How to Block Camera and Mic Access in Every Major Browser

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Every web browser needs specific permissions
enabled to allow the program to access your microphone and webcam. You can deny
access to your mic and camera to prevent your browser from listening or
watching you.

Each internet browser does this a little
differently, but they all provide you with the necessary tools to stop websites
from using your camera and/or mic. You just need to know where to look.

Once you’ve told your favorite browser to quit letting websites use your camera or mic, you’ll have to return to the settings described below to permit access, like if you want to record yourself with your webcam.

Otherwise, any website asking to use these devices will not be able to. You can finally keep your mic and webcam plugged in without worry that a website will start listening or watching you privately.

Chrome

Chrome has a global setting that, when
enabled, forces you to give permission to each website that requests access to
your mic or camera. If you do this, then the next time a website asks to use
your camera or microphone, you can just deny it from the pop-up message.

Step 1: Select the dotted menu button at the upper-right side of Chrome, and
then choose Settings.

Step 2: Scroll to the bottom and select Advanced.

Step 3: Choose Site Settings.

Step 4: Select Camera and press
the button next to Ask before accessing to
make sure Chrome requires your permission for camera access.

Step 5: Press the back arrow at the top left and then choose Microphone to enable the same setting
there, too.

You can also block specific sites from using
your mic and/or webcam. This is useful if you’ve already given access to the site
once before but now you want to block it. Or, if you don’t ever want to be
prompted to give the site permission to use your devices, you can follow these
steps.

Step 1: Visit the site in question and select the lock icon from the left
side of the URL.

Step 2: Select Site settings.

Step 3: Next to Camera and/or Microphone, select the menu and choose Block.

Firefox

The Firefox browser lets you prevent websites
from accessing your camera and mic from the Privacy & Security area of the settings.

Step 1: Use the three-lined menu at the top right corner of Firefox to access
Options.

Step 2: Select Privacy & Security
on the left side of the program.

Step 3: Scroll to the Permissions
area and choose Settings next to Camera and/or Microphone.

Step 4: Select Block new requests
asking to access your camera (or microphone)
from the bottom.

Step 5: Hit Save Changes.

If while on Step 3, you see a website already
in the list, it means that you’ve already given that site permission to use
your webcam and/or mic. Select the site and choose Remove Website to block it. If there are several there and you want
none of them to use your webcam or mic, just hit the Remove All Websites button.

Opera

Opera works a lot like Chrome, so you can both
block specific sites from using your camera/mic and force all sites to ask you
first before they can hear or see you.

Here’s how to enable the global “ask” setting:

Step 1: Select Settings from the
Opera menu.

Step 2: Expand the Advanced item
on the left and choose Privacy &
Security below it.

Step 3: Choose Site Settings on
the right.

Step 4: Select Camera and/or Microphone.

Step 5: Make sure the Ask before
accessing item is enabled.

If you’re on a specific website and want to
ensure that it can’t use your camera or mic, do this:

Step 1: Select the lock icon to the left of the URL at the top of Opera

Step 2: Choose Site settings.

Step 3: Select Block next to Camera and/or Microphone.

Safari

To block your camera or mic in Safari, access
the Websites area of the browser’s settings.

Step 1: Go to Safari > Preferences.

Step 2: Open the Websites tab at
the top and then choose Camera or Microphone.

Step 4: Select the menu at the bottom and choose Deny. This prevents websites not listed in the above section from
using your webcam or mic. If a website you want to control is currently open,
you can control how just that one website can use your camera and microphone by
using the menu next to the URL.

Edge

Camera and mic access is controlled for
Microsoft Edge through Windows 10 Settings.

Tip:
Learn how to use the Windows 10 Camera app.

Step 1: Right-click or tap-and-hold the Start button, and choose Settings.

Step 2: Select Privacy.

Step 3: Choose Camera or Microphone from the left pane.

Step 4: Scroll down to Microsoft Edge
and select the button next to it to change access to Off.

Internet Explorer

When a website requests access to your camera
or mic in Internet Explorer, you have to select Deny to block it. However, you can also open the Flash Player
Settings Manager to block all sites from using your camera and microphone.

Step 1: Open Control Panel. You can do so from the Start menu or by executing
the control command in the Run
dialog box (WIN+R).

Step 2: Search Control Panel for flash,
and open Flash Player when you see
it in the list.

Step 3: Go into the Camera and Mic
tab and select Block all sites from
using the camera and microphone. To block specific sites from using your
microphone or webcam, use the Camera and
Microphone Settings by Site button to add URLs to the block list.

Yandex Browser

Disable your webcam and/or microphone in
Yandex Browser with an extremely straightforward setting. Doing this will block
all sites from using your mic and/or camera:

Step 1: Select the three-lined button at the top right of the browser, to the
left of the minimize button, and choose Settings.

Step 2: Select Websites on the
left, and then Advanced site settings
from the right pane.

Step 3: Select Not allowed under Access to your camera and/or Access to your microphone.

If you want to manage existing permissions for
individual sites that you’ve already enabled access for, repeat these steps but
instead of choosing the “Not allowed” option, select Sites advanced settings to choose which sites to quit allowing.

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