How to use a phone as a camera in OBS

The short answer

You can use a phone as a camera in OBS Studio, but OBS does not do it alone. OBS is desktop software and has no phone camera app of its own. Something has to carry the phone's video to the computer: a third-party camera app, an operating-system feature, a network stream or a capture device. Once the feed arrives, you add it to a scene as a source, just like a regular webcam.

When people search for an "OBS camera app" they usually mean that phone-side app. Some apps come with a desktop driver that makes the phone appear as an ordinary webcam. Others come with an OBS plugin that adds its own source type. That difference decides which source you pick in OBS, so check which kind you have before you start.

Choose how the phone connects

• Webcam app with a desktop driver: the phone app pairs with a companion program on the computer, and the phone appears as a camera device. In OBS you add it with the Video Capture Device source.
• Webcam app with an OBS plugin: the vendor's plugin adds a dedicated source to OBS, and you add that source instead of a generic capture device.
• Built-in operating-system feature: some systems can present a nearby phone as a camera without extra software. For example, Apple's Continuity Camera lets a compatible iPhone act as a camera on a Mac. The phone then appears as a capture device in OBS. Compatibility depends on your OS and phone versions, so check your system's documentation.
• Network stream: some apps send video over the local network using a streaming protocol. OBS receives it through a Media Source or a protocol-specific plugin. This route is more flexible but needs more setup.
• HDMI output into a capture card: if your phone can output video over a wired adapter, a capture card turns that signal into a camera device for OBS. You need extra hardware, but no app is involved.

Wired versus wireless: a USB connection is usually steadier and can charge the phone while you record. Wi-Fi lets you place the phone anywhere, but picture quality and delay depend on your network. If an app supports both, try USB first. Wi-Fi is then easier to troubleshoot because you already know the app works.

What you need before you start

• OBS Studio installed on the computer.
• A phone camera app, plus its desktop driver or OBS plugin if it uses one, or a built-in OS feature your devices support.
• A USB cable that carries data, not only power, if you connect by cable. For Wi-Fi, the phone and computer must be on the same network.
• A way to hold the phone steady, such as a tripod mount or clamp.
• Power for longer sessions, because streaming video drains the battery quickly.

Step-by-step setup

• 1. Install the phone app and any desktop component it needs. If it includes an OBS plugin, close OBS before installing so the plugin loads on the next launch. Check: after reopening OBS, the plugin's source type appears in the Add Source menu.
• 2. Grant camera permission on the phone. Open the app and allow camera access when asked. If you allow microphone access too, the phone can also send audio. Check: the app shows a live preview on the phone's screen.
• 3. Grant camera permission on the computer if your system requires it. On macOS, OBS needs Camera access under System Settings, Privacy & Security, Camera. On Windows, desktop apps must be allowed to use the camera under Settings, Privacy & security, Camera. Check: OBS is listed as allowed.
• 4. Connect the phone to the computer. Plug in the cable, or start the connection over Wi-Fi as the app directs. Check: the desktop program or the phone app shows that it is connected.
• 5. Add the source in OBS. In the Sources panel, click the plus button and choose Video Capture Device, or the plugin's own source if you have one. Name it and confirm. Check: the phone or the app's virtual camera appears in the Device list.
• 6. Select the device and set the format. Choose the phone from the list. If the properties offer resolution and frame rate settings, match them to what the app is sending and to your OBS canvas (Settings, Video). Check: the properties window shows a live image.
• 7. Fit and orient the image. Right-click the source and use Transform to fit it to the screen, rotate it or flip it. Check: the picture fills the frame the way you want, with no black bars or sideways view.

How to know it actually worked

Each of these checks proves something different, so do them in order.

• The device appears in OBS's list: the driver, plugin or OS feature is working and the computer can see the phone. This does not show that any video is arriving.
• The preview moves in real time: OBS is receiving live video. Wave your hand and watch for delay. A noticeable delay matters if you will combine the camera with separate audio.
• A short test recording looks right when played back: your capture settings produce usable footage. It does not tell you how the image will look after a streaming service or call app compresses it.
• A private test stream or test call: the full chain works, including the internet connection and the other platform's processing. This is the only check that reflects what viewers or call participants will actually see.

Audio from the phone

Not every phone camera app sends sound. Some send sound only with a specific connection type or as a separate audio device. If you plan to use the phone's microphone, look in OBS's Audio Mixer for a meter tied to the phone's source or audio device.

Even then, a moving meter only shows that some signal is arriving. It does not show that speech is clear. Record a few sentences at your normal speaking distance and play them back to check clarity, background noise and whether sound and picture stay in sync. If the phone's audio drifts or lags, a microphone connected directly to the computer is often the simpler choice. No specific level targets were verified for this setup, so judge by listening rather than aiming for a particular meter reading.

Sending the result to a video call

To use your OBS scene with the phone feed in a call app, click Start Virtual Camera in OBS's Controls panel. Then pick OBS Virtual Camera as the camera in your call app's settings. In a browser-based call, the browser also needs camera permission for that site, and you select the virtual camera from the browser's device prompt.

Seeing your image in the call app's preview means the virtual camera is reaching that app. It doesn't show how the picture reaches other participants, so do a short test call if quality matters. The virtual camera carries video only. Choose your microphone separately in the call app.

Troubleshooting common problems

• Phone missing from the device list: restart OBS after installing drivers or plugins. Then check that the desktop component is running and the phone shows as connected.
• Black or frozen preview: another program may be using the same camera, so close other camera apps. Keep the phone app open and in the foreground, because some apps stop sending video when the screen locks or the app goes to the background.
• Wi-Fi connection fails: confirm both devices are on the same network. Check whether a firewall on the computer is blocking the desktop program. Guest networks and some workplace networks block devices from reaching each other.
• Lag or stuttering: switch to USB if possible, lower the resolution or frame rate in the app, or move closer to the router.
• Sideways or mirrored image: fix it with Transform on the OBS source. The mirror view on the phone's own screen does not always match what OBS receives.
• Lower quality than expected: some apps limit resolution or add a watermark in their free versions. Check the app's own documentation for its limits.

Practical setup tips

• Use the rear camera if your app allows it. On most phones it is the stronger camera, though you then can't see the phone's screen while recording.
• Turn on Do Not Disturb so calls and notifications don't interrupt the feed.
• Keep the phone charging and away from direct heat during long sessions.
• Mount the phone at eye level and lock it in place, because small movements show up clearly on camera.
• What appears behind you is a physical background. If you want a blurred or replaced background, that is a separate effect, applied either in OBS with a filter or plugin or by the call app.

What this guide does not cover

No verified details were available about specific phone camera apps or plugins. That means no supported resolutions, frame rates, prices, free-version limits or delay figures, and no confirmation of which phone models or OS versions each one supports. Before choosing an app, check its current documentation for your phone and computer, and check whether it offers a driver, an OBS plugin or both. The checks above will show whether your chosen setup is working, but they cannot replace that compatibility information.