What you need to know
- Microsoft appears to be working on a feature that will let you use your smartphone’s camera as a webcam on your PC through the Link to Windows app.
- A recent version of Link to Windows includes code that suggests the ability to use your phone as a webcam is on the way.
- Some Link to Windows functionality is restricted to specific smartphones, so it’s not clear if this new feature would make its way to all phones with Link to Windows installed.
Microsoft’s Phone Link may soon let you use your smartphone’s camera as a webcam on your PC. The folks over at Android Authority spotted code within the Link to Windows app that suggests Microsoft is working on the new functionality.
There’s a good chance that a smartphone is the best camera that most people own. Manufacturers have spent years refining smartphone photography, and the best Android phones can take incredible photos and videos. It makes sense to use the best camera you own as a webcam, and Microsoft seems to want to ease that process.
It’s already possible to use your smartphone as a webcam for your PC using third-party software. But the feature making its way to Link to Windows would make it a bit easier to use, especially for those who already use the app to connect their phone and their PC.
As a quick point of clarity, the phone app you need to connect your smartphone to your computer is called “Link to Windows.” The PC app is called “Your Phone.”
Some Link to Windows features are exclusive to specific hardware, including screen mirroring and using Android apps on a PC. Samsung devices with Link to Windows preinstalled get access to all of the app’s features. OnePlus recently shared that its devices running OxygenOS 14 will support the full range of Link to Windows features as well.
