Turn Your Android Phone into a Pro Webcam: No Software Needed! 📸✨

[@paulomalley]

NOTE: Not all Android device makers are enabling this feature natively at this stage in time. This method will work for any Pixel device running A14 (QPR1) as well as any "Pixel Experience" style ROMs. And if your device maker keeps a pretty stock style, such as Sony or Nothing, this should work there too. Samsung on the other hand, are looking to include it as a feature of the Link to Windows app (sorry MacOS users). They also seem to be arbitrarily limiting it to their newest devices at this time.

[@himechin.]

I'm using Nothing Phone 1 and I also don't see a webcam option either

[@paulomalley]

Yeah I'm hoping that more OEMs will start leaving the feature in once they start rolling out Android 15 as well. It seems really silly for them to just remove a really useful feature of the operating system.

[@macaprasok]

my has android 14 and no webcam option.

[@paulomalley]

Depending on the maker of your device, it is possible that they haven't included this update just yet. Currently it will work as expected on any Pixel device, but not on Samsung devices. Samsung looks to be adding it to the Link to Windows application instead.

[@macaprasok]

@@paulomalley yeah i have an s21 and i saw that samsung only added it to one ui 6.1 and i have only 6.0 Btw that webcam thing on the s24 or on any device with one ui 6.1 and it is in the connected devices

[@paulomalley]

The "Camera Sharing" setting in Connected devices is purely for other Galaxy devices at this stage, but once the updates come for Link To Windows, you should be able to use it via there. From the reporting I have seen, it looks like it should roll out alongside the next Windows 11 feature release.

[@sadpeperoni7508]

​@@paulomalleyAre these bastards limiting it to Windows only?

[@paulomalley]

It seems that way for Samsung Devices. Pixel devices on the other hand will work just like this video. They will be plug and play for both Windows and MacOS.

[@Therapyxx]

Sony xperia 1 V - Android 14 - no webcam option here :(

[@yuhuhuhiuh]

me neither

[@celnamusic]

You are so cute and handsome... and very helpful....

[@natedoggbruh]

Thank you I didnt know this and I didnt want to use any weird software . 👍

[@mssmmm]

i have oneplus 11G this option not available, i think this is only support google pixel phones

[@paulomalley]

No. It's just a very new feature that is still rolling out to more models. It's taking longer than I am sure many would like, but it is getting there. Samsungs latest devices support it, but only on Samsung laptops for now. They have said they will expand their support to other Windows devices in the near future.

[@Skymack351]

​@@paulomalley Ok! Thank you! I went to try it on my S24 Ultra with my windows laptop, and it didn't give me the option.

[@paulomalley]

No worries. It looks like Samsung are planning to integrate the feature into the Link To Windows feature/app, so it might be worth looking at that. I have a video on my channel about setting up the integration if you need it.

[@GmodArgentina]

Works wonders, I also have the P8Pro, it seems its like a rather raw output thats being displayed, videos look much better when recorded with the phone. Aperture and exposure would be nice, but it seems theres not an option

[@Ed8wedish]

And what if phone does not have webcam option? I can see File transfer, USB tethering, MIDI, PTP and that's it (Android 14)

[@paulomalley]

Check out my pinned comment. I mention this specifically there.

[@ahmadfikri4512]

there are 3rd party apps if your phone does not have the option, as an example Camo app.

[@epicdrumpler]

Welp, my Android is 13 :(

[@carloseduardodesouza9245]

this is for android 14

[@Chupa_hunt]

13 or lower ? any solutions ?

[@_TK-421_]

i have android 14 on my S23 ultra and i dont have this option. all i have is transfer files, usb tether, MIDI, transfer images, charging only

[@paulomalley]

Correct. At this point in time, Samsung are limiting which devices have access to this feature. It seems they are looking to integrate this into the Link To Windows feature for wider distribution as opposed to the more universal option Google has implemented here.

[@King_STSports]

​@paulomalley ...Soooo then this is useless...

[@paulomalley]

Far from it. For the tens of millions of people that don't use Samsung devices, this is very useful. And once Samsung rolls their version of this out more widely, I'll likely make a video walkthrough of that too.

[@csabirares411]

Transferring files, usb tethering, midi, transferring images, charging phone only … that's all i have for my A52 5G

[@paulomalley]

That is because your device is a Samsung. Samsung have made the silly decision recently to use their own method for this feature. Instead of using the method Google built into Android 14, Samsung have decided to tie it to the Link to Windows application. This unfortunately leaves all the Mac OS users with no option now on Samsung devices.

[@tasogare82]

Vivo v23 has Android 14 but the camera option isn't appearing.

[@paulomalley]

Apologies, but Vivo rolled out their Android 14 updates after I made this video. Check the pinned comment for more detail, but not all companies have chosen to keep this feature in for their devices.

[@GusFahrendorf]

No one but you has the webcam option Samsung S20

[@paulomalley]

Please check out the pinned comment. I cover this there. TLDR: In your case, it's Samsung's fault.

[@epischehantz2975]

Literally followed your tutorial also on a P8 Pro. TYSM for this!!!

[@havapo7882]

Worked exactly as the video on my Google Pixel 6pro awsome stuff! Thanks for the vid!

[@Ziglar9]

still not on samsung s21 ultra :(

[@M7MD3323]

You know Which phone will be the best webcame the nothing phone 2 because the the camera In video mode can record at full HD 60 fps and 4k 60fps very smoth

[@armwrestlingprofessor]

Doesn't work with my Pixel 5 :(

[@paulomalley]

Yeah, unfortunately the Pixel 5 did not receive the Android 14 QPR1 release (which is the release directly following the last one the Pixel 5 got). This feature requires the QPR1 update.

[@cal.nightingale]

This doesn't work for the s24 ultra 😔

[@paulomalley]

Check out my pinned comment. I have more information on why that is the case there.

[@atouchofcloth]

What a legend, Thank you for this guide. A hidden gem among all the camo and droidcam adverts!

[@Mattallus_Prime]

Exactly what I was looking for and what a delivery! Subscribed! Liked! Awesome!

[@ΑλευράςΘεοφάνης]

my xiaomi phone has new hyperos with no such option!

[@paulomalley]

Yeah, unfortunately some OEMs are not enabling this awesome feature just yet. And, keep in mind that this is also the QPR1 Build of Android 14 and not the base version. There is also a possibility that your Hyper OS version is not up to where this build is.

[@mrhamburger6936]

I have a borescope it will not work on my Android phone it has Android 12 I have an older phone and it works on that one downloading the app

[@robertfontaine3650]

Hmm... I'm running android 14 on my s23 ultra but not seeing the web option.

[@paulomalley]

Yeah, it seems like Samsung are a tiny bit behind with the feature and haven't included it in their OneUI 6.0 update. But to be fair, it only finished rolling out to the majority of Pixel devices in the last month or so.

[@robertfontaine3650]

@@paulomalley Will be watching for this to roll out. Thanks for the video. This will be a killer feature for a lot of people.

[@paulomalley]

No worries. I'm excited to see what Samsung do with the new Galaxy Lineup (announcement in a couple of weeks). Having the ability to use camera hardware like this is a game changer for many people, and it is only going to get better with time. :D

[@DavesArchives]

Ditto...really a shame that the flagship android phone doesn't have this yet and we are in January 2024. Hopefully soon...

[@gustavborn3210]

i am not getting the webcam option

[@paulomalley]

Yeah, I cover this in my pinned comment. Not all Android device makers are enabling this feature natively at this stage in time. This method will work for any Pixel device running A14 (QPR1 or newer) as well as any "Pixel Experience" style ROMS. And if your device maker keeps a pretty stock style, such as Sony or Nothing, this should work there too.

[@darkteam4713]

I dont have this option on s22 ultra

[@paulomalley]

Yeah, it seems like Samsung are a tiny bit behind with the feature and haven't included it in their OneUI 6.0 update. But to be fair, it only rolled out to the majority of Pixel devices in the last month. It will likely come to your device with one of the upcoming monthly patches.

[@ecumenicalheretic]

I also got a Samsung phone and recently updated to OneUI 6.0 only to find out it doesn't support the webcam feature. :/ At first I thought it just needed some backwards setup like when I switched to Gboard, so I searched and ended up here. @@paulomalley

[@AbdelrhmanKamal1]

Same for s23 ultra

[@paulomalley]

Yeah, it seems Samsung are looking to bring it with OneUI 6.1. It's now available for the S24 Ultra (but they have initially limited it to working on Samsung laptops).

[@SaboresTiaIna68]

My Samsung has Android 14 but not the webcam option on the menu. How do I corrct that?

[@paulomalley]

Check out my pinned comment to this video, I mention this there as it happened after I made my video.

[@SpideyHossein2]

but I didn't have the option (webcam) my phone is samsung with android 14 and one ui 6.1 galaxy a54

[@paulomalley]

Yes, this is to be expected. I mention this in my pinned comment. Samsung are using the Link to Windows application for this feature instead of the plug and play method that Google has added to Android.

[@TommyGee.]

It works amazing on my Pixel 7 Pro, however does not work whatsoever on my mum's Pixel 5...

[@paulomalley]

Yeah, unfortunately Google's updates for the Pixel 5 stopped at Android 14's initial release. This feature is part of Android 14 QPR1 which is the very next update to Android.

[@NullyWard]

I think this only works on Windows 11 unless this doesn't work on Samsung Galaxy A Series.

[@paulomalley]

Samsung are looking to include it as a feature of the Link to Windows app. They also seem to be arbitrarily limiting it to their newest devices at this time.

[@astraquilastra]

Thanks ❤ Sadly my Poco F5 Pro didn't offer the option, even tho is relatively new and good specs A14 😅

[@paulomalley]

No worries. Yeah, the feature isn't limited based on specs but on the OS itself. It would seem Poco haven't rolled out this update to A14 yet (or they have specifically blocked this feature in their ROM). It's part of the A14 QPR1 release, which is still quite new. Unfortunately, I don't have access to a Poco device to test and confirm.

[@arct1c-399]

I have pixel 8 and when I open camera app/discord/obs, there is disconnect sound and usb preference automatically switches to No data transfer. Anything known about this bug?

[@paulomalley]

I haven't seen that in my testing, and I also couldn't find any reports of this on Google (or Reddit) unfortunately. Maybe try connecting and enabling the webcam feature after opening the app and see if you are able to get it working that way perhaps?

[@Hariomtatsat11]

my redmi 11 pro has no option to use it as a webcamera, how do i make necessary changes to make it one? please guide

[@paulomalley]

Unfortunately, not all Android device makers are enabling this feature natively at this stage in time. This method will work for any Pixel device running A14 as well as any "Pixel Experience" style ROMs. Redmi ROMs don't currently have this feature in their stock OS. I hope they add it with the next update they roll out.

[@Hariomtatsat11]

@@paulomalley thanks a lot brata!

[@morgan2226]

Kindly add the Android 14 condition in your title.

[@EnglishScore]

My phone just says charging and no option to connect as webcam

[@paulomalley]

What device do you have? And have you checked your device settings for an option for USB Connection mode?

[@EnglishScore]

@@paulomalley A54 android 14. I'm trying again now, but I can't find anything in the drop-down that suggests this option is available. If there's something I need to do, I'd do it as this feature would provide me with a better recorder

[@EnglishScore]

@@paulomalley I even connected my phone to pc via Microsoft, but I can't see the option. Maybe I'll dig a bit deeper into things in later today

[@paulomalley]

Ah, that's the issue. The Samsung devices currently don't support this feature in the method shown in the video. Samsung have decided to build it into the Link To Windows functionality, but are currently limiting it to being supported on Samsung laptops. They have stated that they plan to roll it out to all windows devices in the future. Personally, I just wish they would support it the way Google intended. That way it would work on any PC or Mac device.

[@EnglishScore]

I think the issue could be the cable I'm using. Method 1 from this video didn't work because the usb debugging feature was not listed in my developer options... It could be the cable. It's a relatively new phone. I've noticed when I connect to pc the only option is to charge..data transfer option doesn't even show, so something's not right. However, data transfer does show up with my OPPO. I'll figure it out. Thanks for the video. Hope it's okay to share the link found: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHWqqqSentZ1r8Usi=FubnoEF0aP3odqGu

[@ammadkhan4687]

not working on s22

[@paulomalley]

Check out my pinned comment. I've covered why this is the case there.

[@mileslegend]

whch device is this

[@paulomalley]

In this video, I am using a Pixel 8 Pro, but any Pixel device running Android 14 (QPR1) can do it. Also, a lot of other Android devices on the latest Android 14 releases can also do it. Unfortunately, not all device makers have enabled this feature.

[@harshfelo5340]

there is no webcam option on the usb drop down menu on my phone pixel 6a and samsung a34

[@paulomalley]

Your Pixel 6A should have this feature available provided it is up to date as this rolled out with the Android 14 QPR1 update (in December). As for the Samsung, I cover this in my pinned comment.

[@Hadi-Dono]

hello is there anyway i can use my phone as a camera without letting it use pc performance pls reply i need help cuz i used all apps and they all use pc performance and they ruin the video so i need a way that i can use my phone as a camera without it using any performance btw my phone is redmi 8 pro so pls help me

[@paulomalley]

Unfortunately, the feature I demonstrate in this video doesn't seem to have rolled out the the Redmi 8 Pro at this stage. Any other option to use your phone as a webcam is going to require software running on the PC. Hopefully the newest updates to Android can start to get pushed out more widely so that everyone can use this feature.

[@Hadi-Dono]

@@paulomalley okay thanks man

[@romxxii]

This is not an available option with a Samsung Galaxy S22+, even if it's updated to the latest version.

[@paulomalley]

Correct. At this point in time, Samsung are limiting which devices have access to this feature. It seems they are looking to integrate this into the Link To Windows feature for wider distribution as opposed to the more universal option Google has implemented here.

[@ttttttttttttttttist]

@@paulomalley I can access my phones camera through the link to windows feature but haven't tried to use it a webcam yet

[@kuroshite]

I was wondering if there was a Magisk module to get this on non-Pixel phones.

[@paulomalley]

I don't believe so, but if you are rooting or installing a Custom ROM anyway, I'd suggest just going with Pixel Experience ones as they would have this.

[@MetsukiR]

Is there some sort of holder I can use to hold it on the top of a generic monitor?

[@paulomalley]

I don't know of any myself, but I am sure they exist. In this video, I had my phone in a mount that allows me to connect it to a standard tripod that I have sitting behind my monitor. These sort of mounts are super easy to find on Amazon or similar sites.

[@cp2lgy]

@Paulomalley I just bought one on Amazon that has a simple suction cup that adheres to the back of your monitor - the phone can then use either the front-facing or rear camera. I believe the phone can be held by magnet or a grip bracket (like the olden days one for holding your phone to a car mount). The company is ubeesize.

[@uranium4lyf]

I used a selfie stick that i zip tied to my monitor desk mount

[@kurttomlinsoncompositions1067]

does the phone charge as it's being used as a webcam? My phone just died mid-use

[@paulomalley]

That will really depend on your device. Using a USB A to USB C cable might not provide enough power to the phone to charge it. I am able to charge while using it via a USB C to USB C cable, but again, this requires your PC/Mac to support it.

[@Chupa_hunt]

i have android 13😟

[@paulomalley]

Unfortunately, this feature is only available as part of Android 14. It was only very recently added to the OS, which is why it's not on older versions. There is software that can be used on your PC/Mac for devices on earlier versions of Android, but it requires the software in order to work. Examples of this include Camo for Mac or Droidcam for PC.

[@sawiix9850]

I use a P7 Pro and when I use it, there is so much flicker, the video feed glitches and sometimes there is just no video

[@paulomalley]

That's very unexpected and not what I've heard from other users. Is it possible the cable is at fault perhaps? I personally have only used it on the 8 Pro, 6 Pro and S24 Ultra, but all of these worked great with pretty standard USB C to C cables. The only time I experienced no video was when the cable came loose.

[@sawiix9850]

@@paulomalley I tried using different cables, maybe it's windows 11 that is faulty The option doesn't show on my S24 Ultra that is so strange

[@paulomalley]

I don't expect it to be Windows at fault here. I just did some hunting around and it seems that Samsung is currently limiting the Webcam feature on the S24 Ultra to only work on selected laptops (basically just Samsung ones for now) but they plan to expand it to more in the near future. I just tested my S24 Ultra on my Desktop PC and it doesn't work.

[@AmirAzman]

Didnt saw this option yet in Xiaomi 13

[@paulomalley]

That is likely meaning that Xiaomi haven't included this in their current Android 14 build. It is an extremely new addition to Android, so hopefully it comes to your device real soon too.

[@josephbobowicz458]

Great video mate, cheers from London England.

[@paulomalley]

Thanks heaps! 😁👍

[@debasishdas4486]

Why my webcam output is not rotating

[@paulomalley]

It should rotate depending on which way your phone is turned, but I believe it only offers landscape options, not portrait. Auto rotate will also need to be turned on for your phone.

[@ellisgarvin]

Does not work on Samsung S23 (no webcam option.)

[@paulomalley]

Yeah, I cover this in the pinned comment here. Samsung are doing some weird stuff instead of just releasing the feature to all users.

[@ellisgarvin]

@@paulomalley Unfortunately I did not see that until after watching the video and spending time trying to get it to work. Normally I block channels from appearing in my feed when they mislead me and waste my time, because SO MANY dishonest KZbinrs are doing that these days and my patience for it has worn extremely thin, but you seem like a nice guy and I don't think you knew about this when you made the video. Having said that, if it were me I would take the video down. You've got 62,621 views right now, and probably 30,000 - 40,000 of them wasted their time in the same way. I'm sure you want the views but honestly, it's not cool to do that to people, imo.

[@djbneozen]

Have Galaxy S23 with Android 14. Asus Gaming high end laptop. No webcam option.

[@paulomalley]

Correct. At this point in time, Samsung are limiting which devices have access to this feature on their devices. It seems they are looking to integrate this into the Link To Windows feature for wider distribution as opposed to the more universal option Google has implemented here.

[@djbneozen]

@@paulomalley yeh. Sure enough I read that these are the steps on Windows 11: Enroll in the Windows Insider Program Install the Link to Windows app Connect via Bluetooth Enable debugging mode Install the Cross Device Experience Host app Launch a video conferencing app Select the Android phone as the webcam What a pain compared to the native option. Wow

[@paulomalley]

Yeah, that's just for now as it hasn't fully rolled out for most Samsung users. But I'm sure it will get easier once it gets closer to general release.

[@angelat2917]

Will this work from a Samsung tablet to Windows laptop? Need new options as one of those droid to laptop camera apps has failed me one too many times.

[@paulomalley]

Probably not to be honest. Samsung are not fully supporting this method currently. They are locking this feature inside the Link to Windows feature for the time being. A lot of the latest features of this are limited to modern Samsung phones. It may come to their tablets eventually, but I haven't seen anything to confirm that as yet.

[@angelat2917]

Thank you! Going to try my old S7 today just in case it works. Seriously looking at cheaper Droid phones with a great camera just because my streamcam is truly awful. Is there one you would recommend JUST to use as a camera like this? Found a Motorola for a couple hundred. And THANK YOU for posting this! I think I searched this out a month or two ago and got nothing so I'm super happy to know it's an option. ;-)

[@TheMarkGross]

🎉

[@consaidercordo3770]

I have S22 Ultra, no Webcam...

[@paulomalley]

Yeah, unfortunately this is on Samsung. I added some details about this in the pinned comment. "Samsung on the other hand, are looking to include it as a feature of the Link to Windows app (sorry MacOS users). They also seem to be arbitrarily limiting it to their newest devices at this time."

[@GorillaBeamz]

Dang samsung. Just wants more money for themselves. F the buyers

[@tjveith]

I can get video fine, but microphone is not picking up any audio. How did you get the microphone to work on the phone when using it as a webcam?

[@paulomalley]

I didn't, unfortunately. From my testing, it seems it is purely used as a webcam. I personally use a far superior external microphone myself, but you could easily use your computer microphone or even a headset in conjunction with this as your camera.

[@mardy3732]

Does it work wirelessly over wifi? Cause I've had an app that does that for years...

[@paulomalley]

No. This needs to be plugged in via USB. But the benefit this is offering is that you don't need to use any other software or apps to do so. Plus, being wired means there is no chance of wireless interference causing degradation of your video feed. It's basically making Windows or MacOS see your phone quite simply as a webcam, admittedly one with a much more advanced camera configuration.

[@EvoKey]

I can only make et work on the backside secoundary camera. "Pixel 6" Is is possible to use the main?

[@paulomalley]

I don't have a Pixel 6 to test with but you can use all cameras on the Pixel 8 Pro. If you swipe down the notification shade and click on the notification once you have it connected in Webcam mode, you should be able to adjust the camera settings.

[@Im_AshParker]

Im new to learning how to use this. So if I use my phone this way. Can I still record the screen on my phone like if I was doing a reaction video? I have an elgato face cam and the quality is a little grainy. I'd rather use my phone, an s22 ultra. Thanks for the video!

[@paulomalley]

I haven't really tried that setup myself, but your phone screen will be showing the video feed when being used as a camera. So you wouldn't be able to view something else on that display at the same time.

[@TherealDilpvr]

i have the s22 too but the webcam or no data transfer didnt show up

[@paulomalley]

Yeah, I mention this in my pinned comment. Unfortunately Samsung are looking to include it as a feature of the Link to Windows app. They also seem to be arbitrarily limiting it to their newest devices at this time.

[@tiago_spain]

@@paulomalley I just installed and configured Microsoft Link to Windows on my PC and on my Samsung S23U, and it works perfectly as a webcam both by cable and wireless

[@paulomalley]

That's great to hear that it has started rolling out to devices aside from just the S24 line-up. Thanks for letting me know.

[@RuslanKovtun]

What about Android 13?

[@paulomalley]

Unfortunately, this feature is only available as part of Android 14. It was only very recently added to the OS. There is software that can be used on your PC/Mac for devices on earlier versions of Android, but it requires the software in order to work. Examples of this include Camo for Mac or Droidcam for PC.

[@NPPD16]

No option for webcam in the USB settings of my phone. I have a Z Flip 5.

[@paulomalley]

This is correct for now. Samsung have begun rolling out this feature in a limited capacity. Currently they are only supporting this feature when used with Galaxy laptops, but will likely expand this to support all Windows laptops real soon.

[@MrAbhiOP]

not working on redmi note 7 pro

[@paulomalley]

Are you saying the option is not there, or that it is there but does not work? It seems there are quite a few Android device makers that have not included this feature of the OS for their users just yet. Hopefully this changes real soon as its a great feature to have.

[@MrAbhiOP]

@@paulomalley this option is not there

[@paulomalley]

That will mean that you may need to wait for a future update to enable it then unfortunately. I don't have any Redmi devices (they aren't really popular here IN Australia), and so I can't confirm, but I assume that means they have not included it in their current ROMs.

[@MrAbhiOP]

@@paulomalley also i have a samsung galaxy f22, there also this feature is not available

[@paulomalley]

Yeah, I've mentioned this in some of my other comments here. Samsung have currently limited this to working only on Samsung laptops but plan to roll it out to other Windows PC's later this year.

[@Nobachu]

didnt work for me

[@paulomalley]

Depending on your device, the feature may not have rolled out to it yet. Pixel devices should already have it, but Samsung phones are currently limited in support at this time.

[@Boricua19620205]

I like to know what will you sugest for using my cellphone as a webcam using Bluetooth to connect to my laptop and be able to record two or more cellphone. Thanks!

[@simmosideways]

Another great video!

[@paulomalley]

Cheers bro. I only found this out the other day myself. I've been using the phone as my webcam now and basically relegated the StreamCam into my own personal "Content Camera".

[@Goldendonn]

Xiaomi Poco x4 Gt does not have this kind of feature in android 14