How to disable the camera on an hp laptop. Disabling the webcam on a laptop
A webcam (webcam) is an integral part of the vast majority of laptops. By default, after the first start of the device, it is immediately ready for use. But what if you are trying to get an image from the camera, but there is none?
The main thing is not to panic. Situations when the webcam does not work on a mobile computer are most often due to the fact that it is simply turned off or not installed in the operating system (breakdowns of this device, fortunately, are rare). Read below to learn how to turn on the camera on a laptop and troubleshoot related problems.
How to quickly check if the camera is working
To find out if your webcam works at all (perhaps it doesn’t work in only one program, since it’s disabled in the settings), go to the service and click “ Check webcam».
If you see a request to allow access to the device for Adobe Flash Player, then everything is in order: the camera is working. Check " Allow» and check if the image appears on the screen.
If you see a message like in the screenshot below, it means the camera really isn’t working. We’ll figure out what to do in this case further.
Checking the status of the webcam in the system
We begin diagnosing any hardware problems by checking how it appears in Device Manager. To open the manager, press the Windows + R hotkeys (this will launch the “Run” application), enter the command in the “Open” field devmgmt.msc and click OK. The method is convenient because it works in all versions of Windows.
In the dispatcher window, expand the list “ Imaging devices» and see if our webcam is there. The following options are possible:
- The web camera is not in the list of equipment - the computer does not see it. This happens due to a hardware failure or physical failure.
- There is no camera, but there is an unknown device, which most likely is it. This means that the computer sees it, but cannot recognize it. The reason is the lack of a driver.
- There is a camera in the list, but next to it there is a yellow triangle with an exclamation mark or a black arrow in a circle. The first indicates a malfunction, the second indicates a shutdown in the operating system.
Turn on the webcam from the keyboard
The function of turning on/off the webcam from the keyboard is not implemented on all laptop models. Where there is one, a miniature image of a camera is applied to one of the keys. Most often this is the “V” key, sometimes “Escape” or others from F1-F12.
To turn on the web camera, press this key simultaneously with “Fn”. After this, the webcam should appear in the device manager. If it's still not there, you probably have that rare case where it's physically faulty or not connected.
Installing the driver
If, after turning on the webcam hardware, something unidentified appears in the device manager, install the driver for it. It is best to download it from the website of the laptop manufacturer or the webcam itself, if you know exactly its model. Or install from a disk, if one was included with your device.
If you do not know the exact name of the laptop model, turn it over. There is a sticker on the bottom cover of every laptop stating this.
This is what the brand label of the MSI MS-1757 laptop looks like:
Having determined the model, find it on the manufacturer’s website and download the driver for your operating system in the “Support” section. Install as a normal application, after installation, reboot the machine.
By the way , there may not be a separate webcam driver for some OS versions, since it is included inWindows (USB Video Class Driver). Problems with this group of drivers can be resolved by installing updates or .
Fixing webcam recognition errors in the system
If the webcam is marked with a black arrow in Device Manager (disabled in Windows), right-click on it and click “ Engage».
When disabled in the operating system (by the user or programs), this is enough for it to work.
If the webcam is marked with an exclamation mark on a yellow triangle, which means: “the device is not working properly,” click the command “ Delete" and restart your computer. The system will recognize it again and automatically reinstall the driver.
If it doesn’t help, click “ Update drivers»:
Specify the search location as the Internet (if you are not sure that the correct driver is present in the system) or this computer (if the camera worked properly with the old driver before the problem occurred or you have a recent version).
Most modern laptops have a built-in webcam. After installing the drivers, it is always in working mode and available for use by all applications. Sometimes some users don’t want their camera to work all the time, so they are looking for a way to turn it off. Today we will tell you how to do this and describe methods for turning off the webcam on a laptop.
There are two simple ways to disable the webcam on a laptop. One disables the device completely in the system, after which it cannot be used by any application or site. The second method is for browsers only. Let's look at these methods in more detail.
Method 1: Disable Webcam in Windows
In the Windows operating system, you can not only view installed hardware, but also manage them. Thanks to this built-in function, the camera is turned off. You just need to follow simple instructions and everything will work out.
After these steps, the device will be disabled and cannot be used in programs or browsers. If the webcam is not listed in Device Manager, you will need to install drivers. They are available for download on the official website of your laptop manufacturer. In addition, installation also takes place through special software. You can find a list of programs for installing drivers in our article at the link below.
If you are an active Skype user and want to disable the camera only in this application, then you will not need to do this action throughout the system. The shutdown occurs in the program itself. You will find detailed instructions on how to complete this process in a special article.
Method 2: Disable the webcam in the browser
Nowadays, some sites ask for permission to use a webcam. To not give them this right or to simply get rid of intrusive notifications, you can disable the equipment through the settings. Let's look at doing this in popular browsers, starting with:
Browser owners will need to perform approximately the same steps. There is nothing complicated about disabling, just follow the following instructions:
As you can see, disabling occurs in just a few clicks; even an inexperienced user can handle it. As for the browser, the shutdown process is almost identical. You will need to do the following:
Another popular web browser is . It allows you to edit many parameters to make your work more comfortable. Among all the settings there is also a configuration for accessing the camera. It is disabled as follows:
If you are a user of any other less popular browser, you can also disable the camera in it. You just need to read the instructions above and find the identical settings in your web browser. All of them are developed according to approximately the same algorithm, so performing this process will be similar to the steps described above.
Above we looked at two simple methods for disabling the built-in webcam on a laptop. As you can see, this is very easy and quick to do. The user only needs to follow a few simple steps. We hope our tips helped you turn off the hardware on your laptop.
Manufacturers provide most models of modern laptops and non-books with built-in webcams. By default, these webcams are always enabled in the system, but this is not always good and is not always necessary. Today we will tell you how to disable a laptop's webcam using standard Windows tools.
All modern laptops or netbooks are equipped with web cameras. By default, these cameras are always on, but more and more device owners want the webcam to be within their control, so they can turn it on and off only when needed.
This desire is due to the fact that some programs, we will not list which ones, are capable of independently controlling web cameras connected to a PC. This state of affairs is fraught with leakage of confidential information. Agree, you probably wouldn’t want your interlocutor, let’s say on Skype, to be able to watch you while communicating, without your consent. Moreover, fraudulent schemes for obtaining confidential information and spying on PC users are growing and progressing. So, how to avoid this, how to disable the webcam on a laptop or netbook? Today we will tell you how to do this using standard Windows tools.
Disabling the webcam from the keyboard
Manufacturers of laptops equipped with cameras often add a special button (with a corresponding design) to the keyboard. More precisely, they do not add a button, but provide a standard key with an additional function - disable or enable the webcam. Look at the keyboard of your mobile PC, and if you see a button, say F5, and an additional camera icon on it, then it is intended to control the laptop’s built-in camera.
Software disable laptop webcam
If the keyboard of your device does not have such a button, which was discussed above, then you can disable the webcam on your laptop programmatically, using the “Device Manager” tool. This is done as follows.
- Press the “Pause” key on your laptop keyboard and while holding it down, press the “Win” key.
- Click on the “Device Manager” item in the menu that opens and then find and expand the “Imaging Devices” item.
- Right-click on the corresponding webcam that you want to disable (in our case it is LenovoEasyCamera), then in the context menu that opens, click on “Disable”, then on “Yes” and close all windows.
That's all. Now, when you need to reactivate the webcam, it will be enough to repeat all the steps described above, but instead of “Disable” in the context menu you will need to select “Enable”.
A few years ago, claims that you could be watched on your webcam sounded like the delusions of a paranoid person. But given the latest events in the world, I have stopped being so categorical. In this article we will look at security issues, how to disable the built-in web camera, and why you need to do it.
Experienced hackers write programs and develop phishing techniques that make it easy for even teenagers to hijack the webcam of unsuspecting people. They can save very intimate images and videos of people. To protect yourself from this, read the following tips.
Is there really such a threat?
Last year, information appeared in the media that on a certain website (here it is, by the way, insecam.cc, fortunately no longer available), it was possible to gain access to the webcams of unsuspecting people. A group of hackers, using a distributed software, infected about 70 thousand computers.
In 2013, researchers showed that they could activate the webcam on a MacBook without the lights turning on, something previously thought impossible. A former FBI agent confirmed that not only is it possible, but that they've been doing it for years. History is silent about our “beloved” Windows. Before reading further, .
In the same year, everyone learned from Edward Snowden that the NSA successfully used programs that gained access to the camera on iPhones and Blackberries. And in 2014, again courtesy of Snowden, we learned that intelligence agencies have many tools for remote monitoring and remote video surveillance via web cameras. That's not all.
Not only intelligence agencies
Before you shrug and say, “Well, the NSA doesn’t care about my boring life, so it doesn’t matter.” We want to emphasize that, unfortunately, even a person with minor qualifications can gain access to your personal data. You can find complete instructions online on how to do this and with what tools. Then the attackers can either simply watch you, which is not very good. Or blackmail, or make public moments from your intimate life.
And all because, with all the convenience of mobile devices, social. networks and cloud storage, people completely forget about basic security rules.
- Under no circumstances should you set a simple password on your cloud storages, where your photos and videos from your smartphone are automatically sent. It is better to turn off such synchronization altogether. And still, every year the most hacked passwords are published, and among them are: 1234, password, password, etc.
- You cannot download and run programs, especially unlicensed ones, from unverified sites.
- You cannot answer the security question with: mother’s maiden name, pet’s name, first car and other information THAT YOU PUBLISH ON YOUR PAGE IN ONE OF THE SOCIAL NETWORKS. It's sad, but many people do this.
Imagine, the security question is your mother’s last name, and then in the parents line you indicate a link to your mother with her maiden name. Or there’s a caption on the photo, my favorite little car, here’s my first car, and so on and so forth. All that’s left to do here is to say obscenities: “Are you even people anymore?”
What to do
Given the ease with which you can, in most cases, turn your camera off and on again, I think it's wise to disable or seal your computer's webcam. Since there are no guarantees, especially in light of the numerous documented cases of web spying, that this will not affect you
In the following sections, we'll look at the different shutdown methods, including their effectiveness, ease of use, and the reversibility of some.
Are you using an antivirus?
It is clear that any antivirus is not capable of detecting all attacks, and will never detect new attack methods, but it will cope with already known viruses and all kinds of phishing links, and will not allow you to launch a suspicious file. Typically, school hackers use already known hacking methods and rarely come up with something new.
Pull out of port
For desktop users with external webcams (99% of desktops have external webcams), the simple solution is to simply unplug from USB. No amount of hacking will magically connect the device back.
This is the most secure way to approach the problem if you have an external webcam and works regardless of hardware or software.
Disable via BIOS
This option is only supported for laptops with built-in webcams. Restart your computer and enter the BIOS (follow the on-screen instructions, usually by pressing the F2, DEL, or ECS key). Once logged in, look for something like webcam, integrated camera, or CMOS camera. These items usually have a simple switch like enable/disable or lock/unlock.
Unfortunately, it is relatively rare to do this through the BIOS. Dell and Lenovo laptops usually come with this feature. Other manufacturers, depending on the model, may not provide this option.
Keep in mind that disabling the webcam will usually disable the microphone too; most laptops have the camera and microphone modules on one small expansion card. This is beneficial (from a privacy perspective), but you need to understand why your microphone isn't working either)
Disable in OS
This solution is not as reliable as disabling the webcam in the BIOS. After all, if someone gets administrator rights remotely, this is again easy to do and will turn the camera back on without any hassle. On the other hand, turning off in this way is the simplest, most convenient and fastest.
You need to open the device manager. This can be done in many ways actually. The simplest Control Panel is Device Manager
Find your camera in the manager, right-click and turn it off
Camera cover
The trade-off between troublesome shutdowns and privacy security are covers. Elementary and simple technique. A video with a lid will definitely not work. But before you run for tape, maybe you should consider more aesthetic methods. Special covers and casings are sold.
What if you don't want to constantly feel your camera's gaze? Obviously, turn it off. How to do this on a laptop is in our article.
If your built-in camera does not work correctly, you connect an external one and try to use it. However, you won't always be able to do this right away. The reason for this is that the built-in camera is the first priority of the system, and it is it that blocks the use of an external one. In this case, the only way out is to turn it off.
The reason may also be a simple reluctance to be under cameras all the time. Taping it up is somehow completely wrong, but unplugging it is just right. And my soul is calmer, and it looks decent.
In fact, there may be many reasons, but there is only one conclusion: turning off the camera on a laptop is somewhat more difficult than on a PC - you won’t be able to simply unplug the cord. Well, let's figure it out.
Universal method
A method that is not suitable for everyone, but it definitely guarantees you the greatest possible privacy. It's simple - you just need to disconnect the camera cable or completely remove it from the laptop. Yes, most likely you will refuse this method, but keep in mind: the monitor frame is removed after unscrewing the bolts hidden under the rubber plugs.
Windows 7
But what if you lack experience or recklessness with courage? We cannot physically disable the camera, but there is always a software way. Let's talk about him.
The easiest thing in this situation is to simply disable the driver.
Step 1. Open Device Manager. To do this, use the system search or the required line on the left side of the “System Properties” window.
Open "Device Manager"
Step 2. You will see a list of all devices installed on your computer. More precisely, this list contains the drivers for these devices, and we must disable one of the drivers.
Find the section with video devices. It is usually located towards the end of the list of devices. Unfold it. Most likely, you will see only one sub-item - “Integrated webcam”.
Step 3. Call the context menu for this line. Our choice is the “Disable” and “Delete” items. The choice depends on whether you want to use this camera in the future. If you want, turn it off. No - delete it. Ready!
Note! A similar action can be done by simply opening the “Devices and Printers” section from the system “Control Panel” or simply from the “Start” menu.
Video - How to disable the camera on a laptop
Windows 10
This operating system is gaining momentum. It differs from older versions not only in a set of new functions, but also in a different perception of everything that is done on your computer.
This also affected our topic of conversation today. Yes, the previous method, about Windows 7, has not gone away, it is performed in exactly the same way. But there is another way, simpler.
Step 1. Head to System Preferences. They can be called up using the corresponding button in the Start menu.
Click “Start”, then “Settings”
Step 2. You can use the “Settings” search, but we need the “Privacy” section. We are looking for him.
Step 3. Found it? Now we are looking for the “Camera” section. It is very easy to find - on the left side of the window.
Click on the “Camera” section
Step 4. Move the slider to the side, making it inactive, and thus disabling access to the webcam from third-party software.
Important! This method should not be considered safe. If third-party applications do not have access to the camera, then system applications have unlimited access. And viruses nowadays disguise themselves not only as system applications, but also as services. If you want to be completely protected, remove the driver.
macOS
Let's talk about the cameras of the Apple corporation. This corporation has always followed its own path, and even a simple camera is called iSight. Remember this word.
Step 1. We need the isight disabler script. By this name, typed into any search engine, you can find the script you are looking for.
Step 2. After running the script, you will see a small window with two buttons - turn on the webcam and turn it off.
Click the second button “Disable webcam”
Press the second button. All! The camera turned off.
Note! If any application using the camera was running at the time of disconnection, simply terminate it by selecting the advising item in the application's context menu in the Dock. Then the process of shutting down and turning off the camera will end. That's it.
BIOS
But all these methods, called software ones, are quite unsafe for the reason that, with a strong desire, any of these prohibitions can be circumvented. The virus will launch the device, install a new driver, but it will definitely not be able to turn on the device in the BIOS. And that's what we need.
Step 1. Go to BIOS. To do this, press the Del button at startup (the button may differ for different manufacturers; information about this usually appears at startup in the corner of the screen).
Step 2. Go to the tab whose name is shown in the screenshot (the name may differ depending on the BIOS version, focus on the contents and general meaning). Find the Onboard Device Configuration item.
Go to “Onboard Device Configuration”
Step 3. Find the "Onboard Camera" item. Move the switch next to it to the inactive position.
Find the item “Onboard Camera”
Note! Here, unfortunately, there can be no universal advice; the BIOS of each computer is unique in its own way and its structure may differ significantly. You need to look for instructions for your specific laptop model. But the likelihood that this particular instruction will suit you is extremely high. Good luck!
