Microsoft continues efforts to connect your smartphone with your Windows 11 PC through a new feature that’s currently in preview. This feature lets you use your smartphone’s cameras as a webcam directly on Windows 11. If you’re familiar with Mac and iPhone functionality, this is a similar capability now being introduced to Windows 11.
To set up this feature, you can pair the Windows 11 Settings app with the Link to Windows app available on Android. Once connected, you can activate the “connected camera” feature in the mobile device settings, providing a dedicated interface for switching between cameras and applying effects like HDR mode.
Once activated, your smartphone will be listed among the available webcams on Windows 11. It’s a straightforward process to select it in any application utilizing a webcam. The smartphone’s camera should seamlessly function as a native webcam across the operating system. Ensure you have a stand or clip to position your phone’s camera conveniently for effective use.
As mentioned, this feature is currently in a limited preview available in all Windows 11 Insider Channels and is expected to roll out more widely over the next few months. Recently, Microsoft also introduced the ability to view photo notifications directly on your PC, thus simplifying the process of transferring recently taken photos from your phone to your PC with just one click, eliminating the need for the dedicated Phone Link app.