Redirect Camera Input

The Redirect Camera Input feature allows you to redirect a local camera (Splashtop On-Prem app side) into a remote session (Streamer side).

This enables the remote computer to access your local camera as if it were a native webcam, allowing use cases such as:

• Remote meetings (e.g. Microsoft Teams, Zoom)
• Remote collaboration requiring webcam input
• Remote design or lab workstations that need a camera the end user physically controls

When enabled, your local camera appears on the remote computer as a virtual camera named Splashtop Remote Camera Input, selectable from the camera list of any third-party application.

Requirements

Note: Windows 8.1 / Windows Server 2012 R2 and earlier are not supported on either side, because the virtual camera driver and the encoder pipeline are unavailable on those versions.

How to use Redirect Camera Input

1. Start a remote session to the target computer.

2. In the session toolbar, click Redirect Camera Input.

   

3. First-time use only: Splashtop installs the virtual camera driver (Splashtop Virtual Video Device) on the remote computer. Accept the Windows UAC elevation prompt on the remote side to complete the installation. The driver stays installed for future sessions.
4. The system default camera on the local device starts streaming to the remote computer, and the toolbar indicator turns green.
5. On the remote computer, open your application (Teams, Zoom, OBS, a browser meeting page, etc.) and select Splashtop Remote Camera Input from its camera list.

To stop using the camera, click Redirect Camera Input again to turn it off. The local camera closes, the remote virtual camera stops publishing frames, and the indicator returns to red. The driver remains installed on the remote computer.

Things to know

• The toolbar entry is available both in-session and at the remote computer's Windows sign-in screen.
• The toggle state applies to the current session only. After disconnecting and reconnecting, turn Redirect Camera Input on again.
• Only one Splashtop session at a time can use the remote camera on a given computer.
• If a session disconnects while streaming, the local camera closes and the remote virtual camera stops publishing automatically.

Remote Camera Selection (Advanced Configuration)

By default, Splashtop automatically selects a local camera for redirection. There is currently no UI to manually choose a camera.

To specify which camera to use, configure the following registry key on the local Windows device:

Path : HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Splashtop Inc.\Splashtop Remote Client for STE OP
Name : RemoteCameraWebcam
Type : REG_SZ
Value: <camera device name>

Value

• The value should be set to the exact name of the local camera device.
• If not set, the system will automatically select a camera.

How to find the camera name

Go to Windows Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Cameras to view the camera device name.

What if I don't want my users to redirect camera?

The team owner or super admin can disable this feature for the entire team.

1. Log in to your Splashtop On-Prem Gateway web console with the owner or super admin role.
2. Go to Settings > Team Settings > Unattended access.

3. Disable Redirect Camera Input.

   

The setting is enabled by default. When you disable it, the updated policy is pushed to connected On-Prem apps immediately and the Redirect Camera Input toolbar entry is removed — users do not need to sign out and sign back in.

Why the Redirect Camera Input entry is missing from my toolbar

The entry is hidden entirely (with no error message) when any requirement is unmet. Check the following:

• The On-Prem app on the local device is older than the required version.
• The Streamer on the remote computer is older than the required version.
• The Gateway is older than v3.42.x, so it does not relay the feature between the two endpoints.
• Either the local or the remote computer runs Windows 8.1 / Windows Server 2012 R2 or earlier.
• The local device or the remote computer is not Windows (macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, or the web app).
• The Redirect Camera Input team setting has been disabled by an admin.

FAQ

Does this use USB passthrough?
No. Redirect Camera Input uses a Splashtop virtual camera driver on the remote computer, which gives noticeably smoother frame rates than USB device redirection of a webcam.

Can I choose which remote camera the third-party app uses?
Yes — in the application on the remote computer, select Splashtop Remote Camera Input from its camera list. To control which local camera is captured, see Remote Camera Selection above.