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How to Disable the Built-In Camera in Windows

Block apps and services from using your computer's built-in camera

By Lisa Johnston Lisa Johnston Writer New York College Emerson College Lisa Johnston is a former Lifewire writer and an editor who covers computer peripherals and other consumer electronics since 2004. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on July 1, 2021 Reviewed by Jon Fisher Reviewed by Jon Fisher Wichita Technical Institute Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA certified technologist with more than 6 years' experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Windows The Ultimate Laptop Buying Guide

What to Know

Right-click Start > Device Manager. Expand Imaging devices, right-click your camera, and select Disable. Confirm when asked.For select services, go to Start > Settings > Privacy. Turn on Allow apps to access and choose the apps. This article explains how to disable your webcam in Windows, either for all apps or only a select few. Instructions are provided for Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7. How to Flip the Camera on a Surface Pro

Disable a Webcam in Windows 10 or Windows 8

Here's how you turn off the webcam altogether on your Windows 10 computer: Right-click on the Windows 10 Start button and select Device Manager. In the Device Manager window that opens, select the arrow to expand Imaging devices. Right-click your camera's name and select Disable device. You'll probably need to expand the Imaging Devices category to see your camera. To do this, click the right-pointing arrow to the left of the category name. This opens the category and shows all the devices within that category. If asked for confirmation, choose Yes. Your camera is turned off for all apps and services. If you want to use it again, return to the Device Manager window and click Enable device when you right-click your camera's name.

Disable a Webcam in Windows 10 for Selected Services

If you don't want to disable your webcam completely, you can specify which apps and services are allowed to access it, and which ones are not. In Windows 10: Select the Settings icon in the Start menu. Choose Privacy. In the Camera section, turn on Allow apps to access your camera to allow access by some apps and services. Tap the slider next to each app or service in the list to allow some apps and services to access the webcam while preventing others from having access. This option is useful when you only want to set camera restrictions for social media or chat sites that your children use, for example. This option also disables camera use for all sites you visit in the browser, so if there are sites that you want or need to use your webcam with, this method could interfere.

Why Disable Your Webcam

Most computers come with built-in cameras that applications and services can activate on their own if users give the appropriate permissions. If privacy is a concern, you may want to disable the integrated webcam on your computer altogether. You don't want malware to take control of the camera to spy on you and your home. If you're a parent, you have other reasons for disabling the webcam, all of them having to do with your kids' safety. Instant messaging and interactive websites that use laptop cameras aren’t always child-friendly or appropriate, and you might decide that disabling the webcam for a particular website is the best way to protect your children and their identities. There's no way to ignore the security concerns presented by the webcam built into your computer. Disabling the webcam entirely is probably your safest bet, but in case there are applications that you want to give access to, you can control them on a case-by-case basis.

Disable a Webcam in Windows 7

To disable your computer's webcam in Windows 7: Go to the Start menu on your desktop and click Control Panel. Select Hardware and Sound. Choose Device Manager. Select Imaging Devices and double-click your webcam in the list. Click on the Driver tab and select Disable to disable the webcam. Choose Yes when asked if you want to disable your webcam. How to Activate Your Webcam Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Install and Connect a Webcam to Your PC How to Disable a Laptop Keyboard in Windows 10 How Do I Disable a Device in Device Manager in Windows? How to Disable the Windows Firewall in Windows How to Fix It When a Zoom Camera Is Not Working How to Disable Startup Programs on Windows 10 How to Fix It When a Laptop Microphone is Not Working Windows 11 Webcam Not Working? 14 Ways to Fix It How to Secure Your Webcam in One Minute or Less How to Change Startup Programs in Windows How to Fix It When Your Headphones Aren't Working on Windows 10 How to Access the Windows 10 Startup Folder How to Disable Taskbar Button Grouping in Windows How to Fix an IPv6 No Network Access Error How to Activate Your Webcam LogiLDA.dll: What It Means and How to Fix It Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies