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You can use a linked Android phone as a webcam in Windows 11 by enabling Use as connected camera under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices, then selecting the phone in the app where you want to use its camera. Microsoft lists Windows 11 or later, Android 10 or later, and Link to Windows version 1.24022.0 or later as requirements. Microsoft’s camera setup instructions cover the feature.
Check whether your phone and PC meet the requirements
Microsoft’s camera-specific requirements are a PC running Windows 11 or later, an Android device running Android 10 or later, and Link to Windows app version 1.24022.0 or later. This feature is documented for Android; the cited instructions do not establish iPhone support.
Microsoft does not provide a complete model-by-model compatibility list for the connected-camera feature. Its separate list of supported Phone Link experiences covers features such as Phone screen and Apps, so it should not be treated as proof that a listed phone supports webcam use. Availability may vary by device, software, and market.
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These requirements are specific to using the phone as a webcam. Microsoft’s broader Phone Link requirements and setup page describes general Phone Link pairing and experiences; those broader requirements are not a substitute for the camera-specific thresholds.
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Link the Android phone to Windows
If the phone is not already linked, start from Windows’ Mobile devices settings:
- On the PC, open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices.
- Select Add device and follow the on-screen steps to link the phone.
For general Android Phone Link pairing, Microsoft’s setup guide describes opening Phone Link on the PC, signing into the same Microsoft account on the PC and phone, scanning the QR code in Link to Windows, and following the permission prompts. See Microsoft’s Phone Link setup guide for those pairing steps.
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Enable the phone as a connected camera
- On the PC, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices.
- Find the linked Android phone and select it.
- Turn on Use as connected camera.
- If Android asks whether Link to Windows can use the camera, grant permission.
With the setting enabled, Windows makes the phone available to camera-using applications. You still need to choose it in the app you want to use.
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Select the phone in your camera app
Open the Windows Camera app or another application that uses a camera. In its camera selector or camera settings, choose the linked phone. The exact control varies by application; if the app is using the PC’s built-in camera, switch cameras in that app rather than changing the Windows Mobile devices setting.
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Fix common connection and video problems
The phone is missing from Mobile devices
- Check that the Android phone is linked to the PC. If it is not, select Add device from Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices and complete linking.
- If general Phone Link pairing is incomplete, use Microsoft’s pairing instructions.
No camera permission prompt appears
On the phone, open Android Settings, find Link to Windows in the app list, and check that its camera permission is enabled.
The video is black or shows a placeholder
Look for a new taskbar window with a camera icon. Microsoft says this window should identify the phone and guide you through the next steps. If video does not resume after permission is granted, use the refresh button in that window.
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- High Compatibility & Multi Application - C960 webcam for laptop is compatible with Windows 10/11, macOS 10.14+, and Android TV 7.0+. Not supported: Windows Hello, TVs, tablets, or game consoles. It works with Zoom, Teams, Facetime, Google Meet, YouTube and more. Please select C960 webcam as the default camera and microphone device in your application and ensure camera/microphone permissions are enabled, especially on macOS. (Tips: Incompatible with Windows Hello)
The app keeps using the wrong camera
Open the camera selector or camera settings in the application and select the phone. The connected-camera switch makes the phone available, but the application controls which camera it uses.
The picture orientation looks wrong
Windows changes the display between portrait and landscape as you rotate the phone. Check that the phone’s rotation lock is off.
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Know what the compatibility lists do—and do not—confirm
Microsoft’s supported Phone Link devices page is organized around particular Phone Link experiences, including Phone screen and Apps. It is not a complete compatibility list for using an Android camera as a Windows webcam. Use the camera-specific requirements and Mobile devices setting above, rather than inferring webcam support from a phone’s inclusion on a list for another feature.
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