Want to step up the quality of your video chats? Learn how to use a camera as a webcam with these solutions, including some free options.

Now that you’ve connected your phone and your laptop together for that sharp webcam experience, you’re going to want to mount it somewhere, or tape it to the top of your computer.

Once your camera is plugged in, navigate through the setup wizard provided on the CD. For the setup wizard to work, your PC will must be on the same network as the camera.

They also allow users to manually turn off the camera when it's not in use, a feature that most built-in laptop cameras do not have.

However, if you want a setup that is a step above your computer camera, but doesn’t require too many accessories, then an affordable, external webcam is the choice for you.

All is not lost, however—you might still be able to cobble together an equivalent setup with a digital SLR (dSLR) camera, camcorder, GoPro, or premium point-and-shoot you already own.

However, if you want a setup that is a step above your computer camera, but doesn’t require too many accessories, then an affordable, external webcam is the choice for you.