How to use a phone camera as a webcam for Google Meet on PC

The short answer

Google Meet on a PC can only use cameras that the computer recognizes as a camera device. Meet cannot reach your phone directly. To use your phone, you first need something that makes the phone appear to the PC as a webcam. Once that works, you choose the phone in Meet's video settings, just as you would choose any other camera.

There are three common ways to make a phone act as a webcam. Some recent Android phones have a built-in webcam mode over USB. Recent versions of Windows 11 can use a linked phone as a connected camera on supported devices. Third-party webcam apps install a small app on the phone and a companion program or driver on the PC. Which of these is available to you depends on your phone model, its operating system version and your version of Windows. No specific compatibility list or product comparison was available for this guide, so confirm support for your own devices before relying on any one method.

One clarification for iPhone users: Apple's built-in feature for using an iPhone as a webcam is designed for Macs. On a Windows PC, iPhone users generally need a third-party webcam app.

Before you start

• Your phone and PC, plus a USB cable if you plan to connect by wire. Some methods only work over a cable, and some work over Wi-Fi.
• A charger or power source for the phone. Streaming video drains the battery quickly.
• A stand, clamp or tripod mount so the phone stays still at roughly eye level.
• An up-to-date browser on the PC, such as Chrome, Edge or Firefox.
• Permission to install software, if you choose a third-party app that needs a PC-side driver. On a work computer, this may require approval from your IT team.

Step 1: Make the phone available as a camera on the PC

Use whichever of the following options your devices support. You only need one.

Option A: Built-in USB webcam mode (some Android phones)

• Connect the phone to the PC with a USB cable that supports data transfer, not just charging.
• On the phone, open the USB notification or the USB preferences in Settings.
• If a webcam option is listed, select it. If no such option appears, your phone or Android version does not offer this mode, and you should use another option.
• Success check: a camera preview or webcam notification appears on the phone, and a new camera shows up on the PC (see Step 3).

Option B: Windows connected camera (supported phones on recent Windows 11)

• On the PC, open Settings and look under Bluetooth & devices for a mobile devices section.
• Follow the prompts to link your phone and allow it to be used as a connected camera. The phone usually needs a companion app and must be on the same account and network as the PC.
• Success check: Windows lists the phone as a camera, and the phone's camera turns on when an app such as Meet requests video.

Option C: A third-party webcam app

• Install the app on the phone and its matching program or driver on the PC, both from the developer's official sources.
• Connect the two as the app instructs, either over the same Wi-Fi network or by USB.
• Restart your browser after installing the PC component. Browsers often only detect new camera devices when they start.
• Success check: the PC program shows live video from the phone.

Features vary between apps. Resolution limits, watermarks, audio support and whether a USB connection is free or paid all differ. Check the app's own description rather than assuming a feature is included.

Step 2: Allow camera access in Windows and the browser

Even when the phone is working as a camera, Meet will not see it unless both Windows and your browser allow camera access.

• In Windows, open Settings, then Privacy & security, then Camera. Make sure camera access is on, and that the setting letting desktop apps access your camera is also on. Browsers count as desktop apps.
• In the browser, open Google Meet. When the browser asks for camera and microphone permission, choose Allow.
• If you previously blocked access, click the site settings icon at the left of the address bar while on the Meet page, set Camera to Allow, and then reload the page.

Step 3: Select the phone camera in Google Meet

• Open Meet and start or join a meeting so you reach the preview screen before entering.
• Open the settings, either from the three-dot menu or from the arrow next to the camera button, and go to the Video section.
• In the camera list, choose the entry for your phone or webcam app. The name depends on the method you used.
• If the phone is not listed, reload the Meet page. If it is still missing, fully close and reopen the browser.

Step 4: Choose your microphone separately

The camera and the microphone are separate selections in Meet. Some phone webcam methods send video only. Others can also send the phone's microphone as a separate audio device. In Meet's Audio settings, choose the microphone you actually want to use. This might be a headset, the PC's built-in microphone, or the phone if your method supports it. Check this setting even if video is working, because a working camera tells you nothing about which microphone Meet is using.

How to know it worked, and what each check proves

Three separate questions are involved, and each check answers only some of them.

Check | What it confirms | What it does not confirm

The phone appears in Meet's camera list | Windows and the browser can see the phone as a camera device | That video is actually coming through

Live moving video of you appears in Meet's preview | Meet is capturing video from the phone | How the video looks to others, or whether it stays stable over time

A test call with another person who describes your video | Others receive your video, and you hear how it looks over a real connection | Performance on other networks or in a longer meeting

The microphone level indicator in Meet moves when you speak | The selected microphone is picking up sound | That your voice is clear and easy to understand

Your self-view preview may appear mirrored. That affects only what you see, not what other participants see, so text behind you can look reversed to you and still appear correctly to others.

For a reliable final check, join a short test call with someone else, or with a second device logged into the same meeting. Ask them to describe the image and repeat back a sentence you say. This is the only check above that covers what others actually see and hear. No verified targets for microphone levels, resolution or latency were available for this setup, so judge by how clear the result is rather than by specific numbers.

If the phone camera doesn't show up or doesn't work

• Camera not listed: confirm the phone side is active, reload Meet, restart the browser, and recheck the Windows camera privacy settings.
• Camera listed but the preview is black: close other apps that might be using the camera, such as other video-call apps or the webcam app's own preview window, then reselect the camera in Meet.
• Video freezes or drops: keep the phone unlocked and on its charger if your method requires the app to stay in the foreground. Try a USB connection instead of Wi-Fi if your method offers one.
• Image sideways or at the wrong angle: change the phone's orientation, or use the rotation setting in the webcam app if one is available.
• Work or school computer: camera devices or software installation may be blocked by policy. In that case, ask your administrator.

Practical tips for a better picture

• The rear camera on most phones produces a better image than the front camera. You won't see the phone's screen while using it, but you can watch your preview in Meet instead.
• Place the phone at eye level, about an arm's length away, so the camera isn't looking up at you.
• Face a window or lamp so the light is in front of you rather than behind you.
• Turn on Do Not Disturb on the phone so calls and notifications don't interrupt the video.

Gaps in this guide

No verified evidence was available on which specific phone models or operating system versions support built-in webcam modes, how particular third-party apps compare, or what resolution and latency to expect. Check your phone maker's and your app developer's documentation for those details.