How to Use a Samsung Phone as a Webcam

The short answer

Yes, you can use a Samsung Galaxy phone as a webcam. You connect the phone to your computer through one of three routes: a feature built into Windows, a USB webcam mode on some recent Android versions, or a webcam app installed on both the phone and the computer. The computer then sees the phone as a camera source, and you select it in your video-call app like any other webcam.

Which route works for you depends on your computer's operating system, your phone's software version and which settings Samsung has enabled on your model. No confirmed model-by-model compatibility list or minimum version numbers were available for this guide. Check the current requirements in your phone's settings, in the Windows app, or on the webcam app's own listing before you rely on a particular route.

Choose a connection method

• Windows built-in route: Windows can link an Android phone and use its camera as a connected camera through Phone Link and the Link to Windows app. This needs no third-party webcam software, but it depends on your Windows version and on the feature being available for your account and device.
• USB webcam mode: some recent Android versions let a phone act as a standard USB webcam when you plug it in and choose a webcam option in the USB connection settings. Whether your Galaxy model offers this varies, so look for the option rather than assuming it is there.
• Third-party webcam apps: apps such as DroidCam, Iriun and Camo pair a phone app with a computer program. They are the usual choice on a Mac, because Apple's own phone-as-webcam feature works only with iPhones. Features, connection types, free limits and resolution caps vary by app and can change, so read the current details for the app you choose.
• Samsung Galaxy Book laptops: Samsung offers its own camera-sharing feature for some Galaxy Book models paired with Galaxy phones. If you own one, check whether your laptop supports it.

Before you start

• Update your phone's software and your computer's operating system.
• Charge the phone or keep it plugged in. Streaming video drains the battery quickly.
• If you use USB, use a cable that carries data, not only power. Some cheap cables charge but cannot transfer data.
• If you use Wi-Fi, put the phone and the computer on the same network.
• Mount the phone on a tripod or phone stand at roughly eye level, using the rear camera if your method allows it. The rear camera is usually the stronger of the two.
• Close other apps that may already be using a camera on the computer, because some systems allow only one app to use a camera at a time.

Method 1: Use the Windows connected-camera feature

• 1. On the computer, open Phone Link, or look for the mobile devices section in Windows Settings.
• 2. On the Galaxy phone, open Link to Windows. Many Samsung phones include it in the quick settings panel or under connected-device settings.
• 3. Sign in with the same Microsoft account on both devices and complete the pairing prompts.
• 4. In the Windows mobile devices settings, turn on the option that lets the computer use your phone as a connected camera.
• 5. Approve the camera permission prompt on the phone when it appears.
• 6. Open the camera app or your call app on the computer and select the phone from the camera list.

Success check: the phone appears as a selectable camera, and moving the phone changes the picture on the computer. If the option to use the phone as a camera never appears, your Windows build, region or phone may not support the feature yet. Switch to another method rather than continuing to troubleshoot.

Method 2: Check for a USB webcam mode

• 1. Unlock the phone and connect it to the computer with a data-capable USB cable.
• 2. Pull down the notification shade and tap the USB connection notification. You may also find it in the developer or connected-device settings.
• 3. Look for a webcam option among the USB modes. You may see choices such as file transfer and charging only.
• 4. If the webcam option is listed, select it. The computer should detect the phone as a standard webcam without extra software.
• 5. Open your call app and choose the phone from the camera list.

If no webcam option is listed, your model or software version does not currently offer this mode. Use Method 1 or Method 3 instead.

Method 3: Use a webcam app

• 1. Install the app on the phone from the Galaxy Store or Google Play.
• 2. Install the matching desktop client or driver from the same developer on your computer. Download it only from the developer's official source.
• 3. Open the app on both devices and connect them over Wi-Fi or USB, following the app's own pairing steps. Some apps use a code, a QR scan or automatic discovery.
• 4. Allow camera access on the phone when prompted. If you also plan to send the phone's audio, allow microphone access too.
• 5. In your call app, select the virtual camera that the desktop client creates. It is usually named after the app.

Success check: a live picture appears in the desktop client first, then in your call app. If the client shows video but the call app does not, the problem is the camera selection or the permissions in the call app, not the phone connection.

Allow camera access on the computer

Even when the phone is connected, the computer may block apps from using it.

• On Windows, open Settings, go to Privacy and security, then Camera. Make sure camera access is on and that your call app, or the desktop apps in general, are allowed.
• On macOS, open System Settings, go to Privacy & Security, then Camera. Make sure the webcam client and your call app are allowed. Some apps must be restarted after you change this setting.
• In a browser-based call, the browser asks for camera permission per site. If you denied it earlier, open the site's permission settings from the address bar and allow the camera, then reload the page.

Confirm it worked: three separate checks

A successful setup involves three distinct things, and passing one does not prove the others.

• Camera access: the phone shows up in the camera list of your app or browser. This proves only that the system can see it.
• Video capture: selecting the phone produces a live, moving image that responds when you move. This proves the video stream reaches the app.
• Call quality: the other person sees a clear, smooth picture. A local preview cannot fully test this, because it also depends on your internet connection and the call service. A short test call with a friend, or a call service's own test feature if it has one, is the reliable check.

Microphone and audio

Using the phone as a camera does not automatically make it your microphone. The Windows connected-camera feature and USB webcam mode may carry video only, depending on the setup. Some webcam apps can send the phone's audio, sometimes only in paid tiers. Many people simply keep the computer's microphone or a headset.

Whichever microphone you use, select it in the audio settings of your call app. Then check in stages. Detection means the microphone appears in the list. Input activity means the level meter moves when you speak. Intelligible sound means a recording or a test call plays your voice back clearly, without echo or dropouts. No verified input-level target was available for this setup. Aim for speech that clearly moves the meter without hitting the top of the scale, and judge by how the playback sounds.

Common problems and fixes

• Phone not in the camera list: restart the call app after connecting the phone. Also check the computer's camera privacy settings, and close other apps that may be holding the camera.
• Black screen: make sure the phone screen is unlocked and the app is in the foreground, if your method requires it. Also check that no other phone app is using the camera.
• Laggy or freezing video over Wi-Fi: move closer to the router or switch to a USB connection. A lower resolution in the app also helps.
• USB connection not recognized: try another cable or port. Confirm the phone is not set to charging only, and accept any prompt on the phone asking whether to allow the connection.
• Image is mirrored: many call apps mirror only your own preview, and the other person sees the correct orientation. Check the app's video settings before changing anything.
• Phone gets hot during long calls: remove a thick case, keep the phone out of direct sun, and consider lowering the resolution or frame rate.

Gaps to be aware of

This guide does not list exact Windows or One UI version requirements, supported Galaxy models, resolution limits or app pricing, because no verified figures were available. Menu names can also differ slightly between software versions. If a step does not match what you see, search your phone's settings for words such as webcam, USB or connected camera, or check the current help pages from Microsoft, Samsung or your webcam app.