Smartphones can be used as a camera for Switch 2, potentially eliminating need for the $55 accessory

The Switch 2 has reached the hands of the general public and other than a few, somewhat minor, complaints, the performance upgrade is being generally appreciated. The expensive accessories, however, are still a pain point. Fortunately, a YouTuber has found a replacement for at least one of those accessories, the Switch 2 Camera, that is much more cost effective and uses something that everyone already has at home, a smartphone.

The YouTube channel ‘Will It Work?’ recently posted a video where they showed an iPhone being used as a webcam for the Switch 2’s GameChat feature. Since the Nintendo Switch 2 supports standard webcams that run on UVC or Universal Video Class, which is also something that inexpensive video capture cables support, an alternative to the camera accessory has been found. These cables or adapters are USB Type-C connectors on one end and HDMI female port on the other.

So, using a USB Type-C to HDMI cable and a video capture cable/adapter, the YouTuber linked their iPhone to their Switch 2 and immediately a ‘Camera connected’ notification popped up on the handheld. Notably, there needs to be some kind of webcam app running on the phone.

There is a noticeable lag in the camera stream but Nintendo has previously stated that they have prioritized game performance over camera fidelity. Regardless, a fairly inexpensive set of cables (don’t need to be branded ones) and a smartphone seem to have replaced what would have required a $55 accessory. The YouTuber points out that Android phones that support video over USB-C to HDMI should work as well.

This comes as good news for those who want to fully complete the Welcome Tour tech demo as it requires the USB C camera accessory for the Switch 2, and a 4K display.