Virtual Camera Apps for Android in 2026: Compare the Four Types
A virtual camera app for Android replaces the camera feed that other apps see with a video or image you choose. Most need root and an Xposed-style framework; no-root fake camera apps, emulator cameras and phone-as-webcam tools cover different jobs.
Table of Contents
Short answer: a virtual camera app makes the camera on your Android phone show a video or image of your choice instead of the live lens. On a physical phone, the apps that do this system-wide usually need root and an Xposed-style framework. Other types cover different jobs, compared below.
Disclosure: Droid Rooter develops and sells DRVCAM. This comparison uses each alternative's primary repository or official website, linked below, and separates phone-camera replacement from phone-as-PC-webcam products. Source checks were done in September 2026 and this page was refreshed on October 27, 2026.
Virtual camera types compared
Instead of ranking individual apps, this table compares the four kinds of tool people mean when they search for a virtual camera. Behaviour in any single tool depends on your phone, Android version and the app that opens the camera.
| Type of tool | Needs root | Works system-wide | Video support | Typical use | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| System-level virtual camera (Xposed or LSPosed module) | Yes, plus an Xposed-style framework | In the apps you select | Depends on the tool | Testing camera flows and showing prepared media in compatible apps | Varies by device, Android version, framework and how each app reads the camera |
| No-root app-level "fake camera" apps | No | Usually not; mainly inside the app itself or apps it launches | Varies | Simple effects or substituting a photo in a limited flow | Other apps generally do not see the replaced feed |
| Emulator built-in cameras | No | Only inside the emulator | Depends on the emulator camera mode | App development and QA on a virtual device | It is not your physical phone |
| Desktop virtual webcams and phone bridges | No | Feeds apps on a computer, not phone apps | Live camera video | Using a phone as a PC webcam | Does not change what apps on the phone see |
Android's own emulator documentation describes camera options such as a webcam and a virtual scene for the emulated device. For rooted devices, Xposed-style frameworks work by hooking into apps, which is why root is part of that setup.
First, three different things share one name
"Virtual camera" means different things depending on who says it:
- Camera-feed replacement: other apps on the phone see your video or photo instead of the lens. This is what DRVCAM and the Xposed modules below do.
- In-app virtual spaces: apps that run other apps inside themselves and fake the camera there.
- Phone-as-webcam: tools that send your phone's real camera to a computer. Useful, but a different job entirely.
VCAM (android_virtual_cam)
The best-known open-source option is the android_virtual_cam project on GitHub. It replaces the camera feed with your own video or image and needs Xposed or LSPosed. Its README lists Android 5.0 and up.
The catch: when checked, its public repository showed its last source commit in March 2022 and a substantial open issue queue. Its documented setup uses fixed file locations rather than DRVCAM's library, presets and live editing model.
Community VCAM forks
Several forks of the VCAM idea exist. One small fork, Yaahua/vcam, lists Camera1 and Camera2 support with a fixed video file path. It is a community project worth reviewing if you like tinkering; evaluate its current activity, support and behavior directly from its repository.
DroidCam, Iriun and Camo
DroidCam, Iriun and Camo are products for turning a phone into a webcam for a computer. They do not put your own video into apps on the phone, so they solve a different problem.
DRVCAM
DRVCAM is our virtual camera for rooted Android 9+, and it is actively developed. It feeds your videos and photos into the camera of the apps you select, and it was designed around control rather than a one-time swap:
- A proper media library with import, framing and aspect ratios, and no fixed file paths.
- Main plus four presets, each saving source, speed, loop, pan, zoom, rotation, mirror and framing.
- A floating controller above the target app for playback, zoom, pan, presets and more.
- A live switch between your virtual feed and the real camera.
- Several target apps at once, with the real microphone by default.
It works with Magisk, KernelSU and APatch and an LSPosed-family Xposed framework. It is paid software with a free version (images and one app) to try first. Review the specific recorded setups and limits before making a purchase decision.
Side by side
| Option | Type | Root | Actively maintained | Live controls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DRVCAM | Camera-feed replacement | Yes | Yes | Presets, floating controller, real-camera switch |
| VCAM | Camera-feed replacement | Yes (Xposed) | No commits since March 2022 | None |
| VCAM forks | Camera-feed replacement | Yes (Xposed) | Some, small hobby projects | Minimal |
| DroidCam, Iriun, Camo | Phone as PC webcam | No | Yes | Not applicable |
Which should you pick?
If you want your phone to act as a webcam for your computer, evaluate DroidCam, Iriun or Camo. If you want your own media to appear in compatible apps on a rooted Android phone, compare the open-source projects with DRVCAM's maintained controls and support. Try the free version and test the exact phone, Android version, app and camera path you intend to use.
How to choose
- Is the phone rooted? If not, a system-level camera is not an option. Look at no-root apps or an emulator, and expect narrower results.
- Which app must see the video? Compatibility is per app and per camera mode, so test that exact app.
- Do you need video or only an image? Some tools, including the free DRVCAM version, offer images for free and keep video for paid plans.
- Phone or emulator? Emulator cameras suit development; a real-device test needs a real device.
- Do you need a PC webcam instead? Then a phone-as-webcam tool is the right category.
- Is the project maintained? Check its release dates and issue tracker before you commit time.
Android version support is set by each tool and by your framework and root method, not by Android itself, so check the tool's own documentation for the version you run.
Related guides
- Android virtual camera app testing
- Install DRVCAM with Magisk, KernelSU or APatch
- DRVCAM user manual
- Fake camera apps for Android: a guide
- Android emulator camera guide
- Virtual camera on Android not working: fixes
DRVCAM is a tool. You are solely responsible for how you use it, and DroidRooter is not responsible for any illegal use.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a virtual camera app?
A virtual camera app makes the camera on your device show a video or image you choose instead of the live lens. On Android the term covers several kinds of tool: root-based modules, no-root fake camera apps, emulator cameras and phone-as-webcam tools for a computer.
Do I need root for a virtual camera app?
For a system-level virtual camera on a physical phone, usually yes: it needs root and an Xposed-style framework. No-root apps exist, but they generally affect only themselves or apps they launch. Emulator cameras and PC webcam bridges do not need root.
What is the difference between a virtual camera app and a fake camera app?
The terms overlap. In practice, virtual camera usually means a tool that replaces the camera feed for other apps, often with root, while fake camera apps are often no-root apps that work only inside themselves or a limited flow.
Is a virtual camera app legal?
Using one on your own device, with content you have the rights to, and within the terms of the apps you use, is generally fine for testing, demos and creative work. Using it to deceive others or break a service's rules is not acceptable. This is not legal advice; check the laws and terms that apply to you.
Is VCAM still maintained?
Its main GitHub repository has had no source commits since March 2022, and users report problems on Android 14 with apps that process camera frames directly.
Is DroidCam a virtual camera for Android apps?
No. DroidCam turns your phone into a webcam for your computer. It does not feed your own video into apps on the phone.
Does a virtual camera app work on Android 14, 15 and 16?
It depends on your device, root method, framework and the app opening the camera. DRVCAM covers rooted Android 9 to 17 with one file, but results still vary, so try the free version on your exact setup.
Do I need root for DRVCAM?
Yes. DRVCAM needs Magisk, KernelSU or APatch plus a compatible Zygisk-based Xposed framework.
More on DRVCAM
Introducing DRVCAM: A Virtual Camera for Rooted Android 9+
DRVCAM turns your own videos and photos into the camera feed of the apps you choose, with live presets, framing and a floating controller. Here is what it does and who it is for.
How to Install DRVCAM on Rooted Android (Magisk, KernelSU or APatch)
A step-by-step DRVCAM setup: choosing the right build, enabling Zygisk and an Xposed framework, granting root, signing in and enabling your first target app.
How to Use DRVCAM Presets and Floating Controls
How to record, go live, take photos and run demos with DRVCAM: set up Main and four presets, frame your media, and steer everything from the floating controller without leaving the app.