Learning how to disable webcam on laptop can be very useful to you for various reasons. Even though it might sound like something straight out of a science fiction novel, your webcam can be used for spying on you and your family. There are many hackers out there who do this often and figuring out how to protect yourself is a must.
As a matter of fact, a person doesn't even have to be well versed in coding to spy on someone via a webcam. All they need to do is find the software somewhere on the dark net that can hack a webcam and remotely hijack your computer. There has been plenty of reports in the media lately that covered web camera spying so it is better to be safe than sorry.
If you think that you can rely on the fact that a light will be turned on when your built-in webcam is in use, you can forget about it. Hackers are capable of surpassing this feature as well. Therefore, you can never be sure when your camera is on or off. Luckily, there are a couple of ways of disabling your webcam when it is not in use.
Option 1. Covering up your webcam
The easiest way of disabling your webcam is to cover it up with a small piece of tape. It is not the most high-tech solution but it works. As a matter of fact, even Mark Zuckerberg uses this method. What makes this so convenient is the fact that you can simply remove the tape when you want to use your webcam and that's it. Plus, you can be 100% sure that your privacy is protected while the tape is on. There is no way a hacker can bypass it.
Stay away from strong packing tapes because they can leave glue residue on the lens of your camera. Go for a sticky part of a post-it note or choose a colorful decorative tape if you want to add a touch of personality to your computer. You can also cover your laptop microphone with tape just to be certain that you are completely safe.
Option 2. Disabling it through Windows
If you don't use your webcam on a daily basis, you can quickly disable it through settings on your Windows. Find Device Manager option in your Control Panel, and then locate Imaging Device on the list. All you need to do now is to right click on it and choose the option Disable. Unfortunately, this might not be the permanent solution to the problem because hackers that get remote access to your laptop can modify the settings and turn on your web camera again.
Those of you who use desktop computers and have external web cameras can plug out the device and that's it. There is no way a hacker can get access to your camera if it is not connected to your computer.
Summary
Web cameras are used every single day in order to stay in touch with your friends or family. However, they can be hijacked. So the best way to protect your privacy is the easiest one – cut a piece of tape and place it over your webcam. Unfortunately, there are other ways your online activities can be monitored and followed, but you can do this small step in order to prevent being spied on through your built-in camera.
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