How to Use an iPhone as a Webcam in Windows

The short answer

You can use an iPhone as a webcam on a Windows PC, but not with a built-in feature. Apple's own iPhone webcam feature, Continuity Camera, works only with Macs. On Windows you need a third-party webcam app made of two parts: an app on the iPhone that sends the camera feed, and a companion program on the PC that receives it and presents it to Windows as a camera. Once that companion program is running, video apps such as meeting software or browsers can select the iPhone like any other webcam.

This guide does not recommend or compare specific apps, because no tested information about particular products was available for it. Check each app's own description for the features it offers, the connection types it supports and any paid tiers before you install it.

What you need

• An iPhone with the webcam app from your chosen provider installed from the App Store.
• The matching Windows companion program, called a client or driver, from the same provider.
• A connection between the phone and the PC: the same Wi-Fi network, or a USB cable if the app supports wired use.
• For a USB connection, Apple's device drivers on Windows. These are usually installed with Apple's Apple Devices app or iTunes for Windows.
• A way to keep the phone steady and charged, such as a stand or clip and a charger, if you plan to use it for long calls.

Set it up step by step

• 1. Install the iPhone app and the Windows companion program from the same provider. Pieces from different apps will not work together.
• 2. Open the iPhone app and allow it to use the camera when iOS asks. If the app will send audio, allow microphone access as well. If the app finds the PC over Wi-Fi, also allow local network access.
• 3. Connect the devices. For Wi-Fi, put both on the same network. For USB, plug the phone in, unlock it and tap Trust if the phone asks whether to trust the computer.
• 4. Start the Windows companion program and confirm it shows that the phone is connected. Many apps display a live preview at this stage.
• 5. On Windows 11, open Settings, then Privacy & security, then Camera. Make sure camera access is on and that apps, including desktop apps, are allowed to use the camera.
• 6. In your video app, open its camera or video settings and select the camera name the companion program created. That name usually includes the app's name rather than "iPhone."
• 7. If you use a browser-based call service, allow camera access for that site when the browser asks. If you blocked it earlier, change the permission in the site settings and reload the page.

Confirm it is actually working

Check three separate things, because each one can fail on its own:

• Detection: the iPhone camera appears in the camera list of Windows or of your video app. This only means the virtual camera exists.
• Video capture: you see a moving live image from the phone in a preview. A camera can be listed and still show a black or frozen frame, for example when the phone app is closed or the connection dropped.
• Call quality: other participants see a clear, smooth image. Preview quality does not guarantee this, because the call service may compress video and a weak Wi-Fi link can cause stutter. A short test call with someone else is the most reliable check.

For a quick local test, open the Windows Camera app and switch cameras until the iPhone feed appears. If the feed shows up there but not in your meeting app, the problem is most likely that app's camera selection or permissions.

Microphone: a separate question

Not every iPhone webcam app sends the phone's microphone to the PC, and some include audio only in certain versions. Check the app's description. If the app does send audio, it usually appears as a separate microphone in Windows Sound settings and in your call app's audio settings, and you need to select it there.

As with video, check audio in stages. First, the microphone should appear in the input list. Then the input level meter should move when you speak. Finally, a test recording or test call should sound clear. A moving level meter proves only that the microphone picks up sound, not that the sound is clear. If audio is unreliable, using the PC's own microphone or a headset while the iPhone provides only video is a simple alternative.

If the camera doesn't appear or shows no image

• Keep the iPhone app open in the foreground and the phone unlocked. Many apps stop sending video when they move to the background or the screen locks.
• Make sure only one app is using the camera. Close other video programs that may have taken the iPhone camera, then restart the call app.
• On Wi-Fi, confirm both devices are on the same network. Guest networks and some workplace networks block devices from finding each other.
• On USB, try another cable or port, confirm you tapped Trust on the phone, and check that Apple's device drivers are installed.
• Recheck the Windows camera privacy settings and the browser's site permission.
• Restart the Windows companion program, and if the camera still does not appear, restart the PC.

Limitations to expect

Features such as resolution, choice of lens, audio support, watermarks and time limits depend on the app and on whether you use a free or paid version. They are not set by Windows or the iPhone. Because of that, this guide cannot say which app gives the best image or the most stable connection. Read the current description of any app you are considering. Background blur or replacement in a call is a virtual effect added by the meeting app or the webcam app. It does not change what the iPhone camera sees, so a tidy physical background still helps if effects are off or work poorly.