How to Add Your Phone or Computer Camera to OBS with VDO.Ninja

VDO.Ninja turns your phone or computer into a remote camera feed that OBS can pick up as a Browser Source. You open the "Add your Camera to OBS" page, allow camera/microphone access, copy the generated URL, and paste it into a new Browser Source in OBS. This works for a single camera or as part of a multi-guest room, and it's the standard way to get a phone camera into a stream without a capture card.

Before you start

• OBS installed on the streaming computer.
• A phone or second computer with a browser and a camera.
• Both devices on a stable connection — VDO.Ninja's own tips recommend a hardwired connection over Wi-Fi where possible.
• Headphones for the device sending video, to avoid audio feedback loops.

Step 1: Open the camera page and allow access

Go to the VDO.Ninja site and choose Add your Camera to OBS. The page will request camera and microphone permission — allow it, then wait for the camera to load.

One thing to know before you continue: while this page is open, a director or an authenticated remote controller can remotely change your camera, microphone, URL, and digital video effects. That's by design for remote production, but it means you should only share the link with people you trust.

Step 2: Set your video and audio sources

On the camera page you can pick:

• Video Source — quality tiers including 4K, Highest, High Resolution, Balanced, and Smooth and Cool. Higher tiers cost more bandwidth and CPU; "Balanced" or "Smooth and Cool" is usually the safer pick on Wi-Fi or older phones.
• Audio Source(s) — your mic, or No Audio if you only want video.
• Audio Output Destination — where the audio plays locally.
• Default Avatar / Placeholder Image — a fallback image if the camera drops.

If you don't need a local camera or mic at all, there's a Data-only mode option, which publishes no local camera or mic.

Step 3: Copy the URL into an OBS Browser Source

1. Copy the URL shown on the camera page.
2. In OBS, add a new Browser Source.
3. Paste the URL into the source's URL field.
4. Set the width and height to match your canvas (for example 1920×1080), then confirm.

OBS will load the page and the camera feed should appear. If you see a blank or black source, right-click the Browser Source and refresh it — the page sometimes needs a reload after OBS first connects.

Step 4: Verify the feed

• Check that the video appears in the OBS preview at the expected resolution.
• Confirm audio is coming through on the right track (or that it's muted if you set No Audio).
• If you're in a room, the page will show your status — for example, "Only the director can hear you currently" or "The director has muted you," which tells you the director controls your feed.

Tips for a clean feed

VDO.Ninja lists these conditions for the best experience:

• Keep the device powered.
• Use a hardwired connection instead of Wi-Fi.
• Use headphones or earphones.
• Close other video/calling apps.
• Use a quiet room.
• Face a light source.

Common snags

When to use a room instead

If you only need one camera, the single camera page is enough. If you're bringing in multiple guests, create a Room instead — rooms add group chat and tools to manage multiple guests, plus options like requiring director approval before guests join, disabling video sharing between guests for better performance, and choosing a preferred video codec (Default, VP9, H264, VP8, AV1). Room access can be public, SSO-required, or allowlist-only, and you can change these later in Room Settings.

For a solo phone-to-OBS setup, skip the room and go straight to the camera page — it's fewer steps and less to configure.