How to Link a Phone as a Webcam in Windows 11 Mobile Devices Settings

Checking System Requirements and Compatibility

• Your PC must run Windows 11 version 23H2 or later. The feature works on both Home and Pro editions.
• Your phone must run Android 9.0 or higher, or iOS 17 or higher.
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth must be turned on for both devices during setup.
• The two devices must stay close together while you use the camera.

To check your Windows version, open Settings, go to System › About, and read the Version line. If it is older than 23H2, run Windows Update first. On the phone, you can check the version in the system settings under the “About phone” or “About” page, depending on the brand.

Installing and Updating Link to Windows

Both devices need the right software before they can pair. On the phone, that is the official Link to Windows app. On the PC, it is the Cross Device Experience Host component, which you update through the Microsoft Store.

1. Open the Microsoft Store on your computer. Search for Cross Device Experience Host and check that it is installed.
2. Click Update if the button appears. Wait for it to finish. If there is no Update button, the component is already current.
3. Open the Google Play Store on your Android phone, or the Apple App Store on your iPhone.
4. Search for Link to Windows and install it💿. Some Android phones already have it built in, so you may only need to update it.
5. Open the Link to Windows app on your phone. You should see a sign-in screen or a welcome screen.
6. Sign in with the same Microsoft account you use on your Windows 11 computer. A different account is the usual reason the PC never shows the phone later.

When this is done, the phone app should show that you are signed in and ready to link.

Configuring Mobile Devices Settings in 🪟 Windows 11

These steps link your phone to your PC in the phone link settings on Windows 11. This is where you give Windows permission to manage your phone, and it must be done before the camera option appears.

1. Press Win+I. The Settings app opens.

2. Select Bluetooth🔷 & devices in the left-hand menu. The list of connected devices and Bluetooth🔷 options appears on the right.

3. Click Mobile devices in the main list. The Mobile devices page opens.

4. Turn on the toggle that lets your PC access your mobile devices. It switches to On. This toggle is the one that must be on for everything else to work.
5. Click Manage devices if you are prompted. Give your computer permission to access your phone.
6. Click Add device if your phone is not already listed. Follow the on-screen prompts to pair it over Bluetooth🔷, and check that the pairing code on the PC matches the one on your phone before you accept it.

When pairing works, your phone appears in the list on the Mobile devices page. If the toggle is greyed out or missing, go back to the previous section and check that Cross Device Experience Host is up to date and that you are signed in to the same Microsoft account on both devices. Also confirm that your Windows version is 23H2 or later.

Enabling the Connected Camera Feature

Now turn on the connected camera feature so Windows can use your phone as a video source.

1. Open Settings from the Start menu⊞.
2. Go to Bluetooth🔷 & devices and select Mobile devices. The Mobile devices page opens, with your phone listed.

3. Click Manage devices. The settings⚙️ page for your connected phone opens.

4. Turn on the toggle labeled Use as a connected camera. The first time you do this, Windows automatically downloads and installs any cross-device camera drivers it needs, so give it a minute.
5. Approve any security or permission requests on your phone screen. The video feed will not transmit until you allow them.

If you cannot find Use as a connected camera, check that your phone and Windows meet the version requirements. On an iPhone, the option may not be available yet. To undo this step, switch the same toggle off.

Testing Your Phone Camera in Video Apps

Test the camera in a real app before your next meeting. This confirms that Windows detects the phone feed and that the app is allowed to use it.

1. Open a video app on your Windows 11 computer. Microsoft Teams or Camera both work.
2. Open the app’s settings or device selection menu. It is usually under a gear icon or an audio/video settings tab.
3. Find the Camera dropdown menu. It lists every video source Windows can see.
4. Select Connected Camera or your phone’s name from the list of video sources.
5. Check the preview window. You should see live video from your phone. If needed, switch between the front and rear lenses using the controls on your phone screen.

If the app was already open when you turned the feature on, close it and reopen it. Many apps only look for cameras when they start.

Troubleshooting Common Connection Failures

If the connection fails or the video drops, start with the network. Both devices need to be on the same Wi-Fi network and the same band.

Make sure your Windows 11 computer and your phone are connected to the exact same Wi-Fi network band. If your router uses separate 2.4GHz and 5GHz SSIDs, cross-device communication can fail when the two devices sit on different bands. Join both devices to the same SSID to fix this.

If the network is fine, restart the Cross Device Experience Host on your PC and the Link to Windows app on your phone to clear temporary communication caches. If the video still drops, restart the PC as well. Also keep the phone close to the PC and make sure its battery saver mode is not stopping the app from running in the background.

Managing Privacy and Camera Permissions

Windows blocks apps from using the camera if privacy settings say so, even when the phone is connected correctly. Check these settings if your app shows a black screen or says no camera was found.

1. Open Settings and go to Privacy & security.
2. Select Camera. The camera permissions page opens.
3. Turn on the main Camera access toggle if it is off.
4. Scroll down and check that the apps you want to use have explicit permission to use the camera. Turn on the toggle next to any app that is off, then restart that app.

Most readers can stop here. Advanced users and administrators can also manage programmatic access through the consent store registry paths, such as 🗝️HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CapabilityAccessManager\ConsentStore\microphonecopy or related video authorization keys. Back up the registry before you change anything there.

If this didn’t work

1. Remove your phone from the Mobile devices settings page. Also unpair it from Bluetooth🔷 settings if it is still listed there.
2. Check for pending system updates in Windows Update🔃. Install any that are waiting.
3. Update Cross Device Experience Host in the Microsoft Store. Update Link to Windows on your phone as well.
4. Restart both the PC and the phone.
5. Pair the devices again by repeating the steps above. Then test the camera in a video app.