How to Restrict Websites from Accessing Webcam and Microphone

When visiting websites, you may come across situations where certain sites automatically gain access to your webcam and microphone, which can raise privacy concerns. It’s important to have control over which websites can access these devices. In this article, we will explain how you can restrict websites from accessing your webcam and microphone through browser settings and operating system settings.

Via Browser Settings:

Google Chrome, Opera and Brave:

1. Open your preferred browser(Chrome, Opera, or Brave).
2. Type “chrome://settings/content” in the address bar and press Enter.
3. In the Permissions section, click on “Camera”.
4. Remove any websites from the “Allowed” list by clicking on the bin icon.
5. If you want to disallow camera access to all sites, check “Don’t allow sites to use your camera”.
6. Go back to Site Settings and click on “Microphone” under Permissions.
7. Remove any websites from the list.
8. Check “Don’t allow sites to use your microphone”.

Firefox:

1. Open Firefox.
2. Type “about:preferences#privacy” in the address bar and press Enter.
3. Scroll down to the Permissions section.
4. Click on “Settings” next to Camera.
5. Remove camera access for specific websites or click on “Remove All Websites” to remove camera access for all sites.
6. Check “Block new requests asking to access your camera” to restrict camera pop-up requests.
7. Click on “Settings” next to Microphone.
8. Block microphone access for specific websites or check “Block new requests asking to access your microphone” and save changes.

Safari:

1. Open Safari.
2. Click on “Safari” in the top-left corner and select “Preferences”.
3. Go to the “Websites” tab and click on “Camera”.
4. Deny camera access for specific applications and set “When visiting other websites” to “Deny”.
5. Similarly, click on “Microphone” and adjust settings accordingly.

Microsoft Edge:

1. Type “edge://settings/content” in the address bar and press Enter.
2. Scroll down and click on “Camera”.
3. Remove websites from the “Allow” list to restrict camera access.
4. Disable “Ask before accessing” if you want to permanently block a website.
5. Go back and select “Microphone”.
6. Remove websites from the “Allow” list and toggle “Ask before accessing” off.

Via Operating System Settings:

Windows:

1. Press the Windows + I keys to open Settings.
2. Navigate to “Privacy & Security”.
3. Under “App permissions”, click on “Camera”.
4. Disable “Let desktop apps access your camera” or “Camera access” to restrict camera access.
5. Go back to “Privacy & Security” and click on “Microphone”.
6. Toggle “Let desktop apps access your microphone” off to restrict microphone access.

macOS:

1. Click on the Apple icon and select “System Preferences”.
2. Choose “Security & Privacy”.
3. Click on the “Privacy” tab.
4. Click on the lock icon and enter your password.
5. Select “Camera” and uncheck the browser to disable camera access.
6. Similarly, click on “Microphone” and disable microphone access for the browser.

Conclusion

By following the steps mentioned above, you can restrict websites from accessing your webcam and microphone. Adjusting browser settings and operating system settings allows you to have more control over your privacy and ensure that websites cannot access these devices without your permission. Protect your privacy by managing camera and microphone permissions according to your preferences.

Experiencing difficulties with your Device, check out our “How To” page on how to resolve some of these issues.