How to use your phone as a webcam. How to make a wireless camera from Android

In this article we will look at a rather unusual method of application. mobile phone. If you have situations when you need to organize a video call, but you don’t have a webcam at hand, or you just want to find a use for your broken smartphone (for example, with broken screen), then we will tell you how to do it.

Phone as a webcam

Almost any modern phone can be turned into a webcam (provided it has one), the main thing is to install it correctly necessary software. The result is an excellent device with which you can communicate with people close to you via video calling. In the same way, you can broadcast video images to the network.

Everyone's work software applications, used for this purpose, comes down to synchronizing your phone with a computer via a USB cable or Bluetooth connection. Thanks to this, your PC will use the camera built into your mobile phone like a regular webcam.

The image quality will be affected by both the installed program and the resolution of the camera itself. To transfer images from a mobile camera to a PC, utilities such as Cool Camera (WebCamera Plus) or Mobiola WEB Camera are used. The cost of these programs is approximately the same and is about $20. They run on Symbian platforms (platform for Nokia phones) And Windows Mobile.

When using these programs, the image from the smartphone camera is transferred to the computer via Bluetooth or cable and can be used in the future software messengers. You can also use the microphone of your mobile phone to communicate, for example, on Skype.

Sequencing:

• install and launch one of the above programs on your PC;
• carry out activation on the smartphone;
• connect the computer to the phone with using Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or cable;
• launch Skype and select the web camera in the settings.

Phone as a webcam via USB

One way to connect your phone to a computer is to connect via a USB cable. However, not all programs that synchronize your PC with your phone support this type connections. This is due to the existence of more modern wireless methods connections. Among the programs that support a USB connection are the following: USB Webcam for Android, Mobiola Web Camera and Webcamera Plus. You can find and download these programs in the play market.

Android phone as a webcam

Mobile phone on the operating room Android system may also become an excellent alternative webcams. After all, this operating system synchronizes perfectly with a PC, and the cameras of many modern phones They are in no way inferior to webcams in terms of the basic characteristics of video playback. To implement this task, there is an accessible and simple software. First, you need to install the software on your computer and phone.

To do this, perform the following operations:

Iphone as a webcam

Programs for turning iPhone and iPad into video devices provide wide choose settings compared to standard webcams. In addition, you will be able to achieve enough High Quality Images. You can have both front and rear camera. You can use one of the following programs for synchronization: PocketCam, WiFiCam, EpocCam 1.9.1, Broadcaster, Mobiola Webcamera or Mini WebCam 1.0.2.

The operating principle of most of the above programs is very similar and to get started, as a rule, you need to perform the following steps:

To fix your mobile device you'll have to use your imagination. Using standard desktop stands is not entirely convenient, since they do not allow you to change the angle of the phone. Perfect for such cases car holders. With their help, you can attach your mobile phone to the monitor wall and easily change its tilt.

If you want to turn your phone into game console, modem or webcam, then you will be able to do this within five minutes. We’ll talk about the last idea and offer several options for using your phone as a webcam.

You can dock an Android smartphone with a PC to transfer images on all operating systems. Let's find out how to do this on the most common one - Windows. But note that some software operates on iOS and Linux.

Connecting an Android gadget to Windows via USB

We suggest using DroidCam Wireless Webcam. The application is supported by developers, which determines its popularity. Feedback on use is mostly positive; it works on most systems without failures; in addition, it does not require serious preparation or installation of additional drivers.

Working with DroidCam Wireless Webcam

To set up your phone as a webcam, you need a USB cable and the DroidCam Wireless Webcam app.

A complete installation of the software and connection will take no more than 5 minutes, after which just close the programs and remove the cord from the sockets. This way you don't need to buy a camera. Smartphone is suitable if you do not constantly plan to use video applications. Moreover, he gives nice picture, better than the average webcam.

WI-FI connection

Pairing using Wi-Fi is even more convenient and faster, but it has a serious limitation: if there is no Wi-Fi on the PC, you will not be able to connect.

If you have a laptop or desktop with a module wireless transmission data, then download first free program IP Webcam from Play Market and follow the instructions below.

1. Connect your phone and computer to the same Wi-Fi network.
2. Open the application on your Android device, click “Start broadcast”.
3. Find the “How do I connect” menu in the top left corner and click on it.
4. In the window, select “I use WI-FI” and also “Connect directly”.
5. After this, the address will be displayed, which you need to enter into the search bar of any browser on your PC.
6. In the new settings window, set the ones that suit you and start the broadcast.

There shouldn't be any difficulties, but you can use DroidCam Wireless Webcam.

Now you have alternatives. If one of the applications fails, use another.

Connecting iPhone to Windows

The principle of pairing an iPhone is the same, but for it you need to download different software that uses slightly different principles. Users prefer the iVCam program. It is available in the AppStore and is distributed free of charge. The application card contains a link to the computer software, follow it and install it on your PC.

The application works extremely simply. You don't need to do anything other than launch programs on your phone and computer. Then they will connect independently, and the smart device will be automatically detected by instant messengers as a webcam.

The settings are minimal, but they allow you to “tweak” everything you need for stable and fast image broadcasting. If for some reason you are not satisfied this application, download an alternative from the Apple store, for example, iCam or WebCamera, they completely replace iVCam.

Now you know how to use a mobile device instead of a webcam, so you will be in touch.

From this article you will learn about new features of the phone, namely using it instead of a webcam.

You will be offered several options with which you can connect a webcam through your phone.

How to use a smartphone instead of a webcam

Read also: TOP 12 Best webcams with good picture quality for online communication and streaming

A smartphone is a multifunctional device that can be used to solve various problems.

However, about the possibility of using mobile gadget Not many people know how webcams work, or how useful this feature is.

In fact, there are such situations in life: you urgently need to answer a video call, but the webcam, as luck would have it, is faulty.

In this case, your gadget’s camera will come to the rescue. Following step by step instructions, you can use your gadget to transmit video in Skype and other video chats.

If you require:

• Make a video call on Skype, but the standard camera is missing or faulty;
• To broadcast on the Internet, use several cameras;
• Create remote video surveillance.

Even if the screen on your gadget is broken, but it is still working, you can easily replace the webcam, as long as the front or main camera module remains working.

To connect you need:

• Special utilities for pairing the gadget with a PC or laptop;
• Wi-fi access point.

Programs for turning your phone into a webcam via USB

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Almost any gadget can replace a webcam, provided correct installation there is a special program for it.

As a result, from the phone with installed utility You will get an excellent device that can be used to communicate with family or business partners via video communication, and you can also use it to broadcast video.

Applications designed to turn your phone into a webcam work by synchronizing the gadget with personal computer via connection via USB cable or Bluetooth.

These utilities will allow you to replace the built-in camera in your phone instead of the regular webcam installed on your laptop or computer.

Image quality will depend on installed program and mobile camera resolutions.

Using the programs DroidCam, AlterCam and USB Webcam, you can connect your phone as a webcam via USB.

Using one of these applications allows you to transport images from the gadget's camera to a PC or laptop via Bluetooth or a USB cable and can be used using web services for instant messaging.

In addition to the camera, you can also use the microphone of your mobile phone to communicate on Skype.

DroidCam

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One of best programs for smartphones that run on Android based. With its help, the gadget will undergo metamorphosis in a matter of minutes and become an excellent portable webcam.

Android version Windows version

Step-by-step installation instructions:

1 In order for your phone to turn into a camera, you need to install Android utilities.

While it is installing, proceed to install the program on desktop computer. Unpack the archive. To do this on archive file click the button "Extract..." and select the location where you plan to extract the contents of the archive, then click the button "Ok".

After the unpacking process is completed, go to the folder you selected for unpacking and run the installation file and follow the instructions that appear on the screen.

2 Now you need to connect your phone to your PC using a USB cable or Bluetooth.

3 After successfully connecting one of your gadgets to another, run the program on both devices.

In the active window you need to enter the IP address of the mobile gadget, which allows you to distinguish the device from all others.

You can find this path in the DroidCam application running on your phone. In addition to the IP address, DroidCam also shows the port number.

.

4 A notification will be sent to your computer desktop that your phone has been detected. You need to select the video quality to get started.

5 To continue working and start streaming, you just need to press the button "Start" . The application will send the image from the gadget's camera to the PC. If your mobile device has two cameras, go to the application settings on your phone and check if the corresponding checkbox is selected, which is responsible for the active camera.

AlterCam

Read also: TOP 12 Best IP cameras for video surveillance of a home or office | Review of current models in 2019

You can also connect your phone to your computer as a webcam via a USB cable using the AlterCam program.

This program allows you to install a virtual webcam on your system.

You can broadcast any video into it: as with real camera, and just video clips stored on the computer.

We will consider the option when the video source is the camera of a mobile device.

Using the IP protocol, the AlterCam program connects to mobile camera and broadcasts video from it in real time to a virtual webcam.

The process of turning your phone into a webcam may seem complicated, but setting it up is a snap.

Android version Windows version

Step-by-step instruction:

1 First, download the AlterCam application and install it on your PC. After installation is complete, the program will launch automatically.

2 After this, you need to install the IP Webcam application on your smartphone. You can find it in the Play Store.

3 The installed application must be launched on the phone. When you start, a list of settings will appear; as a rule, you don’t have to change them, you just need to go to the very bottom and select “Run”.

4 You need to run the program on your computer. In the window "Camera" select "Add IP camera".

5 Now you need to connect to the camera of your mobile device using the AlterCam program. To line "IP Camera Name" , which will appear when the window opens "Add IP camera" enter any value, for example, my phone number.

The image quality of the IP camera will depend on the resolution settings in the smartphone application. If you don't know the exact value, leave this setting unchanged.

6 At the bottom of the application open on the phone, the camera’s IP address is indicated; move it to the “IP camera address” line in the window open on the computer.

After this, you need to add “/live” or “/video” at the end of the address. The first option is for devices running on the iOS operating system, the second is for Android.

7 Having transferred the IP address to the computer, you can press the button "OK" . If all actions were performed correctly, an image from the phone camera will appear in the AlterCam program. If this does not happen, check that all steps are performed correctly step by step.

8 After the image appears in the AlterCam program, you need to select virtual camera in the settings voice program, which you will use. Let's look at Skype as an example.

Log in to Skype using your username and password. Click on the tab at the top "Tools" and select a section "Settings" . IN general settings you will see the “Video Settings” submenu, and select the program in it.

USB Webcam

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The program allows you to use your phone as a webcam via a USB cable. First you need to install the application on your phone and PC.

You can download the program for PC on the developer’s website. In folder "Installation path" you need to find the usbwebcam.bat file and run it.

Android version

If the program is installed correctly, the image in all programs that use the camera will be broadcast from the phone's camera. True, the frame rate will be low.

You can reduce the resolution of the video stream in the application settings using a hardware key.

After launching the program on your smartphone, you need to enable USB debugging to activate the webcam through a personal computer.

You can find this option in the menu "Options" , where you need to go to the submenu "System" , and then to “Developer Options”.

After enabling USB debugging, connect your phone via a data cable to your PC. Launch the program on your computer; to start working, you need to press any key.

The USB Webcam application must also be running on the phone. Now log in to your account in Skype, go to "Tools" , then subsection "Settings" .

In settings, open the section "Video settings" , in the window that opens, select "GWebcamVideo" . If everything works correctly, a picture from the smartphone camera will appear on the monitor screen.

In case you see green screen, your device is not supported USB program Webcam.

What to do with a broken one phone, for example, if his monitor broke? Expensive repairs, or buy a new one! But don’t rush to make hasty decisions - your device can still do a good job, because you can use your phone like a webcam! Moreover, this can be done on a smartphone with almost any operating system installed on it, the main thing is to know what software to install - and in the end you will get a cool device for communicating via the Internet with your friends and family - after all, not everyone has a laptop with a built-in webcam or a separate camera for computer. But every second person uses an Android phone or tablet, so this note about a smartphone as a webcam will be very helpful.

The work of all applications that allow you to implement this task comes down to the fact that you synchronize your device via USB cable or Bluetooth, depending on the application, and the computer uses the camera built into the phone or smartphone as a webcam. The quality of the image depends both on the camera itself and on the program. As a rule, it is slightly better in paid software than in free versions.

Webcam via Android phone - USB Webcam

Android platform V last years has almost completely taken over the market of mobile operating systems, so I’ll start with it. Connecting your phone as a webcam will help free application, which is called USB Webcam for Android. You can download it from the Play Market.

The specifics of the program are as follows: it consists of two parts - the first is installed on the phone, the second on the computer (there is a version for Windows and Linux.). Works with Facebook, VKontakte and other flash services, works well with Yawcam, VirtualDub and Yahoo Messenger.

So, install this application on your smartphone, after which in the main menu of the gadget, go to the “Settings > For Developers” section and check the “USB Debugging” box. We also turn off WiFi on it.

Next, we launch the application we downloaded to use the phone as a webcam and connect it with a USB cable to the computer. After this, you will need to download another program and install it on the computer itself. It's called USB WebCam PC Host - unfortunately, the developer's official website is unavailable for some reason, so you can download it from.

We install this program, then go to the folder “C:/Program Files (x86)/USBWebcam” and look for the file “ usbwebcam.bat". We launch and see this picture:

This means everything is up and running and ready to use your phone as a camera. Now we launch some program on the computer through which we will communicate, for example Skype.

Open the settings and select “GWebcamVideo” as the webcam, that is, our phone. The image transmitted by the phone's camera will appear.

Unfortunately, based on the experience of using it on some phones and firmware, it was noticed that instead of the image from the camera, a green background appears on Skype. Well, this is a program glitch, we can only hope that the developers will fix this problem.

But if you couldn’t launch a webcam on your phone with this program, then let’s try another one - DroidCam. It is also freely available in the market. Download and install.

After launch, this is what the mobile phone screen will look like - the server will start with the IP assigned to the phone in local network(if WiFi is enabled) and our port “4747”.

After this, we will make several configurations in the same “usbwebcam.bat” file, which needs to be opened in regular Notepad. In it you will see following lines:

adb -d forward tcp:8080 tcp:8080
adb -d forward tcp:8081 tcp:8081
pause

We delete them and write the following:

adb -d forward tcp:4747 tcp:4747
pause

then save the file and run it.

If you want, you can connect the phone to your router so that the PC and Android are on the same local network, and select the “WiFi” connection item - then you will also need to enter the IP address of the smartphone on the local network in the corresponding line - it is indicated in the program on the phone .

Another option is to connect your PC and phone via Bluetooth. To do this, you first need to pair the devices (how to do this will be discussed in a separate article).

After this, you can open Skype again and check if your phone is in the list of available webcams.

Webcam program for phones running iOS (Apple)

To transform Apple phone The webcam has an excellent universal program PocketCam. Unfortunately, it is paid, but it is cheap and if you regularly communicate online, it is worth purchasing. Moreover, the development of this company has Android version, as well as applications for receiving video from a computer to a phone under Windows Phone and Windows Mobile. For clarity, I provide the official video manual from the developer.

Using your phone camera as a webcam - Symbian and Windows Mobile

Nokia's Symbian has already sunk into oblivion - support and release of new versions of this operating system have already ceased, but at one time these phones flooded the entire market, so it is likely that you also have some Finnish model lying around that can still serve us.

The first of the programs that works with Sym is a free application for S60 2 and 3 - . Available Java version with extension .jar and EXE version. Installation and connection requires additional description:

1. Install the program on your computer or laptop;
2. or Bluetooth;
3. Open the folder C:\Program Files\SmartCam and transfer from it to the mobile phone the file SmartCamS603rdEd_v1_4.sis or SmartCamS602ndEd_v1_4.sis for versions 3 or 2 of the operating system;
4. Launch SmartCam on your computer and phone, selecting a bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection

Now in the program you will have an image transmitted by the camera from your phone.

Another program that works not only with the S60, but also with Windows Mobile - another grandfather of mobile OSes, as well as with UIQ 3.0 and iOS - Mobiola Web Camera. It is paid, but the transmission quality is much better than the previous ones. There are also Lite version, but her connection time is limited to 5 minutes. To use your phone as a web camera, you need to install one of the versions of the program for a specific mobile OS. Supports both WiFi and USB connections.

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Webcams are known to be a common thing these days. It is often used when communicating in some in social networks for making video calls, it is also used as a camera. A webcam is inexpensive these days, and you can buy it at any store. computer equipment, but few people know that you can even save on this if you have a smartphone.

As far as you know, almost every phone has its own camera, and in more expensive models it shoots good quality video. Want to use your touch samsung phone as a webcam? Please! To do this, you just need to install some utilities on your smartphone and computer. After these steps, the webcam via your phone will work perfectly.

If your smartphone has undergone serious damage, for example, the screen is broken, the speakers do not work, but the camera works and the USB slot is fine, then the device can still be used. Before using your phone camera as a webcam, you need to do the following:

1. via USB or Bluetooth.
2. Download the necessary software to your computer.
3. Install utilities on the device you want to use as a webcam.

As a rule, there is one software, but it has two distributions: one for PC, the other for phone. It should be noted that when installing a webcam, there are some features for devices with different operating systems.

Let's look at how to use your phone camera as a webcam if your device has Android OS installed. For this operating system There are several applications. For example, USB Webcam for Android. This application has two versions: for Linux and Windows. This program works with services such as Facebook, VKontakte, and also allows you to work in Skype services, Yahoo Messenger, VirtualDub, etc.

The DroidCam utility has also become widespread. It can work not only via USB, but also with using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Unlike the previous program, it is more efficient, allows you to use devices, and also has a built-in auto-brightness control.

Before using your phone camera as a webcam while having an iPhone with iOS system, you will need to spend a little for the PocketCam application, which is worth the money for it. It should be noted that this application has versions for Android and Windows Phone. You can always find detailed instructions from the developer on using this application.

If you have an old one Nokia smartphone, then Symbian also has several utilities. One of them is SmartCam. Before using your phone's camera as a webcam, you will need to install this application on your computer and connect your phone via Bluetooth. Then you need to transfer the files with the program to your phone, and then run the utility on your computer. The procedure, as you can see, is simple.

Another program that also works with Windows Mobile is Mobiola Web Camera. This utility It is distributed for a fee, but the quality of the transmission when using this application is much better, and it can work not only via Wi-Fi, but also via USB.

So, by using your smartphone as a webcam, you give your old device a second life.