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If you’re a person that thinks privacy settings are crucial, you might shy away from purchasing a webcam, even if it’s one of the best webcams on the market. After reading this article, you’ll know how to disable your webcam, which should give you the confidence you need in your computer’s security system.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
While security professionals rave about placing a piece of tape over your webcam, sometimes that isn’t enough for true peace of mind. Webcam access isn’t just limited to you. This is especially true if your system is prone to infiltration or you have general security concerns. It’s better just to ensure you don’t have to worry about anything.
Insider Tip
An external webcam can provide your overall video quality, resulting in a more enjoyable experience.
This article will focus on how to disable your webcam for Windows. If you don’t have Windows OS, you’ll have to learn how to disable a webcam on a Mac. Keep reading if you’re running Windows and don’t want your built-in cameras spying on you.
First, navigate to the “Start” button in the bottom-left corner of your screen. When the window opens, search for your “Device Manager” using the search field. Then, select the device manager.
Once Device Manager is open, look for your webcam. It should be listed under the “Device and Hardware” section.
Warning
Even if you use electrical tape over your built-in camera, this doesn’t keep you completely safe if your online security is lacking.
Once you see it in the device list, you’ll be able to right-click the webcam and choose “Disable.” When you have your webcam back up and running, you might still want to err on the side of privacy. To accomplish this, you can learn how to create a background for your webcam to keep your actual background hidden.
STAT: 2 percent of all individuals used the internet to make a voice or video call, but usage was higher among those who used the internet within the last three months, at 60 percent. (source)
