free-versus-paid features or supported operating-system versions. Before you rely on it, check the App Store listing and Elgato's own support pages.

If you use a Mac, you may not need Elgato software at all. Apple's Continuity Camera lets a recent iPhone act as a webcam for a Mac signed in to the same Apple account. Apple lists the exact system requirements in its documentation.

Which route fits your setup

Situation | Likely route | What to confirm first

iPhone with a Windows PC | Elgato EpocCam, if it is currently offered | App availability on the App Store and a current Windows driver from Elgato

iPhone with a Mac | Apple Continuity Camera, or EpocCam as an alternative | Whether your Mac and iPhone meet Apple's Continuity Camera requirements

You already own an Elgato webcam | Use that webcam directly; no phone bridge is needed | That the webcam is selected in your call app

You own an Elgato HDMI capture device | Not a straightforward iPhone route | An iPhone's wired video output typically mirrors the whole screen, including on-screen controls, rather than providing a clean camera feed

Setting up EpocCam step by step

The exact screens can change between versions, so treat these steps as the general sequence rather than a literal script.

• 1. Install the EpocCam app on your iPhone from the App Store.
• 2. Install Elgato's companion driver or software on your computer. This is the piece that makes the phone show up as a camera; without it, the computer has nothing to select.
• 3. Restart the computer if the installer asks you to. Video apps that were open during installation often need to be reopened before they see a new camera.
• 4. Connect the phone and computer. For a wireless connection, put both on the same network. If the app offers a wired USB option, use it when Wi-Fi is unreliable.
• 5. Open EpocCam on the iPhone. Allow camera access when prompted. If iOS asks for local network access, allow that too, because the app uses it to find your computer.
• 6. On the computer, open your call or recording app and choose EpocCam (or the name the driver uses) as the camera.
• 7. Mount the phone at roughly eye level and keep it on a charger for long calls, because streaming video drains the battery.

Grant camera permission on the computer

A virtual camera driver is still subject to the operating system's camera privacy controls. On a Mac, go to System Settings, then Privacy & Security, then Camera, and make sure your call app or browser is allowed. On Windows, go to Settings, then Privacy & security, then Camera, and check both the overall camera access switch and access for the specific app. In a browser-based call, also check the site's camera permission, usually reached through the icon beside the address bar.

Check that it actually works: three separate checks

Seeing the camera's name in a menu does not prove you will look good on a call. Check each stage in order.

• Camera access: the phone's camera appears in the app's camera list, and the app is not blocked by a permission prompt or privacy setting.
• Video capture: selecting it shows a live, moving image of you, not a black frame, a frozen picture or a placeholder logo.
• Call quality: in a test call or recording, the image stays smooth and reasonably sharp, with acceptable delay and no repeated dropouts. A weak or busy Wi-Fi network is a common cause of stutter on wireless setups, so try a wired connection if the app supports one.

What about the microphone?

The phone bridge is mainly about video. If your version of the app also offers the iPhone's microphone as an input, it will appear as a separate audio device, and you need to select it on its own in your call app. Whichever microphone you use, check three things separately. First, confirm the microphone is detected and selected. Second, watch for input activity, meaning the level meter moves when you speak. Third, make a short test recording to confirm your voice is clear. A moving meter alone does not guarantee intelligible sound. If you are unsure, the computer's own microphone or a headset is often the simpler choice.

If the iPhone camera does not appear

• Fully quit and reopen the call app, then check the camera list again.
• Confirm the computer-side driver is installed. The phone app alone is not enough.
• Make sure EpocCam is open and in the foreground on the iPhone, not closed or locked.
• For wireless use, confirm both devices are on the same network. Guest networks and some workplace networks block devices from finding each other.
• Check that local network access is allowed for the app in the iPhone's settings.
• Recheck the camera privacy settings on the computer and the camera permission in the browser.
• Close other apps that might be holding the camera, since some apps cannot share a camera at the same time.
• Try a wired connection if the app supports it, or restart both devices.

Limitations and gaps in this guide

This guide could not confirm current details for EpocCam. That includes whether it is still offered and maintained, which features need a paid upgrade, which resolutions it supports and which macOS, Windows and iOS versions it works with. Check those on the App Store and Elgato's support pages before you buy or rely on it for an important call. If EpocCam is not available for your setup, use Apple's Continuity Camera on a Mac. Other phone-webcam apps exist, but verify their compatibility the same way.