Frequently asked questions

Is it really free?#

Yes — GPL-2.0-or-later, the same license as OBS Studio. No account, no watermark, no resolution cap, no paid tier. Both halves are on GitHub.

Does my video go through the internet?#

No. The plugin dials the phone directly over your network or the cable — no relay, no cloud service, no telemetry. The stream is unencrypted, so it's meant for trusted home and studio networks rather than shared public Wi-Fi.

Which devices work?#

Any iPhone or iPad on iOS/iPadOS 15+, with OBS Studio 32+ on Windows, macOS or Linux. Newer phones bring more lenses and formats; the feature set is the same.

Is there an Android version?#

No. The app is built on AVFoundation and VideoToolbox, and the USB path uses Apple's device service. An Android app would be a separate program sharing only the wire protocol.

Wi-Fi or USB — which should I use?#

USB, whenever the cable isn't in the way: no network, steadiest latency, immune to congestion, and it charges the phone. Wi-Fi is for when the phone has to be somewhere a cable can't reach.

Can I use it as a webcam in Zoom, Teams or Discord?#

Not directly — it's an OBS source, not a virtual-camera driver. Use OBS's own virtual camera: add the source to a scene, press Start Virtual Camera, and pick OBS Virtual Camera in the other app. You get scenes, filters and overlays on the way through.

How many phones can I use at once?#

As many as your machine can decode. One source per phone, each connected, controlled and monitored independently. The GPU decode pipeline is what makes several 4K sources comfortable.

Will it drain my battery?#

Yes — encoding video is demanding, so plan for a cable on a long stream. USB solves it by charging as you stream. Otherwise the Dim screen idle view drops brightness and stops preview rendering after ten seconds, and Disconnect when this source isn't shown anywhere stops encoding whenever the source is hidden.

Does the phone have to stay unlocked and on screen?#

For the camera, yes — iOS only runs capture while the app is in the foreground. That platform rule is exactly why remote start exists. A screen broadcast is different and keeps running across apps.

Can I record in Apple Log or HDR?#

You can stream both on supporting hardware and record the result like any other source. Apple Log needs a Pro iPhone on iOS 17+ and a LUT in OBS; HDR is HLG over HEVC. Both are beta and off by default: Color.

How is this different from a capture card and an HDMI adapter?#

A capture card gives a clean feed with no app involved, for an adapter, a cable, a card and a couple of hundred dollars. LensLink costs nothing, adds camera controls you drive from the computer, and measures its own latency so your mic can be aligned automatically. Over USB the delay is comparable.

What about the built-in Continuity Camera on macOS?#

Continuity Camera is excellent and needs nothing installed, but it's macOS only and gives you what Apple decides to give you. LensLink also runs on Windows and Linux, exposes the camera controls, lets you pick codec and format, and does automatic lip sync.

Can I control the camera without touching the phone?#

Yes — the browser panel at localhost:9980, and the same HTTP API behind it for stream decks and scripts.

How do I report a bug or ask for a feature?#

Open an issue on GitHub. For bugs, attach the OBS log and Options → Camera diagnostics: what to include.

Can I contribute?#

Yes: contribution guidelines, an architecture guide, a documented wire protocol and a roadmap.