Best Virtual Camera Apps for Android in 2026: What Still Works
We looked at the virtual camera options Android users actually find, from open-source Xposed modules to Play Store apps and phone-as-webcam tools, and checked which ones are still maintained.
Table of Contents
Search for "virtual camera for Android" and you will find a mix of GitHub modules, Play Store apps and webcam tools, most of them old. We checked the options people actually find in 2026: what each one really does, whether it is still maintained, and where it falls short. Everything below was checked in September 2026 against each project's own pages.
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 VCAM Xposed module 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, and it has a large following.
The catch: its last source commit was in March 2022, and it has more than a hundred open issues. Users on XDA report problems on Android 14 with apps that process camera frames directly, while simple camera apps still work. Setup also means placing files at fixed paths by hand, and there are no live controls.
Community VCAM forks
Several forks of the VCAM idea exist. One small fork (Yaahua/vcam) still shows recent activity and lists Camera1 and Camera2 support with a fixed video file path. It is a hobby project with a small audience: worth a look if you like tinkering, but there is no support and no live control beyond switching through notifications.
Virtual Camera: Live Assist
This no-root app worked by running other apps inside its own virtual layer. Its own description warned that some apps can detect the virtualised camera. Its last listed version dates from July 2024, and it has reportedly been removed from Google Play since then.
DroidCam, Iriun and Camo
These are excellent at a different job: they turn your phone into a webcam for your computer. DroidCam, for example, sends your phone camera to a Windows or Linux PC over Wi-Fi or USB. They do not put your own video into apps on the phone, so they are not alternatives for the uses in this article.
DRVCAM
DRVCAM is our virtual camera for rooted Android 9–16, 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 two 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 untouched.
It works with Magisk, KernelSU and APatch and an LSPosed-family Xposed framework. It is a paid app with free trials on request, and it comes with support.
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 |
| Virtual Camera: Live Assist | In-app virtual space | No | Reportedly removed from Google Play | Limited |
| 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, use DroidCam, Iriun or Camo. If you want your own media to appear in apps on a rooted Android phone and you want it to keep working on current Android versions, with controls you can use mid-session, DRVCAM is the option that is built and supported for exactly that. Ask us for a free trial and test it with your own apps first.
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
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.
Which virtual camera works on Android 14, 15 and 16?
DRVCAM is actively developed for Android 9 through 16 on rooted phones. Results still vary by app and camera mode, so try it with a free trial.
Do I need root for a real virtual camera on Android?
For feeding your own media into other apps' cameras, yes. No-root apps can only do this inside their own virtual space, and the best-known one has reportedly left Google Play.
More on DRVCAM
Introducing DRVCAM: A Virtual Camera for Rooted Android 9–16
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.
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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.
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Run a Camera Session From Prepared Media: Presets, Live Framing and the Floating Controller
How to record, go live, take photos and run demos with DRVCAM: set up Main and two presets, frame your media, and steer everything from the floating controller without leaving the app.
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