Phone Link will let you use your smartphone camera as a webcam on Windows 11

After linking your phone to the PC, you will be able to use its cameras for web conferencing

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by Claudiu Andone 

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Phone Link uses phone cameras for web conferencing

Microsoft announced the present and upcoming improvements of Copilot on Windows 11 and there are a lot of them if you’ve followed our News stream.

However, besides the Copilot advancements, Microsoft also showed off a new feature in Phone Link that is a lot more interesting:

Soon you will be able to access recent photos on your PC or use your phone as a webcam on all video conferencing apps, making your Android device a productivity partner to your Windows 11 PC.

Microsoft blog

With further investigation, we found out that Microsoft also announced Windows Insiders that they are now able to use the back phone camera as a webcam on Windows 11.

We signaled this new feature last year, but Microsoft moved fast in bringing it forward to the Insiders.

How do I use my camera as webcam on Windows 11?

First, make sure that you have a phone with Android 9.0+ OS and update the Link to Windows phone app to 1.24012* or newer.

Then, on your Windows 11 computer, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices and choose Manage devices and allow your PC to access your Android phone.

For everything to work, you also need to receive a Cross Device Experience Host update in the Microsoft Store. We remind you that this feature is only available right now to selected Insiders from all the Insider channels.

It’s really a breakthrough to use both quality cameras of your phone for web conferencing, and even more, switch between them with just a click:

With this feature, you’ll be able to wirelessly enjoy the high quality of your mobile device’s camera on your PC with flexibility and ease. Some of the abilities include being able to switch between front and back camera, pausing the stream during interruptions, and enjoying effects provided by your mobile model.

Microsoft blog

Using your iPhone as a webcam on Windows 11 is pretty easy, as you will see from our highlighted guide. However, we also have a complete guide on how to use your Android phone as webcam on Windows 11.

What do you think about the new Phone Link feature? Let us know in the comments section below.

More about the topics: webcam, Windows 11, your phone app

Claudiu Andone

Claudiu Andone Shield

Windows Toubleshooting Expert

Oldtimer in the tech and science press, Claudiu is focused on whatever comes new from Microsoft. His abrupt interest in computers started when he saw the first Home Computer as a kid. However, his passion for Windows and everything related became obvious when he became a sys admin in a computer science high school. With 14 years of experience in writing about everything there is to know about science and technology, Claudiu also likes rock music, chilling in the garden, and Star Wars. May the force be with you, always!