A phone can act as a camera source over your local network when a sender app publishes a feed in a format your receiving software understands. For OBS, the documented iPhone and iPad route is NDI; Android users can follow Streamlabs’ separate Mobile-to-Desktop LAN workflow.
The important qualification is that a phone app and a production app do not connect simply because both are on Wi-Fi. Check format support at both ends, put the devices on a network that allows them to find one another, and test the picture and sound before relying on the setup.
How a phone camera becomes a network source
The phone captures video, and a sender app makes that video available over the local network. A receiving application on your computer then discovers or connects to the feed and adds it to a scene or production. Depending on the workflow, the connection may use automatic discovery or an address supplied by the phone app.
This is different from plugging a phone into a computer and treating it as a USB webcam. It is also different from sending a completed broadcast to YouTube: the phone-to-computer connection is one step inside your production. The computer still needs to compose, encode and send the programme if you are using OBS or other desktop production software.
There are two compatibility checks. First, the phone and its sender app must be able to publish the chosen format on your device and operating-system version. Second, the receiving software must support that format, either directly or through a compatible plug-in. If either side is missing, the feed will not appear, even if both devices have internet access.
A local-network source can be useful for a second camera, a close-up of a devotional setup, a shop-floor view or a presenter who needs to move around. It avoids a dedicated capture card for these documented software routes, but it does not remove the need for stable Wi-Fi, power and sensible camera placement. For a channel that must continue all night, consider whether a live phone shot is actually needed for the full broadcast; a fixed video programme may be simpler to operate.
Check receiver and sender format compatibility
Choose the receiving application before installing a phone app. If your production is in OBS and the phone is an iPhone or iPad, the Camera for OBS Studio documentation describes an NDI workflow. It calls for OBS Studio, the DistroAV plug-in and the required NDI Runtime on the computer, with NDI output enabled in the phone app. See the Camera for OBS Studio NDI instructions for current requirements and setup details.
DistroAV is a third-party OBS integration, not a built-in feature that every OBS installation automatically has. Its release requirements can change. The Camera for OBS Studio documentation lists requirements for the versions it describes, but check the current documentation before installing rather than assuming that an older guide applies to your setup. OBS also maintains a smartphone camera guide that helps frame the available approaches.
NDI’s own Camera app is presented for both Android and iOS. That fact does not mean that every Android camera app, every receiver or every OBS setup accepts the same feed in the same way. Confirm the app’s current platform and regional availability, output mode and receiver requirements. The NDI Camera product page describes the app and its available controls; treat app features and labels as subject to change.
For Android, Streamlabs documents a different path: enable LAN streaming in Streamlabs Mobile, then use the URL it supplies as a media source in Streamlabs Desktop. This is product-specific. Do not assume that the URL can be pasted into OBS or that an NDI receiver can use it as an NDI source. Check the Streamlabs LAN source guide if that is the route you intend to use.
| Your phone and receiver | Documented route | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone or iPad with OBS Studio | Camera for OBS Studio sends NDI; OBS receives through DistroAV and the required NDI Runtime | Current app, OBS, plug-in and Runtime requirements; local-network permission and discovery |
| Android with Streamlabs Desktop | Streamlabs Mobile provides a LAN URL; Desktop adds it as a media source | LAN streaming is enabled, the current URL is used, and both devices are on the same network |
| Android or iOS with another receiver | Depends on that app’s specific support | Confirm the sender format and receiver support directly before setup |
A URL field, an NDI Source and a generic network camera input are not interchangeable labels. If your receiver has no documented way to accept the phone app’s feed, pick a supported workflow instead of troubleshooting a connection it cannot make. If your goal is a longer YouTube programme rather than a live camera shot, the video format choices for a 24/7 YouTube live stream are a separate decision from how you get a phone camera into a production.
Set up iPhone or iPad NDI output for OBS
Start on the computer. Install OBS Studio, DistroAV and the NDI Runtime required by the DistroAV version you choose. DistroAV’s requirements and compatible OBS or Runtime versions can change with releases, so use the current plug-in and Camera for OBS Studio documentation to check them. The research source lists one set of version requirements for its described release; those numbers should not be treated as permanent minimums.
Next, install Camera for OBS Studio on the iPhone or iPad. Open the app settings, go to Output, choose NDI (some releases may use the label NewTek NDI), and check that its status indicates it is broadcasting. Keep the app open while testing. If the app is not actively publishing a feed, there is nothing for OBS to discover.
The setup uses two separate pieces of software on the computer: OBS is the production application, while DistroAV provides the NDI source integration. NDI Runtime is another required component in the documented route. Installing only OBS, or only the phone app, does not complete the chain. Follow the current installation notes for any restart required after adding or updating components.
This route relies on the documented compatibility between the phone app’s NDI output and the receiver components. Compatibility claims are version-specific; do not assume that a change to the phone app, plug-in or Runtime is irrelevant. If you are setting up a channel that already works, record the versions and avoid updating everything just before a long broadcast. Test updates in a short session first.
Before mounting the phone, make sure the camera is framed and the device has a reliable power arrangement. A long camera session can warm a phone and drain its battery. Keep the lens clear, disable interruptions where appropriate, and decide whether autofocus and exposure changes are acceptable for the scene. For a stable shot of a shop counter or prayer space, a phone clamp or stand may help, but it is an optional framing accessory rather than a requirement of NDI.
Add the NDI source and select the phone
With the phone broadcasting, create or open the OBS scene that should contain the camera. Add an NDI Source using the source controls supplied by DistroAV. Open that source’s properties and select the phone from the available sources. The source may take a short time to appear; if it does not, reopen the properties after checking the network and broadcasting status.
Once the source is present, check the composition in the OBS preview. Confirm that the image is the intended camera and orientation, and that any audio included in the feed is the audio you want. A phone feed may be suitable as a picture source without being the best audio source for a production; listen before routing it into the programme mix. Keep an eye on sync and picture stability during a test, rather than assuming discovery means the feed is ready for use.
If OBS cannot see the phone, troubleshoot from the ends inward. Confirm the phone app says it is broadcasting. Confirm OBS, DistroAV and the required Runtime are installed and compatible. Then check that the devices share a local network and are not separated by guest-network or client-isolation settings. On iOS, check that the app has Local Network permission. On Windows, check that OBS and DistroAV are allowed through the firewall on a Private network profile, where appropriate.
The documented discovery path uses mDNS. A network that blocks mDNS, isolates wireless clients or places devices on separate subnets may prevent the phone from appearing even though both devices can browse the web. If you have changed receiver components, restart the relevant applications or computer as directed by their installation notes. The OBS reconnect troubleshooting guide concerns a different failure point, but it is useful to keep the local camera connection distinct from a later OBS-to-YouTube reconnect problem.
Use the documented Android Streamlabs workflow
For the Android route described by Streamlabs, install Streamlabs Mobile on the phone and Streamlabs Desktop on the receiving computer. Enable LAN streaming in the mobile app. The app provides a URL for the feed; in Streamlabs Desktop, add a media source and use that URL. Streamlabs’ Mobile LAN Streaming Source Guide gives the current product-specific steps.
Both devices need to be connected to the same Ethernet or Wi-Fi network for the documented local workflow. Use the URL supplied by the phone app rather than guessing an address or substituting an NDI source. If you use OBS instead of Streamlabs Desktop, do not assume that the Streamlabs URL is a supported OBS input; verify receiver support or choose a documented OBS-compatible sender and receiver pair.
The practical trade-off is not that one method is always better. With the iPhone/iPad NDI route, OBS discovers an NDI source through its plug-in integration. With the Streamlabs route, the mobile app supplies a URL that Desktop uses as a media source. Your choice should follow the software you already use and the exact compatibility the vendor documents. Neither route establishes a universal protocol for every Android or iOS device.
If you are already using Streamlabs Desktop for a YouTube channel, test the phone feed in a scene before building the whole programme around it. Keep the phone app open, confirm that the URL remains usable during the test, and check what happens after the phone locks or changes networks. For overnight operations, also test what happens if the computer sleeps or the phone loses power. A camera source that works for a brief preview may still need attention during a long session; the overnight stream failure checklist can help separate source problems from broader broadcast interruptions.
Put devices on the same network and test
Connect the phone and computer to the same local network, usually the same home or business Wi-Fi network. “Same internet connection” is not always enough: a guest network can block communication between devices, and some access points isolate wireless clients. If the phone is on guest Wi-Fi and the computer is on the main network, discovery or access to the source may fail even though both can reach websites.
For iPhone or iPad NDI discovery, check that Local Network access is allowed for the sender app. On a Windows computer, check the network profile and firewall permissions for OBS and DistroAV. If the devices are on separate subnets, or the network blocks mDNS, the documented discovery mechanism may not find the phone. Ask whoever manages the router or business network whether client isolation or discovery filtering is enabled before changing settings you do not control.
Test in stages. First, confirm the phone app is broadcasting or has produced its LAN URL. Next, confirm the receiver can see or open the feed. Then run a short production test and watch for stutter, dropped frames, audio issues and excessive delay for your use. There is no single network setting that guarantees a particular picture quality or latency; results depend on the phone, software, distance from the access point and local network conditions.
If the video stutters, try a lower resolution or frame rate in the sender app if those controls are available. Move the phone closer to the access point and reduce competing network traffic. Ethernet may be worth trying when the phone and adapter support it; it is optional, not a universal requirement. Check the connector on your phone and adapter compatibility before buying. NDI recommends Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 7 equipment for higher NDI bitrates and resolutions, but that is not a guarantee of performance on a particular network.
Some NDI workflows offer lower-bandwidth choices. Use one only if the reduced image quality is acceptable in your scene, and evaluate the result in the actual OBS preview. For a fixed wide shot, a softer image may be adequate; a close-up of text or a product label may need more detail. Make that decision based on the picture viewers need, not on a label such as “high” or “low” alone.
Treat the local camera as one part of the broadcast chain. Your computer still needs enough capacity to run the production, and the outgoing connection to YouTube is separate from the phone’s LAN feed. If the whole stream stops, check whether the phone source disappeared or whether OBS lost its broadcast connection. For a channel built around a long-running playlist, this guide to keeping a YouTube store promo stream running after a Windows update addresses a different operational risk: a host computer update can interrupt a stream regardless of how the camera reached OBS.
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FAQ
How do I use my phone as a camera in OBS over Wi-Fi?
For the documented iPhone or iPad route, use Camera for OBS Studio to send NDI, and install OBS Studio, DistroAV and the required NDI Runtime on the computer. Add an NDI Source in OBS and select the phone. Confirm current software requirements and keep both devices on a network that permits discovery.
Why can’t OBS see my phone?
Check that the phone app is actively broadcasting, the sender and receiver formats match, and both devices are on the same local network. Guest Wi-Fi, client isolation, blocked mDNS, iOS Local Network permission or a Windows firewall rule can prevent discovery. Reopen the source properties after correcting a setting, and restart components if their installation instructions require it.
Can I use the Streamlabs Android LAN feed in OBS?
The documented Streamlabs workflow uses the URL from Streamlabs Mobile as a media source in Streamlabs Desktop. That does not establish that OBS accepts the same URL or that the feed is interchangeable with NDI. Check OBS support for that exact input or use a sender-and-receiver combination documented for OBS.
Do I need an Ethernet adapter for my phone?
No. Ethernet is an optional way to test a more stable network connection when the phone and a compatible adapter support it. Check the phone’s connector and adapter compatibility before purchasing; a Wi-Fi setup may be sufficient for your camera and network conditions.