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How to Install Wireless Webcam App ‘DroidCam’ in Ubuntu 16.04

Last updated: December 24, 2016

DroidCam icon

DroidCam is a simple tool that turns your Android device into a wireless webcam, letting you chat on Skype, Google+, and other programs.

It also works with OBS/XSplit/etc for streaming to Twitch or YouTube. You can also use DroidCam as an IP webcam (or Surveillance Camera) via a Internet browser virtually on all networks. Use it as a simple pet cam, spy cam, or a security camera.

Features:

  • Chat using “DroidCam Webcam” on your computer, including Sound and Picture.
  • Connect over WiFi or USB cable.
  • Use other apps with DroidCam in background.
  • Surveillance/IP webcam MJPEG access

droidcam-via-cheese

How to Install DroidCam in Ubuntu:

1. Download DroidCam Linux client from the official links below:

DroidCam for Linux 32-bit

DroidCam for Linux 64-bit

2. Extract and open the result folder in terminal by selecting “Open in Terminal” from its context menu.

droidcam-folder

3. When the terminal opens, run the install script to make and install the client in your system:

install-droidcam

Type in your password when it asks (no visual feedback) and hit Enter.

Once installed, you should be able to launch the client by running droidcam command in terminal.

4. To create a launcher shortcut, run command to create an empty configuration file:

gedit ~/.local/share/applications/droidcam.desktop

And paste below lines when the files opens and save it.

[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Type=Application
Terminal=false
Name=DroidCam
Exec=droidcam
Comment=Use your Android phone as a wireless webcam or an IP Cam!
Icon=droidcam
Categories=GNOME;GTK;Video;
Name[it]=droidcam

droidcam-shortcut

For the shortcut icon file, grab one from the web, name droidcam (.png, or .svg), put it into .local/share/icons folder.

locate-droidcam-icons

Finally launch the client and start DroidCam in Android, select connection mode, type in ip, port, and click connect.

Open up a V4L2 compatible program (VLC player, Skype, Cheese, etc) and you should see DroidCam listed as a video device.

To update the webcam resolution, edit the configuration file via command:

sudo apt install gksu && gksudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/droidcam.conf

then change the value of width and height. Recommended resolutions are 320×240, 480×360, 640×480, 960×720 or 1280×720.

droidcam-conf

(Optional) To remove DroidCam client in Ubuntu, run the uninstall script via command:

sudo /opt/droidcam-uninstall

Thanks for reading and Merry Christmas!

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11 responses to How to Install Wireless Webcam App ‘DroidCam’ in Ubuntu 16.04

  1. Steve December 27, 2016 at 10:42 pm

    I do actually see a big issue with this..

    Why not just do the chatting through hangouts on the phone? It’s all sync’s with the desktop anyway so doing it this way is just extra work for nothing.

  2. david January 27, 2017 at 7:19 am

    hello ji m

    I have a little issue with OBS, I can see the camera imput as V4L2 and work so good, but I cant get audio from the cellphone, that could be posssible?

    thanks for all your work ji m (you are my favorite tutor online)

    • david January 27, 2017 at 11:10 am

      I was reading about and V4L2 don’t have a audio layer, is only video, the DroidCam windows client run a virtual audio card and is listed in OBS.
      I solve this problem in linux just running an audio server from my android (like LANmic), and getting the streaming using VLC and recording the system output in OBS.
      maybe is a not elegant solution but work to me. of course that method have hi latency even using a low buffer….

  3. meetloaf13 January 29, 2017 at 10:31 pm

    I get the error ./install: line 36 make: command not found

    Any help? Lubuntu 16.04 thanks

  4. Islam Abdel Fadil February 20, 2017 at 8:45 pm

    I need to (select connection mode, type in ip, port, and click connect.) using terminal .. how can i do that ??

  5. Cauẽ February 24, 2017 at 12:12 am

    Works on ubuntu 16.10! Thank you!

  6. BryanHan March 3, 2017 at 5:11 am

    Hi, I’m trying to install DroidCam 64bit on Ubuntu 16.04.

    When I install I got (insmod: ERROR: could not insert module /lib/modules/4.4.0-62-generic/kernel/drivers/media/video/v4l2loopback-dc.ko: Required key not available)error.

    Is this a kernel problem? What do I do? Thanks.

  7. Sharad July 21, 2017 at 8:04 pm

    I’m getting the following error in Ubuntu Gnome 16.04

    Webcam parameters: ‘640’ and ‘480’
    Building v4l2loopback-dc.ko
    make: Entering directory ‘/home/sharad/Music/droidcam-64bit/v4l2loopback’
    make -C /lib/modules/`uname -r`/build M=`pwd`
    make[1]: Entering directory ‘/usr/src/linux-headers-4.8.0-58-generic’
    LD /home/sharad/Music/droidcam-64bit/v4l2loopback/built-in.o
    CC [M] /home/sharad/Music/droidcam-64bit/v4l2loopback/v4l2loopback-dc.o
    Building modules, stage 2.
    MODPOST 1 modules
    CC /home/sharad/Music/droidcam-64bit/v4l2loopback/v4l2loopback-dc.mod.o
    LD [M] /home/sharad/Music/droidcam-64bit/v4l2loopback/v4l2loopback-dc.ko
    make[1]: Leaving directory ‘/usr/src/linux-headers-4.8.0-58-generic’
    make: Leaving directory ‘/home/sharad/Music/droidcam-64bit/v4l2loopback’
    Moving driver and executable to system folders
    Registering webcam device
    insmod: ERROR: could not insert module /lib/modules/4.8.0-58-generic/kernel/drivers/media/video/v4l2loopback-dc.ko: Required key not available

  8. Erick August 29, 2017 at 8:07 pm

    Hello. I don’t listen audio of DroidCam… In Windows, I can use microphone of my phone. but Ubuntu, I can’t use microphone