Windows 11 will soon let you block camera and mic access for any individual desktop app
Windows 11 is gaining granular privacy controls that will let users block camera and microphone access on a per-app basis for Win32 applications. Currently, privacy permissions for these resources are managed at the system level, but the upcoming feature will allow users to independently restrict specific apps like Chrome, Discord, and Steam from accessing their camera and microphone hardware.
The functionality has been discovered in Windows 11’s latest Experimental Insider Build (26340.9212) and was first spotted by X user @jakub25050. The feature appears to require enabling the Win32SignatureIdentity flag (60730253), though some users report access without enabling additional feature flags. The discovery has been confirmed by other Windows researchers, including the account @phantomofearth, indicating the feature is present across multiple test systems.
This change addresses a long-standing gap in Windows privacy controls for desktop applications. While Windows has offered app permission management for modern UWP apps, traditional Win32 programs have largely operated outside these controls, giving users limited ability to restrict access to sensitive hardware like cameras and microphones. The new per-app permission system would bring Win32 applications in line with modern privacy standards and give users greater transparency and control over their device resources.