Samsung Galaxy phones can be laptop webcams with upcoming Link to Windows update

Through an upcoming update to Link to Windows, Samsung Galaxy smartphones will be able to lend their cameras to laptops and desktops in place of a traditional webcam. Announced this week at CES 2024, Samsung and Microsoft will debut a new feature on the Galaxy Book 4 series that allows users to use the cameras on their phone as a webcam on their Windows machine.

The feature is powered by Microsoft’s Link to Windows service, which Samsung has offered deep integration with for years. When paired, a Galaxy phone’s camera can be used in all of the same places as a traditional webcam, such as in Microsoft Teams. Samsung explains : Notably, there’s a very low bar for compatibility here.

Samsung says the feature will work on Galaxy phones running One UI 1.0 and higher, meaning Android 9 or higher. That could give some added utility to older Samsung phones. It’s unclear when the feature will roll out further, but it was previously spotted in versions of the Link to Windows app . More from CES 2024: Follow Ben: Twitter/X , Threads , and Instagram.