Most laptops and all laptops come with a built-in webcam that lets you run video chats, face recognition for login authentication, and so on. Due to the widespread use of these webcams, they have always been a target for hackers to record and steal personal information. To avoid these unexpected usage scenarios, the developers have included a small LED next to the webcam illuminating while the webcam is running. But is it safe?
Turn off Webcam in Laptop
To disable the webcam module on your computer, we will use the Device Manager tool in Windows. First, press ” Win + R “, type, and press the Enter button to open Device Manager. If you are using Windows 8, press “ Win + X ” to open the Power User menu and select the option “ Device Manager ”.
In Device Manager, find “Imaging Devices” and double click on it to display the option “ Integrated Webcam ”. If you are using a webcam with a USB key, the device’s name should be something like ” USB Camera “.
Note: Depending on your webcam, the webcam module may also appear in other Device Manager locations such as System Devices, Universal Serial Bus Controllers, etc.
Right-click on ” Integrated Webcam ” and choose the option ” Disable ” to disable altogether the built-in webcam or USB attached to your computer.
At this point, you will get a warning message that the target device will stop working. Since this is what we want to accomplish, click the “ Yes ” button to finish the process.
When the webcam is disabled, Device Manager displays a small arrow icon next to the webcam module that visually displays the device being turned off.
If you want to re-enable the built-in webcam, open Device Manager, right-click on the webcam module, and select the option “Enable”.
That’s all there is to do, and it’s simple to altogether disable an integrated webcam or USB-included without messing with a whole lot of DIY tools. Of course, if you want a simple software that can do all this with just one click, then try turning on WebCam. The good thing is that the software is portable, and it only works without any unnecessary settings.
I hope that helps and comment below. Share your thoughts and experiences using this simple trick to disable your built-in webcam altogether.
