The Nintendo Switch 2 can use your smartphone as a camera, players have found, and all you need are two inexpensive cables to get started.
We already knew the Switch 2 works with third-party USB cameras, and you might have one at home that you can plug in directly if it uses USB-C. But what about your phone — a device everyone carries that already has a built-in camera?
As explained by the YouTube channel Will It Work?, Nintendo’s new console is compatible with modern smartphones when connected using an HDMI to USB-C capture cable.
By connecting a USB-C to HDMI cable to your phone and attaching an HDMI capture cable to it, your phone effectively becomes a device the Switch 2 recognizes as a standard USB camera.
Will It Work? demonstrates this setup in a video and recommends a free app called TrueVistage that displays the phone’s camera in full screen mode without any distracting buttons or overlays.
Once connected, the Switch 2 simply displays the phone’s video feed on the console. There’s also a convenient camera testing feature in the system settings to make sure everything is working properly.
Nintendo Switch 2 System and Accessories Gallery
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Nintendo sells its own Switch 2 Camera for $54.99, but it’s a large accessory that you probably won’t use for anything else. So besides being a neat trick, this discovery could help you save money and simplify your setup for GameChat. After all, you’re more likely to have your phone with you while gaming on the go than to carry a separate camera.
What does this solution cost? Links from the Will It Work? video point to Amazon listings where the cables total around $30.98, though you might find them for less. Either way, that’s $24 in savings compared to the official Switch 2 camera — or $29 if you wanted the special Piranha Plant edition. Plus, depending on how often you plan to use GameChat, you're also avoiding buying another gadget that might end up sitting in a drawer.
