Camera App for Windows 11: 7 Best to Download
10 min. read
Updated on
Share this article
This article is translated in
Improve this guide
Read our disclosure page to find out how can you help Windows Report sustain the editorial team Read more
Key notes
- There are tons of webcam software tools on the Internet from those that focus on live streams to security apps.
- With the wide variety out there, it can be hard to figure out which is the best for your situation.
- This guide will break down the most reliable webcam apps for Windows 11.
The webcam sitting on your computer or integrated into your laptop display can do a lot when paired with the right software. It can turn your basic camera and turn into a great piece of technology.
With the right software, you can take selfies from various angles, and in some cases, utilize it as a security camera. There are tons of different ways you can create a more engaging webcam. But there are certain features you should look out for.
What should I look for in webcam software?
It all comes down to the features. What can your webcam app do? This is what sets the good from the bad apart. You should look for the ability to create special effects, picture in picture, integration with YouTube, and live streaming to name a few.
Even if one app can’t do everything, that doesn’t mean it’s a bad app. It may be due to specialization. A particular app may be better suited for live streaming while the other is best suited for adding effects on screen.
It ultimately comes down to what you want and what you’re looking for in a webcam app. This guide will break down the possible webcam apps for Windows 11 and will cover a wide variety of them.
What are the best webcam software for Windows 11?
ManyCam
Kicking off the list is ManyCam, one of the most popular and well-known webcam software on the internet, and for good reason. It has lots of features and it meshes well with different sources and apps.
First and foremost, it’s a live streaming app that allows you to output professional-grade videos and streams. People have even streamed online classes with ManyCam. You can use this software to stream on both Facebook and YouTube Live.
You may stream up to 4K resolution and the free version doesn’t have the annoying watermark that stains a lot of the lesser apps. It supports a wide variety of file formats like MP4, AVI, and MOV.
The paid versions add in new features like access to ManyCam Lite, unlimited RTMP stream, and support for multiple devices. However, they are expensive which is an unfortunate barrier.
But still, the free version is still great. You also have access to a massive amount of special effects and you get the recording on the same app. A solid app all around.
ManyCam
Use ManyCam one time and you’ll see why this is one of the most famous online video apps on the market.Bandicam
In the same vein as OBS is Bandicam. It’s also another piece of webcam software that is highly favored by Twitch streamers and YouTube. There’s even a special Game Recording Mode that records gameplay using DirectX.
Bandicam can be used to record your screen and video from outside sources like an Xbox, PlayStation, and IPTV. It can also support video up to 144 FPS and supports file formats like MP4, TIFF, GIF, and AVI.
The app is pretty lightweight so it won’t take up a lot of your CPU’s resources and keep your computer’s performance high. Bandicam does have some negatives like plastering an annoying watermark over videos and you are limited to 10 minutes on the free version.
The paid version allows you to record however long you and has no watermark. And just like OBS Studio, Bandicam is not for beginners looking to start out.
Bandicam is an advanced webcam app with a user interface that can be a little overwhelming. Everything is certainly packaged neatly, but it can get confusing. That said, you can’t go wrong with Bandicam.
Bandicam
Greatly improve your Twitch or YouTube live stream with this awesome tool.YouCam 9
Next up is YouCam 9, a great beginner’s webcam app. It has a nice clean user interface that doesn’t bombard you with all the bells and whistles at once. But that doesn’t mean YouCam is a bare-bones software with nothing to offer.
In fact, it’s quite the opposite as YouCam is jammed-packed with features tucked away in its menus. It has scene filters, special effects, stickers, emoticons, and unique lenses.
There are even specialized avatars and animations that you can add to your video. YouCam syncs with communication apps like Skype and Yahoo Messenger and login functionality with Facebook and Twitter, just to name a few.
That’s what’s great about YouCam. The support and integration with other apps and services cannot be understated. The free version is known as YouCam 9 Essential which has all the aforementioned features.
The Deluxe version adds in live skin smoothing, face logins, presentation recording, and more. You can save images in a variety of formats and record videos in either AVI or WMV.
There’s a free trial that you can try for thirty days which gives you a taste of what YouCam 9 is capable of.
YouCam 9
Do not hesitate to boost the look of video conferences with this easy-to-learn webcam app.Movavi Screen Recorder
It may interest you to know that there’s a new 2022 version for Movavi Screen Recorder. As its name suggests, the app specializes in screen recording. It has a vastly different user interface as it doesn’t appear as a standalone window in the middle of the display.
It initially launches as a small side menu that gives you the option to either take a screenshot or record your desktop. After selecting the screen recording feature, you will have a tab on the bottom right that serves as the control panel.
You can select to turn on or off the webcam or microphone. The control panel lets you activate noise reduction, record keyboard strokes, and highlight inputs from your mouse.
Beginners will enjoy the ready-made templates on Movavi as well as the drag and drop functionality. You won’t need any special training or knowledge to use this app. You can even share your creations on YouTube or Movavi Cloud.
Unfortunately, Movavi will plaster an annoying watermark over your recorded video on the free version, which you can remove if you purchase a premium version.
Movavi Screen Recorder
It’s time to record your screen and control the webcam with the latest version of Movavi.SplitCam
If you’re interested in something that’s easier to use, then you should look into SplitCam. It’s not as rich with features as the other options on this list and neither can it integrate with social media platforms like Facebook.
Despite what it lacks, SplitCam is very easy to use. As you can see in the image above, its user interface is easy to understand. There’s a simple button for going live, a chat option, a snapshot feature, and video recording.
Clicking the sun icon in the upper right-hand corner allows you to quickly adjust your camera’s settings. The left-hand side allows you to connect multiple feeds so you can switch between the two.
And it doesn’t stop there. SplitCam has a ton of filters to add flourish to your live streams. Other features like an audio mixer, screen sharing feature, and the ability to add text.
Now it doesn’t support 4K resolution video or anything big like that, but it can broadcast Full HD video. For what it is, you can’t go wrong with SplitCam.
OBS Studio
OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) Studio is an open-source and free live streaming software. Right off the bat, it must be mentioned that its user interface is not intuitive. It has a lot going on at once and it can be very overwhelming.
It’s for that reason that OBS cannot be recommended for newcomers. However, OBS is a fantastic webcam software. It’s a huge favorite for Twitch streamers as it offers a powerful performance when capturing and mixing both audio and video in real-time.
OBS’ potential is seemingly endless. You can set up an unlimited amount of scenes and feeds that you can cut between with customized transitions. It has an audio mixer with filters like noise suppression and a noise gate.
It can also work as a virtual webcam which you can use in video conferencing apps like Zoom. OBS also supports picture in picture and tons of different hotkey configurations. You can add push to talk, starting or stopping streams, and more.
And because of its favoritism among Twitch streamers, OBS has a massive community behind it made up of developers creating new plugins and making the app better.
IP Camera Viewer
And the final entry has to go to IP Camera Viewer. This app has the distinct purpose of acting as a video monitoring system. You can multiple live video sources from webcams and IP cameras as well as USB.
IP Camera Viewer supports over 2000 camera models from Canon to Sony to Toshiba and more. You can use the software to change the orientation of the camera, its frame rate, and what it covers. It even adds a zoom-in feature even if your webcam doesn’t have that capability.
Once you’re done, it automatically uploads the recorded video to a server. Plus, it’s super easy to use. Unlike OBS, IP Camera Viewer has a user interface that just makes sense from the get-go.
There are some negatives to this app. For starters, you can’t adjust the quality of the video. What you see is what you get. And there’s no media player built-in so you can’t watch your recordings. You’ll have to get a video player for that.
But it’s still great. You can control up to four different camera feeds at the same time and you get a live preview from those inputs.
Is there anything else I should know about webcams on my Windows 11 computer?
One thing you will notice is that a lot of these webcam apps are also used on Windows 10, and in fact, came from that system’s heyday. Other notable webcam apps include the likes of Snapcamera which adds Snapchat filters to your desktop.
If you’re looking for software with a focus on security, there are loads to choose from. For example, the iSpy app is one of them and it can support many different kinds of cameras and is useful for home or office security.
You also may be interested in a screen recorder app with webcam overlay support. These are apps that allow you to add a webcam video on top of a screen recording. Bandicam has this capability.
Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions on other Windows 11 apps. Also, leave comments about reviews that you’d like to see or information on other Windows 11 features.
