To use your camera with apps on Windows 11, you'll need to turn on some permissions in Camera settings. Then, you'll need to check your app permissions if you want to use your camera with apps. Here's how:
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Select Start > Settings > Privacy & security > Camera, then make sure Camera access is turned on. This setting lets any user on the device choose if they want apps to be able to access the camera.
: If you can't change the Camera access setting, you'll need an administrator on the device to turn it on for you.
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Make sure Let apps access your camera is turned on. This setting allows you to choose if any of your apps can access the camera. It doesn't set which specific apps can access the camera.
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Once you've allowed your apps to access the camera, you can change the setting for each app. Find the app you want, then turn on camera access for that app.
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If you don't see an app in the list, it might be a desktop app. Find Let desktop apps access your camera and make sure it's turned on. You can't change camera access settings for individual desktop apps. Desktop apps might include apps installed from the internet, a USB drive, or apps installed by your IT admin. Internet browsers, like Microsoft Edge, and video conferencing apps, like Microsoft Teams, are desktop apps that need this setting to be turned on.
Exceptions to camera privacy settings
If you use Windows Hello to sign in, your PC will sign you in even if the Camera access setting is turned off. If Windows Hello is turned off, your PC won't access your camera.
Some apps take photos or videos with the Camera app. This means that the app will not appear in the list and its access to the camera is determined by the camera access setting for the Camera app. The Camera app won’t capture and send any images to the app that opened it unless you explicitly select the capture button in the Camera app.
Desktop apps might not appear in the list of apps available on the Camera settings page and might still be able to access your camera or microphone even when these settings are turned off. Learn more
To use your camera with apps on Windows 10, you'll need to turn on some permissions in Camera settings. Then, you'll need to check your app permissions if you want to use your camera with apps. Here's how:
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Select Start > Settings > Privacy > Camera. In Allow access to the camera on this device, select Change and make sure Camera access for this device is turned on. This setting lets any user on the device choose if they want apps to be able to access the camera.
: If you can't change the Camera access setting, you'll need an administrator on the device to turn it on for you.
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Find Allow apps to access your camera and make sure it's turned on. This setting allows you to choose if any of your apps can access the camera. It doesn't set which specific apps can access the camera.
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Once you've allowed camera access to your apps, you can change the settings for each app. In Camera settings, go to Choose which Microsoft apps can access your camera, and turn on camera access for the apps you want.
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If you don't see an app in the list, it might be a desktop app. Find Allow desktop apps to access your camera and make sure it's turned on. You can't change camera access settings for individual desktop apps. Desktop apps might include apps installed from the internet, a USB drive, or apps installed by your IT admin. Internet browsers, like Microsoft Edge, and video conferencing apps, like Microsoft Teams, are desktop apps that need this setting to be turned on.
Exceptions to camera privacy settings
If you use Windows Hello to sign in, your PC will sign you in even if the Camera access setting is turned off. If Windows Hello is turned off, your PC won't access your camera.
Some apps take photos or videos with the Camera app. This means that the app will not appear in the list and its access to the camera is determined by the camera access setting for the Camera app. The Camera app won’t capture and send any images to the app that opened it unless you explicitly select the capture button in the Camera app.
Desktop apps might not appear in the list of apps available on the Camera settings page and might still be able to access your camera or microphone even when these settings are turned off. Learn more
