Stop using your laptop's low-quality webcam! Here's how to use your Android phone as a camera on Windows 11 instead

You can use many Android smartphones as a webcam on Windows 11 (or Windows 10) simply by connecting them to your PC with a standard USB cable and making a small change in the phone's settings. By default, the "stock" version of Android chooses "charging this device via USB" and tops up your battery, but changing it to "webcam" can offer a significant improvement over the standard webcams built into many laptops.

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I do it all the time with my Google Pixel, especially when I'm traveling. I can detach the same USB-C cable that was included with the phone from its AC adapter and hook it up to most laptops, and it'll often provide a much better image. On the other hand, some manufacturers, such as Samsung and Motorola, disable the "Use USB for Webcam" feature on their Android devices, which can make the process a little longer.

Nevertheless, I can place my smartphone almost wherever I need it (to the limit of the cable's length, at least), which usually delivers a little more of a flattering picture than a tilted-up laptop screen. I've used this method extensively with a Google Pixel 7 Pro, and Phone Link works wirelessly for other manufacturers, so let me show you exactly how it works.

How to use a Google Pixel as a webcam

It isn't a complex process, but it isn't the standard mode for your Google Pixel phone whenever it's connected to a Windows PC, either. Here's how it works.

((Image credit: Ben Wilson | Windows Central)|(Image credit: Ben Wilson | Windows Central))

1. Connect your Pixel to your Windows 11 PC with a compatible USB cable
2. Navigate to your Notifications panel, usually by scrolling down from the top-center part of your phone's display
3. Tap the USB notification, which usually displays a "Charging this device via USB" message
4. Within USB preferences, change the "Use USB for" setting to Webcam

Android Webcam detected in Device Manager for Windows 11

1. Open the Camera app in Windows 11, and select Android Webcam by clicking the Change camera button in the top-right area of the app (an icon of arrows rotating around a circle)

Stop using your laptop's low-quality webcam! Here's how to use your Android phone as a camera on Windows 11 instead

Anker's USB cables have always stood the test of time when I travel and are long enough to charge my smartphones or double as a webcam. If you're a Google Pixel user, a spare (or longer) cable can prove essential.

Using other Android smartphones as a webcam

Some smartphone manufacturers, such as Samsung and Motorola, disable the "Use USB for Webcam" feature on their Android devices, which can make the process a little longer, but it still works with Phone Link, a native Windows app.

((Image credit: Ben Wilson | Windows Central)|(Image credit: Ben Wilson | Windows Central))

1. Set up your Android smartphone with the Mobile devices section of the Settings app on Windows 11 by following our guide
2. Ensure "Allow this PC to access your mobile devices" is set to On
3. Click Manage devices and set "Use as a connected camera" to On for your intended Android phone
4. Open the Camera app in Windows 11 to check that it's working, and select Android Webcam by clicking the Change camera button in the top-right area of the app (an icon of arrows rotating around a circle)

Samsung Galaxy used as a webcam in Windows 11

1. Check your phone to control which camera (front or rear-facing) is used by Windows 11

Don't use a laptop webcam, use your phone!

It's a simple switch, but one that makes a huge difference to webcam quality in video calls if you're primarily using a laptop. Some PCs will have better cameras than others, but plenty of us often have incredible lenses attached to the smartphones in our pockets, and that's regularly where they'll stay. Comparing the webcam of this ASUS Zenbook (left image) to my Google Pixel 7 Pro (right image) shows how significant it can be.