Old and broken smartphones are far more capable than many realize. These tiny computers pack powerful SoCs (which include the CPU, GPU, and modem), and recycling them wastes perfectly capable hardware that you can otherwise put to good use.
From using it as an eBook reader to a security camera, there are many ways to repurpose your old smartphone. But the most underrated feature of an old smartphone is its camera, which is often far superior to the webcam built into most laptops.
When I got tired of my laptop’s webcam making me look like a Minecraft character, I decided to turn my broken Note20 Ultra into a high-quality webcam with the Camo Studio app. To my surprise, it turned out to be one of the simplest yet best tech hacks I’ve tried.
Your old phone is the best webcam you are not using
The high-quality camera you already own
Even in 2025, laptop manufacturers treat webcams like an afterthought. If you need to make video calls for work, you’ll likely end up spending a fortune—around $150 for something like the Logitech Brio—just to get decent video quality.
My laptop’s webcam quality was horrible, so it needed a replacement. But instead of hunting for a new webcam and dropping that kind of money, I decided to try a DIY approach: turning my Note 20 Ultra, with its broken display but impressive camera system, into a high-resolution webcam.
Modern smartphones have camera sensors that cost manufacturers hundreds of dollars to develop and produce. Even older phones from five years ago have better cameras than most laptops and dedicated webcams sold today. The processing power in these phones handles real-time video encoding better than many dedicated webcams, plus they’ve got built-in image stabilization, automatic focus adjustment, and advanced noise reduction.
To make the most of all this hardware, all you need is the right app that can turn your phone into a webcam for your PC.
Setting up my Samsung phone as a webcam
Setting up with Camo Studio
There are several ways to turn your phone into a webcam. DroidCam is a popular choice and works fine for basic needs. Another option is Phone Link’s connected camera feature, which is convenient if you’re already in the Windows ecosystem, but it’s a bit hit-and-miss. After testing them all, I went with Camo Studio because it has the features to make the most out of your phone’s camera.
Camo Studio is a cross-platform app that turns your smartphone into a professional-grade webcam. It works on Windows or Mac with both Android and iPhone, and you can connect either wirelessly over your local network or through a USB cable for a more stable connection.
The setup process is straightforward. Here’s how to get started:
- Go to the Camo Studio website and download the desktop installer. Also, download and install the mobile client for Android and iOS on your old phone.
- In the desktop client, click the Device drop-down and choose Pair a device to add your new device.
- On your phone, open the app, follow the on-screen instructions, and then tap the little WiFi icon and scan the QR code to pair the device. Make sure both devices are connected to the same network.
- Go back to the Device drop-down and select your phone to use it as your camera.
For a wired connection, you need to enable USB debugging in Developer Options on your Android device. Then, connect your phone and laptop with a USB cable. Camo Studio will detect your phone and prompt you for pairing. Click Pair a device, repeat the steps on your phone app.
Using the phone as a webcam
Camo Studio makes the most of your phone’s camera
The difference in the video quality from your phone is immediately clear, even at the default 720p resolution that Camo Studio uses. And if you want even sharper video, click the Meetings drop-down in the top-right corner to bump the resolution to 4K or switch to vertical orientation.
You can choose from different lenses and backgrounds, adjust zoom and exposure, and tune advanced color settings. Camo Studio recognizes your phone as a regular webcam in Zoom, Teams, Discord, and over 40 other video apps.
What’s more impressive, however, is the performance. Unlike some alternatives that introduce noticeable lag, Camo keeps the delay minimal, with almost none when using a wired connection. The auto-framing feature works surprisingly well, keeping the subject centered during calls without manual adjustment. The Portrait mode in the paid version adds a professional background blur that looks more natural than what I’ve seen in most meeting apps.
The minimal lag also makes Camo Studio useful as a live monitor for smartphone video recording. You can start, pause, and stop recording from your laptop without touching the phone itself.
Things to consider
Occasional overheating and video feed delay in wireless mode
Before you dive in, there are a couple of things worth noting. My phone got a bit uncomfortable to touch after extended camera use, especially over a wireless connection at 1080p or above. To manage this, I had to keep it away from direct sunlight and keep my room reasonably cool.
Camo Studio offers a basic free version and a Pro version. With the free version, you are stuck at 720p resolution, and some advanced features like Portrait mode and lens switching require the paid version. Camo Pro costs $8.99 per month or $49.99 per year.
Despite the clearly defined limitations of the free version, Camo Studio seems to work differently depending on which device you’re using. For example, when I connected my Note 20 Ultra, I could access all the Pro features in the free version—including high-resolution 4K recording. But when I switched to my laptop’s built-in webcam, the app immediately prompted me to upgrade to Pro to access those same features.
Wireless mode occasionally introduces a slight delay, making your movements appear in slow motion for a moment. It’s not constant, but when it happens during important calls, it’s annoying. The USB connection fixes this problem, so I prefer to use a wired connection where possible.
Turning your existing hardware into a high-quality webcam
The free version of Camo Studio offers everything I need for high-quality video calls without spending money on dedicated hardware. Instead of buying a $100 webcam that might not even match my phone’s camera quality, I can use hardware that I already own.
This is especially valuable if you’ve upgraded to a newer phone and have an old device sitting in a drawer. Rather than letting it collect dust, turning it into a dedicated webcam gives it a second life. And once you start repurposing old Samsung phones as smart home devices, you’ll find even more creative uses for that forgotten hardware.