Use Phone as Webcam on Discord: 5 Ways (Without/With App)

For reasons like remote play, high-resolution cameras, or with a microphone, people use their mobile phones as a webcam. If you want to have one on your Discord channel, this is the most convenient way.

So, how to do it? Whether you’re using Android or iPhone, Windows or Mac, you can find the solution that meets your needs in this article. Check the table below first to take a quick view.

	Requirements	Connect	Benefits	Limitations
Android’s USB Webcam	Android 14+	USB	● No need for additional app ● Works with most video conferencing apps ● Free and easy to use	● Supported by some phone models only ● Drain battery faster
iPhone’s Continuity Camera	iOS 16+ ( models introduced in 2018 or later)	WiFi & Bluetooth	● No need for third-party software ● Integrates seamlessly with macOS ● Low latency with optimized Apple ecosystem support	Only available for Apple devices ● Highly dependent on the network
Screen Mirroring	Depend on the software using	WiFi or USB	● Unlock different devices ● Flexible connections allowing full mobility ● Use with video filter app to look better ● Support simultaneous mirroring of multiple devices	● Higher latency ● Lower video quality due to compression ● may have watermarks or restrictions in free versions
OBS Virtual Camera	Windows 10/11; macOS 11	WiFi	● Completely free and open-source ● Full control over video quality and settings ● Combine multiple video sources into one feed	● Require extra plugin for webcam setup ● Steep learning curve
Virtual Webcam Software	Varies	WiFi or USB	● Wide compatibility ● Easy to set up and use ● Add filters and effects in real-time	● Full features require a paid upgrade ● May not work seamlessly with all apps or devices

1. Use Android’s USB Webcam (Built-in Feature)

The Android webcam feature was introduced with Android 14. It allows users to turn their smartphones into webcams for use with computers.

Generally, the feature is available in Google Pixel 8 and other Pixel models later on. Besides, Samsung Galaxy S24 Series with One UI 6.1 are supported as well.

So, how to use the built-in webcam feature, so that to turn your Android phone as a webcam for Discord?

Step 1. Use a USB cable to connect your Android phone to your computer.

Step 2. In the USB connection notification, select "Webcam."

Note: you can find Webcam in Settings > Connected Devices > USB > Use USB for > Webcam.

Step 3. On your Window 11 computer, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Cameras > Connected cameras > Android Webcam.

Click it and you will see a preview window. You can take it as a testing to see if the feature works well.

Step 4. Open the webcam window by clicking the Camera app in Start.

Step 5. Go to Discord User Settings > Voice & Video > Camera > Select the webcam.

Step 6. As you join a voice channel and click the camera button, you can use your phone as a webcam on Discord.

Your Discord chat window will show live footage from your phone.

2. Use iPhone Continuity Camera (No Additional App)

First of all, let's be clear about what Apple devices support Continuity Camera. According to the official document, the following models are available:

• iPhone XR or later running iOS 16+
• Mac using macOS Ventura or later

More usage conditions:

• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are enabled on both devices
• The same Apple Account is signed in on both devices.

Now, start using the Continuity Camera feature to make your iPhone a webcam.

Step 1. Enable Continuity Camera on iPhone.

Go to Settings > General > AirPlay & Handoff > Continuity Camera.

Step 2. Open FaceTime on your Mac.

Click Video in the menu bar. Then, click Camera to see if your iPhone is selected.

Generally, if automatic camera selection is enabled, it might switch to your iPhone camera automatically. That is to say, you can use your iPhone as a webcam directly without any additional settings.

Step 3. Set FaceTime as Discord Camera.

Go to User Settings > Voice & Video > Camera > FaceTime.

Step 4. Click Camera to start voice chat.

After selecting a voice channel, you can click the Camera button to start a voice chat. Next, click Turn On Camera

At this point, you can use iPhone as webcam for Discord. No extra app needed!

3. Use Screen Mirroring Tools

If you prefer flexible and cross-platform connections, using a screen mirroring software to turn phone as a webcam is recommended. You don't have to consider the operating system of the device, whether the phone or the Discord device.

Depending on the software you use, you can even use several phones as webcams at the same time to provide multiple camera angles.

For example, you can:

Step 1. Install Kingshiper Screen Mirroring on your mobile phones and computer.

You can use old phones. Android and iPhones both work well with Kingshiper.

Step 2. Use the same network on all your devices.

Step 3. Open the Kingshiper app and tap the computer name. Your phone screen will soon mirror to the computer.

Step 4. Open the camera app on all your phones.

Step 5. Open the Discord voice channel and click the screen share button.

If you're using the web Dsicord, when the screen share window shows up, select Entire Screen > Share.

As for the desktop software, you can click Screens > Go Live.

In this way, your friends are able to see different captured pictures on Discord.

4. Use OBS Virtual Camera

OBS provides a streamlined Discord integration. Its Virtual Camera can be one of the solutions to use phone as webcam for Discord.

However, just a reminder, you need to use an app or software to let OBS recognize the phone as the video source. In other words, an additional phone-to-pc connecting tool for OBS Virtual Camera is required.

Although it's a bit complicated to set up, I will go through it with detailed steps.

Set up OBS Virtual Camera

Step 1. Visit VDO.Ninja (a free web-based tool) with your phone browser.

VDO.Ninja is a tool to bring live video feed from mobile phones. It will create a link that is able to used with multiple streaming software. And, you can stream video with the generated link.

Step 2. Tap Add your Camera to OBS and grant permissions.

As VDO.Ninja has the permission to access your phone's camera and microphone, you can stream your phone's camera feed.

Step 3. Tap Start. And then copy the generated link.

This link is used to stream your phone's camera feed into OBS Studio. You will need to add it in OBS's Sources.

Step 4. Add a Browser Source in OBS Studio.

Open the OBS software after the installation.

Create a new scene by clicking the "+" button in the Scenes panel (named arbitrarily).

In the Sources panel, click "+" and select Browser. Name it and click "OK."

Paste the VDO link and click "OK" to create.

Step 5. Start Virtual Camera.

You can see the phone camera working and the captured picture are streaming in the preview area.

Now you can click the “Start Virtual Camera” button.

And at this point, the configuration in OBS is completed.

Set up OBS in Discord

As mentioned above, OBS works smoothly with Discord. Once you have installed OBS on your computer, you can find its Virtual Camera option in Discord automatically.

Step 6. Select OBS Virtual Camera in Discord's Camera.

Open Discord > User Settings > Voice & Video > Video Settings > Camera > Choose OBS.

Step 7. On Discord, click the Camera button.

After you select a server and the voice channel, click the camera icon in the bottom lefthand.

Step 8. Select OBS Virtual Camera > Turn On Camera.

Done! Enjoy to use your phone as a webcam on Discord.

5. Use Webcam Apps

There are quite a lot of webcam apps you can find in Google Play Store and Apple's App Store. Here are some popular options.

• For Android users: DroidCam, iVCam, Iriun Webcam
• For iOS users: EpocCam, Camo, NDI HX Camera
• Cross-platform: FineCam

The setup process is quite similar. Generally, you can:

Step 1. Install the DroidCam app on your phone. Then, grant permissions.

Step 2. Install the DroidCam client on your computer.

Step 3. Click Start to connect your phone to the computer and capture.

If you use WiFi to connect the devices, you'd better check if the IPand port information is the same. You can find them once opened the software on both of your devices.

Step 4. When see a window automatically shows up on your computer, open Discord.

Step 5. Visit User Settings > Voice & Video > Video Settings > Camera > choose DroidCam.

Step 6. Now, when you start a video chat, your can see the window is displaying the footage captured by the phone.

FAQs

Question 1. How do I maximize image resolution and clarity for a phone webcam on Discord?

These factors might affect the webcam quality, the phone's camera, network bandwidth, and app performance.

Thus, if you want to enjoy a HD video quality, first you need to pick up a phone with a good camera. Next, use a USB cable to connect the phone and computer. As for camera settings, you need to adjust the resolution and frame rate on the app you used and on Discord.

Question 2. Can I Use My Phone's Back Camera for Video Calls on Discord?

Typically, Discord uses the front camera by default. To switch to the back camera, you might need to use a third-party app.

Queation 3. Can I use my phone's camera as a webcam on Discord without an internet connection?

Using a USB cable will be a best solution.