How to Enable and Disable the Webcam on Mac
People who are worried about their privacy often tend to cover up their Web camera whenever it is not being used. They either do this by using a special accessory or with a much simpler solution – a piece of tape. However, you can also disable your Mac's built-in camera by making small changes to your system's settings. You can also learn about common ways to troubleshoot webcam issues by following our guide on Troubleshooting Webcam Issues.
Disabling the Built-in Camera
Unfortunately, there is not an option, which can fully disable the built-in camera of your Mac. While it tends to be turned off whenever it is not being used, this is not enough for the majority of privacy-concerned users. Thankfully, there is a workaround to make camera access restricted for the entire system via Screen Time:
- Go to Apple Menu -> System Preferences -> Screen Time.
- Select the Content Privacy tab.
- Make sure that Camera is not allowed.
- Also, make sure that Content & Privacy Restrictions are turned on.
While taking such drastic measures to disable camera access may seem unnecessary to some people, you can rest assured that this is not simply about people being paranoid. Modern computer (including Mac) viruses may try to hijack video and audio footage from the Web camera – this happens without the user's knowledge. Such situations may allow cybercriminals to use the stolen footage to extort the victim for money, for example. Apart from disabling camera access, users can protect themselves from such situations by using reputable Mac security software.
