Using a Smartphone as a Webcam
AOI | Learning Innovations
Distance Delivery
Using a Smartphone as a Webcam
By Tor de Vries
If you need an extra webcam, particularly a wireless webcam that can be positioned almost anywhere, you may be able to turn your smartphone into a wireless webcam.
I use a Mac laptop and an Android smartphone. Using free apps from Iriun (https://iriun.com) on both devices, and connecting both devices to the same WiFi network, I am able to use the smartphone as a wireless webcam during Panopto recordings and Zoom sessions. I have a small smartphone tripod for it, but it’s also handy if I want to move the “webcam” around to focus on something. In theory, it supports up to 4K HD video, though I personally have not tested that.
Some caveats:
- Different smartphones or computer operating systems may have their own limits.
- In my tests, if you set the phone app to use the front camera (e.g. the selfie camera) on your phone, it broadcasts in a mirror image.
- Depending on your WiFi’s security settings, your phone might not be able to connect to your computer.
- While broadcasting live video/audio, your smartphone battery will drain very quickly. Keep it plugged in as much as possible.
If you need a new or secondary webcam, or one you can wirelessly move around, and you have a smartphone, it’s worth trying this out.