How to use the iOS Camera plugin with OBS

The iOS Camera plugin lets OBS Studio receive live video from an iPhone or iPad. It has two parts. A plugin on your computer adds an "iOS Camera" source type to OBS, and a companion app on the iOS device sends the camera feed, normally over a USB cable. Once both are installed and running, you add an iOS Camera source to a scene and choose your device from its list.

Which "iOS camera for OBS" this guide covers

People use the phrase for three different setups, and the steps differ for each. This guide covers the dedicated plugin and companion app pair. Other phone-webcam apps come with their own drivers or plugins and use different source names. Apple's Continuity Camera on a recent Mac shows an iPhone as an ordinary camera and needs no plugin at all. If the source names below don't match what you see, check whether you installed a different app.

The plugin and the app are separate downloads. I could not verify current pricing, so check the App Store listing and the plugin's download page if you need a free option. Also confirm that the plugin release you download supports your version of OBS and your operating system. A plugin built for an older OBS release may not load in a newer one.

What you need before starting

• OBS Studio installed on a Windows or macOS computer (check the plugin's download page for supported systems)
• The iOS Camera plugin installer for your operating system
• The companion camera app installed on your iPhone or iPad
• A USB cable that carries data, not just charge
• On Windows: Apple's mobile device support components, which usually come with iTunes or the Apple Devices app. Windows needs these to communicate with an iPhone over USB. Follow the plugin's own instructions if they say otherwise.

Step-by-step setup with a check at each stage

• 1. Quit OBS completely. Plugins are loaded when OBS starts, so installing while it is open can leave the plugin unloaded.
• 2. Run the plugin installer and point it at your OBS installation if it asks. Check: reopen OBS, click the + button under Sources, and look for "iOS Camera" in the list. If it is missing, the plugin did not load. See the troubleshooting section.
• 3. Open the companion app on your iPhone or iPad and allow camera access when iOS asks. Check: the app shows a live camera preview. If you denied access earlier, turn it back on in the iOS Settings app under the companion app's entry, then the Camera switch.
• 4. Connect the device to the computer with the cable, unlock it, and tap Trust if it asks whether to trust this computer. Check: the computer recognizes the device. On a Mac it appears in the Finder sidebar. On Windows it appears in iTunes or the Apple Devices app.
• 5. In OBS, click + under Sources, choose iOS Camera, give the source a name, and confirm.
• 6. In the source's properties window, select your device from the device list. Check: a live image appears in the properties preview and on the main OBS canvas. Wave a hand in front of the lens to confirm the image is live, not a frozen frame.
• 7. Position the image. Drag the red handles on the canvas, or right-click the source and choose Transform, then Fit to screen.

How to tell it is really working

Each check above proves something different. The device appearing in the source's list shows the plugin can see the phone. A moving image on the canvas shows video capture is working. Neither one tells you how the feed will look or sound to people on a call. Before relying on the setup, leave it running for a few minutes and watch for freezes, dropped frames or a growing delay between your movements and the image.

If you also want sound from the phone, check the OBS Audio Mixer for a meter that moves when you speak. A moving meter only shows that the input is active. To confirm the speech is clear, record a short clip in OBS and play it back. I could not verify recommended input-level targets for this particular setup, so no specific level is given here. Judge by listening back, and adjust until speech is clear without distortion. If no audio from the phone shows up in the mixer, use a separate microphone instead.

Sending the phone image to a video call

Video-call apps cannot see OBS sources directly. To use the phone camera in a meeting, start the virtual camera from the OBS Controls area. Then open your call app's video settings and choose OBS Virtual Camera as the camera. A browser-based call will also ask for camera permission, which you need to allow. Check the call app's own preview to confirm the OBS image appears there. The virtual camera carries video only, so choose your microphone separately in the call app's audio settings.

If something goes wrong

• No iOS Camera option under Sources: the plugin is not installed for this OBS installation, or it does not support your OBS version. Reinstall with OBS closed, and check the plugin's stated compatibility.
• Source exists but no device is listed: make sure the companion app is open and in the foreground, the device is unlocked and trusted, and the cable carries data. Try a different USB port. On Windows, confirm Apple's device support components are installed.
• Black or frozen image: keep the app open with the screen on, close other apps that may be using the phone camera, then restart the companion app or remove and re-add the source.
• Image looks fine in OBS but poor in the call: this is a call-quality issue, not a capture issue. Check your network connection and the call app's video settings.
• Call app does not offer OBS Virtual Camera: start the virtual camera in OBS first, then restart the call app or reload the browser tab, and check that camera permission is allowed.

Limitations to keep in mind

I could not confirm how actively the plugin is maintained or which OBS and iOS versions it currently supports. An update to either could stop it working until the plugin is updated. If that happens, Continuity Camera on a compatible Mac, or another phone-webcam app with its own driver, can do the same job. Long sessions can also warm the phone and drain its battery, so keep it connected to power and check its temperature during extended use.