Have you ever wished your PC webcam was as sharp as the camera on your phone? The good news is that you can easily turn your phone into a high-quality webcam and microphone for your computer – and the best part? It’s completely free.
Why Use Your Phone as a Webcam?
Most phone cameras outperform standard webcams in terms of clarity and resolution. By using your phone, you can drastically improve video quality for meetings, recordings, or live streams.
Step-by-Step Guide:
Here’s how to set it up:
1. Download OBS Studio
- Head to OBS Studio’s website – obsproject.com – and download the software for your operating system.
- Follow the installation steps.
2. Use Video Ninja to Connect Your Phone
- Go to Video Ninja – video.ninja – on your PC.
- Click Create reusable invite in the top right-hand corner.
- Customize the settings and enable video effects if you’d like.
- Generate an invite link and QR code.
3. Connect Your Phone
- Use your phone’s camera to scan the QR code.
- Follow the link and grant camera access.
- Choose the front or back camera and apply any video effects you like.
4. Bring the Feed into OBS
- Copy the Browser source link from Video Ninja.
- Open OBS Studio and add a new source by clicking the + icon under Sources.
- Select Browser, paste the link, and set the resolution (1280×720 is a good starting point).
- Adjust the feed to fit the screen.
5. Stream or Use as a Webcam
- In OBS, click Start Virtual Camera at the bottom right.
- In Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or any app that lets you select a camera, choose OBS Virtual Camera as your video source.
6. Use Phone Audio (Optional)
- To pass your phone’s audio through to Zoom or other apps, install a Virtual Audio Cable (available for free).
- In OBS, go to Settings > Audio > Advanced Monitoring and select Cable Input.
- In Audio Mixer, set the phone audio to Monitor and Output.
- Select Cable Output as your microphone in Zoom or any recording app.
Why This Setup is Awesome
- Versatile – Works for Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Twitch, and YouTube.
- Multi-Camera Setup – You can add multiple phones or devices as different cameras.
- Customizable – OBS lets you add overlays, filters, and effects.