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Wyze tweak lets you use its security camera as a work webcam

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Chances are, if your job can be done at home, you’ll be doing exactly that right now. Unless, of course, you’re still rearranging the furniture as you hone your procrastination skills ahead of starting work for real.

The pandemic that is COVID-19 has seen countless workers around the world swapping their regular office for a home setup, causing a rush on key items such as desks, laptops, and monitors.

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With working from home the new normal, an increasing number of webcams are also being fired up for online meetings between co-workers using tools such as Zoom, Skype (Microsoft Teams), and RingCentral.

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Spotting an opportunity, smart home company Wyze has just released a firmware update that lets you use your Wyze Cam v2 or Wyze Cam Pan security camera as a webcam for teleconferencing.

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“With everybody working from home while practicing social distancing, webcams are in huge demand,” the Seattle-based company said in a message posted online.

Noting that some of the better cameras are currently hard to find, it added: “Our engineers took on the challenge of creating a firmware version that would turn Wyze Cam into a webcam so that you don’t have to make an extra camera purchase. You’ll just need a microSD card to download the firmware. You’ll also need to track down a USB to USB cord.”

Testing by Wyze engineers has confirmed that the firmware works for Mac OS 10.13, as well as Windows 7 and 10. It may work with other operating system versions, too, it’s just that Wyze has only tried it on those listed here. The solution also works with Zoom, GoToMeeting, BlueJeans, Google Hangouts, Skype, and Cisco, the company said.

Wyze has created a set of step-by-step instructions to help you transform your security camera into a webcam for teleconferencing.

If you don’t have a Wyze camera but are shopping for a new webcam for your home office, Digital Trends has an updated list featuring some of the best ones currently on the market. We also have some great tips on how to work from home and an update from a man who became a global internet star when his family unexpectedly invaded his home office.

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Trevor Mogg
Trevor Mogg
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