I’m not one to trade in my old smartphones, partly because I’m trying to repurpose them in one way or another. So when Microsoft announced that it was rolling out a system that lets you use old Android phones as a webcam, I was pretty excited about the possibility.
According to the post, this feature is currently being tested on “all” Windows Insider channels. The feature is exclusive to Windows 11, and most importantly, it’s wireless. This means that you will soon be able to connect your Android phone to your computer or laptop without having to use another precious USB port.
Some of you may remember that a a similar feature launched on Android 14. All you had to do was plug your phone into your desktop computer, set your phone’s USB connection to “webcam” and you’re good to go. It wasn’t exclusive to Windows 11 either, and it worked on both Windows 10 and Mac computers.
The key difference in what Microsoft is doing is that the webcam feature doesn’t need a physical cable, and an Android phone doesn’t need to be running Android 14. In fact, Microsoft has confirmed that it should work with any phone running Android 9 or above that has Windows application link (version 1.24012 or later).
Which means that old phone sitting at the bottom of your cable box could be back to life. Even if it cannot be upgraded to the latest version of Android software. And I’d bet the rear camera could be a little better than the webcams you find built into most laptops, especially if you’re hoping to use a former flagship.
Microsoft claims that the webcam feature will allow you to switch back and forth between the front and rear cameras, as well as the option to pause during streams. Users will also be able to take advantage of all the camera effects available on their Android phone – but they didn’t elaborate.
Windows Insiders can now access this feature by going to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices > Device management and then allowing your computer to access your Android phone.
Unfortunately, anyone not part of the Windows Insider channel will have to wait for the public unveiling, and there’s no mention of when that might be. Until then, be sure to check out our picks for the best webcam.