Inspiration
In 2020, I was a high school student attending classes online with a low-spec laptop and a built-in camera that looked like a potato.
I discovered apps like DroidCam and realised I could use my phone as a webcam. That experience stayed with me: I already owned a useful camera, but getting it to work the way I wanted involved compromises I couldn't afford to solve at the time.
STICam grew from that frustration. I wanted to build a free tool that helped people make better use of hardware they already owned.
What started as a personal need became a product I could build, test, release, and keep improving.
What it does
STICam turns an Android phone into a Windows webcam through USB or a trusted local Wi-Fi network.
Its main features include:
- On-device AI auto-framing using MediaPipe face tracking.
- Camera controls from Windows, including zoom, exposure, ISO, focus, flashlight, resolution, and mirroring, subject to device support.
- Optional AR face effects.
- A Windows virtual camera for compatible applications such as OBS, Discord, Zoom, and Teams.
- Automatic reconnection after temporary interruptions.
STICam requires Android 8.0 or newer and Windows 11 22H2 or newer. It provides video; the current release does not provide a virtual microphone.
