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To stop a specific Microsoft Store app from using your webcam, open Start > Settings > Privacy & security > Camera in Windows 11, or Start > Settings > Privacy > Camera in Windows 10, then turn off that app’s camera toggle. Desktop apps use a separate, collective control; to block just one website, change that site’s camera permission in your browser.
Choose the control that matches what you want to block
| Control | What it affects | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Device camera access | Camera access across the device | Turn off camera access broadly, rather than for one app |
| App permissions in Windows | An individual listed Microsoft Store app, or desktop apps collectively | Revoke access for one Store app or for supported desktop-app access |
| Website permission in Edge | A specific website’s camera access through Edge | Block a site without changing permissions for other sites |
Windows 11 and Windows 10 put these controls in slightly different Settings locations. The labels and available options can also vary with the installed Windows build and device-management policy.
Turn off camera access for a Microsoft Store app
- Open Start > Settings > Privacy & security > Camera in Windows 11. In Windows 10, open Start > Settings > Privacy > Camera.
- Make sure Camera access is on. If it is off, Windows blocks camera access broadly and per-app permissions cannot restore access.
- Find the app under the list of Microsoft Store apps and switch off its camera permission.
If the app is not listed, it may be a desktop app. Windows provides individual toggles for listed Microsoft Store apps, not for each desktop app.
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On the Camera settings page, Let desktop apps access your camera is a collective control for desktop apps using camera access methods supported by Windows. Turning it off can block multiple desktop apps at once; it does not let you select one desktop app and leave the others unchanged.
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Microsoft states, “Camera privacy settings for desktop apps can’t be changed at an individual desktop app level.” Browsers such as Microsoft Edge and video-conferencing apps such as Teams are desktop apps, so they need this setting enabled to use the camera. If you need one of them to work, leave desktop-app access enabled and use the app’s own controls or the website-specific permission in your browser where applicable.
The activity list for desktop apps is not a complete inventory of every component that might be involved. Windows shows apps it has detected using supported methods; with indirect access, a component may appear instead. Do not treat the list as proof that no other component can access the camera.
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Block a website’s camera permission in Microsoft Edge
Windows controls whether Edge can access the camera; Edge separately controls whether an individual website may use it. To block a site:
- In Edge, open Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Site Permissions > All sites.
- Select the website you want to change.
- Set Camera to Block.
This setting is specific to the selected site. Microsoft warns that blocking camera access can prevent a site, including a video-conferencing site, from working as intended.
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Turn off camera access device-wide
On the Windows Camera settings page, switch off Camera access to block camera use more broadly. This is the appropriate choice if you do not want apps to use the camera, rather than merely restricting one listed app. A device-level restriction may also affect Windows features that use the camera.
If the device-level setting is unavailable or greyed out, Microsoft says an administrator must change it. On a work or school device, contact its administrator rather than trying to work around the managed setting.
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Check camera activity and understand exceptions
- Camera indicator: Microsoft says, “If your device has a camera light, the light turns on when the camera is active.” Devices without a light display a notification when the camera turns on or off.
- Windows Hello: Windows Hello may use the camera to sign you in even when app camera access is off.
- Microphone: Camera and microphone permissions are separate. Disabling camera access does not, by itself, disable the microphone.
Windows version and support context
The desktop-app camera and microphone controls are available starting with Windows 10, version 1903. An older Windows 10 installation may not show the same controls. Microsoft ended Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025; see Microsoft’s camera-permissions guidance for the current steps and support details.
For the broader explanation of Windows camera and privacy behavior, consult Microsoft’s camera, microphone, and privacy guide. If an option is missing or controlled by policy, the choices available on your device may differ from the steps above.
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