How to Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Microphone in Windows 10
In Windows 10, having a camera and microphone as part of your device or system lets you make Skype video calls, take pictures, record videos, and more. Many apps and services request and use the camera or microphone, and Windows settings give you control over which apps can use your camera or microphone.
Some people worry about unknown apps, organizations, or malware using their camera or microphone.
Privacy statement from Microsoft: Windows 10 camera, microphone, and privacy | Microsoft privacy
Starting with Windows 10 build 17063, you can now allow or deny Windows 10 and apps access to the microphone on your device (PC) for all users.
If you allow access, users on your PC will be able to turn on or off if their apps have access to the microphone. If you turn on to let apps access your microphone, you can choose to turn on (allow) or off (deny) access for individual apps.
Starting with Windows 10 build 17686, if access to the microphone has been disabled in your privacy settings, you will now get a notification below the first time an attempt to use the microphone is blocked so you can review the settings if desired.
Starting with Windows 10 build 18252, Microsoft introduced a new mic icon that would appear in the notification area letting you know when an app was accessing your microphone. Starting with Windows 10 build 18290, Microsoft is updating it so if you hover over the icon, it will now show you which app. Double clicking the icon will open Microphone Privacy Settings. If multiple apps are using your microphone, then it will just list how many are actively using your microphone.
Starting with Windows 10 build 18298, Microsoft updated the microphone privacy settings pages to provide information on which apps are currently using the microphone and camera, and the date/time apps last accessed your microphone and camera.
This tutorial will show you how to change Privacy settings to allow or deny Windows and apps access to the microphone for all users or only your account in Windows 10.
Contents
- Option One: Allow or Deny Windows and Apps Access to Microphone for All Users in Settings
- Option Two: Allow or Deny Windows and Apps Access to Microphone for All Users using a REG file
- Option Three: Turn On or Off Let Apps Access Your Microphone in Settings
- Option Four: Turn On or Off Let Apps Access Your Microphone using a REG file
- Option Five: Turn On or Off Let Specific Apps Access Your Microphone in Settings
- Option Six: Enable or Disable Let Windows Apps Access the Microphone for All Accounts in Local Group Policy Editor
- Option Seven: Enable or Disable Let Windows Apps Access the Microphone for All Accounts using a REG file
This option is only available starting with Windows 10 build 17063.
You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do this option.
1 Open Settings, and click/tap on the Privacy icon.
2 Click/tap on Microphone on the left side, click/tap on the Change button on the right side, and turn On (default) or Off Microphone access for this device for what you want. (see screenshots below)
This option is only available starting with Windows 10 build 17063.
You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do this option.
The downloadable .reg files below will modify the string value in the registry key below.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CapabilityAccessManager\ConsentStore\microphone
Value string value
Deny = Off
Allow = On
1 Do step 2 (on) or step 3 (off) below for what you would like to do.
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Turn_ON_Windows_and_apps_access_to_microphone_for_device.reg
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Turn_OFF_Windows_and_apps_access_to_microphone_for_device.reg
Download
4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
7 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
The setting in this option will be grayed out unless Microphone access for this device is turned on from Option One or Option Two above.
1 Open Settings, and click/tap on the Privacy icon.
2 Click/tap on Microphone on the left side, and turn On (default) or Off Let apps use your microphone on the right side for what you want. (see screenshots below)
This option will not get applied until Microphone access for this device is turned on from Option One or Option Two above.
The downloadable .reg files below will modify the string value in the registry key below.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CapabilityAccessManager\ConsentStore\microphone
Value string value
Deny = Off
Allow = On
1 Do step 2 (on) or step 3 (off) below for what you would like to do.
This is the default setting
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Turn_ON_apps_access_to_microphone_for_current_account.reg
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Turn_OFF_apps_access_to_microphone_for_current_account.reg
Download
4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
7 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
The settings in this option will be grayed out unless Let apps access your microphone is turned on from Option Three or Option Four above.
The settings for this option are stored in the subkeys in the registry key below. Each subkey represents a listed app.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CapabilityAccessManager\ConsentStore\microphone
1 Open Settings, and click/tap on the Privacy icon.
2 Click/tap on Microphone on the left side, turn On or Off apps you want under Choose apps that can access your microphone on the right side. (see screenshot below)
Note that each legacy app will not appear individually in the list like Store apps do, but they will respect the toggle starting with Windows 10 build 17063.
You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do this option.
This option will override Option One and Option Two above.
Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions. All editions can use Option Seven below to do this using a .reg file instead though.
1 Open the Local Group Policy Editor.
2 In the left pane of Local Group Policy Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\App Privacy
3 In the right pane of App Privacy in Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Let Windows apps access the microphone policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)
4 Do step 5 (enable) or step 6 (disable) below for what you would like to do.
This is the default setting.
A) Select (dot) Not Configured, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)
A) Select (dot) Enabled, select Force Deny in the "Default for all apps" drop menu under Options, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)
7 When finished, you can close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.
You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do this option.
Setting this option to disable will gray out and override Option One and Option Two above.
The downloadable .reg files below will add and modify the DWORD and hex values in the registry key below.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy
LetAppsAccessMicrophone DWORD value
(delete) = Enable
2 = Disable
LetAppsAccessMicrophone_UserInControlOfTheseApps hex value
LetAppsAccessMicrophone_ForceAllowTheseApps hex value
LetAppsAccessMicrophone_ForceDenyTheseApps hex value
(delete) = Enable
hex(7):00,00 = Disable
1 Do step 2 (on) or step 3 (off) below for what you would like to do.
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Enable_Let_apps_access_microphone.reg
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Disable_Let_apps_access_microphone.reg
Download
4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
7 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn
Related Tutorials
- How to Enable or Disable the Microphone in Windows
- How to Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Camera in Windows 10
- How to View App Permissions in Windows 10
- How to Turn On or Off Camera and Microphone in Application Guard for Microsoft Edge in Windows 10
- How to Listen to Microphone through a Playback Device in Windows
- How to Allow or Deny Apps Access to Use Voice Activation in Windows 10