Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Camera in Windows 10  

    Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Camera in Windows 10

    Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Camera in Windows 10

    How to Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Camera in Windows 10
    Published by Category: Hardware & Drivers
    08 Apr 2021
    Designer Media Ltd



    How to Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Camera in Windows 10


    In Windows 10, having a camera as part of your device or system lets you make Skype video calls, take pictures, etc. Many apps and services request and use the camera, and Windows settings give you control over which apps can use your camera.

    Some people worry about unknown apps, organizations, or malware using their camera. Whenever your camera is used, you should be in charge. That’s why you’re always told when your camera is turned on:
    • If your device or camera comes with a camera light, the light will turn on when the camera is in use.
    • If your system doesn’t have a camera light, you’ll get a notification to let you know when the camera turns on or off.

    For more information, see: Windows 10 camera and privacy

    Starting with Windows 10 build 17063, you can now allow or deny Windows 10 and apps access to the camera 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 can access the camera. If you turn on to allow apps access to your camera, you can choose to turn on (allow) or off (deny) access for individual apps.

    Starting with Windows 10 build 18298, Microsoft updated the camera 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 camera for all users or only your account in Windows 10.

    If you turn on Windows Hello, it will use your camera to sign you in even if Let apps use your camera is turned off. If Windows Hello is turned off, it can’t access your camera. (Windows Hello, part of Windows 10, is a new way to sign in to your devices, apps, online services, and networks.)



    Contents

    • Option One: Allow or Deny Windows and Apps Access to Camera for All Users in Settings
    • Option Two: Allow or Deny Windows and Apps Access to Camera for All Users using a REG file
    • Option Three: Turn On or Off Let Apps Access Your Camera in Settings
    • Option Four: Turn On or Off Let Apps Access Your Camera using a REG file
    • Option Five: Turn On or Off Let Specific Apps Access Your Camera in Settings
    • Option Six: Enable or Disable Let Windows Apps Access the Camera for All Accounts in Local Group Policy Editor
    • Option Seven: Enable or Disable Let Windows Apps Access the Camera for All Accounts using a REG file






    OPTION ONE

    Allow or Deny Windows and Apps Access to Camera for All Users in Settings


    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 Camera on the left side, click/tap on the Change button on the right side, and turn On (default) or Off Camera access for this device for what you want. (see screenshots below)

    Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Camera in Windows 10-camera_access_for_device-2.jpg Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Camera in Windows 10-camera_access_for_device-1.jpg






    OPTION TWO

    Allow or Deny Windows and Apps Access to Camera for All Users 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.

    The downloadable .reg files below will modify the string value in the registry key below.

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CapabilityAccessManager\ConsentStore\webcam

    Value string value

    Deny = Off
    Allow = On


    1 Do step 2 (on) or step 3 (off) below for what you would like to do.


     2. To Turn On Allow Windows and Apps Access to Camera for All Users

    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_acecss_to_camera_for_device.reg

    Download


     3. To Turn Off Allow Windows and Apps Access to Camera for All Users

    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

    Turn_OFF_Windows_and_apps_acecss_to_camera_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 Press the Win + M keys to apply.

    8 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.






    OPTION THREE

    Turn On or Off Let Apps Access Your Camera in Settings


    The setting in this option will be grayed out unless Camera 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 Camera on the left side, and turn On (default) or Off Let apps use your camera on the right side for what you want. (see screenshots below)

    Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Camera in Windows 10-camera_access_for_apps-2.jpg Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Camera in Windows 10-camera_access_for_apps-1.jpg






    OPTION FOUR

    Turn On or Off Let Apps Access Your Camera using a REG file


    This option will not get applied until Pictures library 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\webcam

    Value string value

    Deny = Off
    Allow = On


    1 Do step 2 (on) or step 3 (off) below for what you would like to do.


     2. To Turn On Let Apps Access Your Camera

    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_camera_for_current_account.reg

    Download


     3. To Turn Off Let Apps Access Your Camera

    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

    Turn_OFF_apps_access_to_camera_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.






    OPTION FIVE

    Turn On or Off Let Specific Apps Access Your Camera in Settings


    The settings in this option will be grayed out unless Let apps access your camera 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\webcam

    Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Camera in Windows 10-choose_apps_that_can_access_your_camera_registry.jpg


    1 Open Settings, and click/tap on the Privacy icon.

    2 Click/tap on Camera on the left side, turn On or Off apps you want under Choose apps that can access your camera 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.

    Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Camera in Windows 10-choose_apps_to_use_my_camera.jpg






    OPTION SIX

    Enable or Disable Let Windows Apps Access the Camera for All Accounts in Local Group Policy Editor


    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

    Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Camera in Windows 10-let_app_use_my_camera_gpedit-1.jpg

    3 In the right pane of App Privacy in Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Let Windows apps access the camera policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)

    4 Do step 5 (enable) or step 6 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


     5. To Enable Let Windows Apps Access the Camera for All Accounts

    This is the default setting.

    A) Select (dot) Not Configured, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)


     6. To Disable Let Windows Apps Access the Camera for All Accounts

    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)

    Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Camera in Windows 10-let_app_use_my_camera_gpedit-3.jpg


    7 When finished, you can close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.






    OPTION SEVEN

    Enable or Disable Let Windows Apps Access the Camera for All Accounts using a REG file


    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

    LetAppsAccessCamera DWORD value

    (delete) = Enable
    2 = Disable

    LetAppsAccessCamera_UserInControlOfTheseApps hex value
    LetAppsAccessCamera_ForceAllowTheseApps hex value
    LetAppsAccessCamera_ForceDenyTheseApps hex value

    (delete) = Enable
    hex(7):00,00 = Disable


    1 Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


     2. To Enable Let Windows Apps Access the Camera for All Accounts

    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_my_camera.reg

    Download


     3. To Disable Let Windows Apps Access the Camera for All Accounts

    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

    Disable_Let_apps_access_my_camera.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


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  2. ste92a
    Posts : 2
    windows 10
       New #1

    Hi,

    Thanks a thousand time for your help. After messing things up with W10Privacy and other privacy tool ,i was unable to use my cam and microphone and with the option 7 everything work again.

    THANKS
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  3. Brink
    Posts : 66,618
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       New #2

    ste92a said:
    Hi,

    Thanks a thousand time for your help. After messing things up with W10Privacy and other privacy tool ,i was unable to use my cam and microphone and with the option 7 everything work again.

    THANKS
    You're most welcome ste92a.

    I'm glad it could help.
    Last edited by Brink; 25 Apr 2020 at 11:26.
      My Computers
    Quote Quote

  5. ste92a
    Posts : 2
    windows 10
       New #3

    It really helped me. Thanks.

    All that tutorial with regs files are pure gold.
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  6. WIZZs
    Posts : 3
    Windows 10 Enterprise
       New #4

    Thank you for the great resources.
    Last edited by WIZZs; 28 Jan 2021 at 05:52.
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  8. Brink
    Posts : 66,618
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       New #5

    Glad they can help.
      My Computers
    Quote Quote

  9. dalchina
    Posts : 40,665
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       New #6

    Hi, this seems to address Store apps only (if so could that be made clearer?)

    A problem has been noted with 'desktop' programs in that there's no way to remove permission granted to a particular program:
    How do I remove an app from privacy permissions?

    e.g. no way to remove or change these:
    Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Camera in Windows 10-untitled.png

    Any thoughts? Thanks!
      My Computers
    Quote Quote

  10. Brink
    Posts : 66,618
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       New #7

    Hello @dalchina,

    I haven't seen a way other than to turn on/off all of them, or uninstalling the app.
      My Computers
    Quote Quote

  11. dalchina
    Posts : 40,665
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       New #8

    Thanks for confirming that. I'm wondering if deleting the registry entry as per the screenshot in my post
    How do I remove an app from privacy permissions?

    would work, although that would need e.g. Powerrun...
    Seems a bit like desperation though. (Not something I need to do myself thankfully)
      My Computers
    Quote Quote

  12. Brink
    Posts : 66,618
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       New #9

    dalchina said:
    Thanks for confirming that. I'm wondering if deleting the registry entry as per the screenshot in my post
    How do I remove an app from privacy permissions?

    would work, although that would need e.g. Powerrun...
    Seems a bit like desperation though. (Not something I need to do myself thankfully)
    I haven't tested, but a backup first would be a good idea.

    I had "Google Chrome", but it wasn't listed in that registry location though.
      My Computers
    Quote Quote

 

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