How to prevent any application from having access to the webcam

Safely disable webcam

In most films that deal with computer attacks, we can always see, it does not fail, as some hacker accesses the webcam of the user's laptop to spy on him. The security of operating systems makes each time it is more difficult to access it without obtaining the corresponding permits.

Among the Windows 10 configuration options, we find an option that allows us to disable access to the camera to the applications that we have installed directly from the Microsoft Store, applications that have been reviewed by Microsoft and they are completely safe.

However, it also allows us to disable access to the camera for all applications installed on our computer, a function aimed at the most distrustful and that will prevent any application, from the Microsoft Store or from outside it, from having access to the webcam integrated into our equipment.

Related article:
How to use your phone as a webcam in Windows

By deactivating this function, available in Settings> Privacy> Camera, we will prevent our team's applications from accessing the camera. But what about malicious applications? This type of application, which can reach our team in different ways, can reactivate access to our team, so the solution offered by Microsoft it is not entirely valid, especially for the most distrustful.

Remove drivers

Skype or Whatsapp

In these cases, the best solution to avoid that our camera can be activated by anyone, mainly by friends of others, is not to use third-party applications, or access the Windows registry. The solution is through remove the webcam drivers.

When we install Windows 10, our team is responsible for automatically recognizing the components of our team and looking for the drivers / drivers to be able to use them. If these are not installed, we will not be able to make use of that component.

Skype or Whatsapp
Related article:
How to blur the background of a video call in Skype

If we remove the webcam drivers from our equipment, nobody, absolutely nobody, will be able to start the webcam to spy on us, since it is not installed, via software, on our equipment, so no application can access it.

How to remove webcam drivers

Disable Webcam Windows

  • To remove the drivers from the webcam, or from any other device, we must access Cortana's search box and type Control Panel.
  • Inside the control panel, in the left column, click on Hardware and Sound.
  • In the right column, in Devices and printers, click on Device administrator.
  • Next, we must search Cameras, right-click and select Uninstall device.

From that moment on, the device related to the webcam will display a yellow triangle with an exclamation mark, inviting us to reinstall it to make it work.


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