Your Computer Is Watching You (and a Webcam Cover Is How You Make It Stop)

By Chris Clark, founder of Senior Tech Cafe

A webcam cover is a tiny shutter, sticker or piece of tape that blocks your computer’s camera, and it’s the cheapest privacy upgrade you’ll ever make.

If you’re reading this on a laptop right now, I want you to do something for me: look up at that tiny black dot above your screen.

Go ahead, I’ll wait.

That innocent-looking little circle is a camera. And right now it could be watching you pick your nose, dance like Elvis, or realize in horror that you’re still wearing your breakfast.

Why You Should Care About Webcam Privacy (Even If You’re Not a Secret Agent)

The webcam privacy risk is simple: if someone gets malicious software onto your computer, they may be able to switch on your camera and watch. On most modern computers the camera light comes on when that happens, but researchers have shown the light can be bypassed on some older laptops.

Hackers who get in can spy on you, collect personal information, or even try blackmail. No, they probably don’t care about your 17th attempt at banana bread. But if they catch you singing karaoke to yourself at 2 p.m., that’s gold for a scammer.

Here’s what a hacker could do with your webcam:

• Steal personal info: Say they overhear you reading out your credit card number to buy something online. (Hackers love a good online shopping spree. Sadly, they rarely order anything nice for you.)
• Blackmail: Say they record a particularly unflattering angle of you yawning, or worse, dancing in your Elvis garb. Now you’re suddenly in the starring role of Pay Me or Else.
• Plan a robbery: They could figure out your schedule, when you’re out of the house, and even scout your home’s layout. Creepy, right?

Should I Cover My Webcam?

Yes, you should cover your webcam if it doesn’t have a built-in shutter. It costs almost nothing, it can’t be hacked, and it works even when every other protection fails. A webcam cover is the simplest way to keep digital Peeping Toms at bay.

It physically blocks your camera. So even if some hacker gets access, all they’ll see is a nice black rectangle, or the back of a sticky note if you’re into DIY solutions.

One warning for MacBook owners: Apple says a cover can crack the screen when you close the lid, because the gap between screen and keyboard is so thin. On a MacBook, use something no thicker than a sheet of paper, or take the cover off before you close it.

Your Options for Covering up (Webcam Edition)

You can buy a webcam cover or just use a piece of tape.

There is no shortage of options out there for covering up your webcam. Let’s take a look at them…

Store-Bought Solutions

• Sliding Covers: These fancy little gadgets attach to your laptop and slide open when needed. Think of them as mini-blinds for your computer’s eye. They’re perfect if you want to feel tech-savvy and impress the grandkids.
• Stick-On Shutters: These attach permanently but can be lifted when needed. They’re like those peel-and-stick wall hooks, except they won’t fall off in the middle of the night and scare you half to death.
• Built-in Covers: Some newer laptops come with their own covers. If you’ve got one of these, congratulations! You’re already living in the future. Now if they could just make a laptop that explains why your printer only works when Mercury is in retrograde.

DIY Solutions (for When You Don’t Want to Spend Your Bingo Winnings)

You don’t have to take a trip to the store (or, more likely, search on Amazon) for webcam covers. You probably have some great solutions lying around your house right now:

• A small piece of regular tape: The minimalist approach, and the one I personally use. Just avoid duct tape unless you want your webcam to look like you dropped a melted marshmallow on it. I prefer a small piece of black electrical tape.
• Post-it notes: The classic solution. Just make sure it’s not the one with your neighbor’s phone number on it.
• Washi tape: It’s like regular tape but prettier. Because if you’re going to cover your camera, you might as well do it with style.

Tape is also the thinnest option there is, which matters if your laptop closes tightly.

How to Choose the Right Webcam Cover

When you pick a webcam cover, keep these tips in mind:

• Make sure it’s thin enough that your laptop can still close properly. (Your computer isn’t doing resistance training.) On a MacBook, that means paper-thin.
• Avoid anything that leaves sticky residue on the lens.
• Pick something easy to remove for when you actually want to use the camera. Those video calls with the grandkids are important.
• If you’re shopping for a new laptop, look for one with a built-in camera shutter or a switch that turns the camera off.

How to Check Who’s Been Peeking

Worried your camera’s already been used without your say-so? Here’s how to check. (Tech companies love rearranging menus. If a step below doesn’t match your screen, the tech fairies have probably moved things again. Search your settings for “camera.”)

On Windows 11:

1. Press the Windows key and I together (it’s like a secret handshake for your computer).
2. Click Privacy & security, then Camera.
3. Check the list of apps allowed to use your camera and turn off any that have no business being there. If you see a Recent activity section, it shows which apps used the camera lately.

On a Mac:

• The green light next to the camera means it’s on. Apple builds it so the camera can’t run without that light. A green dot also appears next to the Control Center icon in the menu bar, and clicking Control Center shows which app is using it.
• If it’s on when you’re not using your camera, either you’re unknowingly starring in a reality show, or something’s wrong. To see which apps are allowed to use the camera, open System Settings, click Privacy & Security, then Camera.

On an iPhone or iPad:

• Watch for a green dot (camera) or orange dot (microphone) at the top of your screen.
• Swipe down from the top-right corner to open Control Center and see which app is being nosy.

What Webcam Covers Can’t Do

Let’s be clear: a webcam cover isn’t a digital Superman.

It won’t stop audio recording. So, even if the camera is covered, your microphone could still be listening like your great-aunt Mildred at a family reunion.

It also can’t prevent other types of hacking.

And, perhaps most disappointing, it won’t make you look younger in video calls (for that, you’ll need good lighting… and possibly a miracle 😜).

Chrome Privacy Settings That Make Your Browser Less Nosy

Chrome privacy settings control how much the browser tells Google and websites about you, and out of the box they lean toward telling them a lot. Chrome is fast and easy to use, but when it comes to privacy it’s about as protective as a screen door on a submarine. Google makes most of its money from ads, and the more it knows about you, the better it can aim them.

You don’t have to quit Chrome to fix most of that. Everything below starts from the three dots in the top-right corner, then Settings. Menu names shift between versions, so if one doesn’t match, type the setting’s name into the search box at the top of Settings.

1. Check which websites can use your camera. Go to Privacy and security, then Site settings. Open Camera, Microphone and Location, and remove any website you don’t recognize. Your webcam cover handles the camera itself; this handles the websites that ask to use it.
2. Block third-party cookies. In Privacy and security, click Third-party cookies and choose Block third-party cookies. Advertisers’ cookies stop following you from site to site. Here’s more on how website trackers work.
3. Sign out if you don’t need to be signed in. Click your profile picture in the top-right corner and choose Sign out of Chrome, so your browsing is no longer tied to your Google account. You’ll lose bookmark and password syncing between devices, so skip this one if you rely on it.
4. Change your search engine. Click Search engine, then Change, and pick one that doesn’t keep a record of your searches, like DuckDuckGo.
5. Stop saving cards and addresses. Click Autofill and passwords, then Autofill settings. Open Payments and Contact info and turn off Save and fill in each.
6. Delete your browsing data now and then. From the three dots, choose Delete browsing data, pick All time, and click Delete data. It’s a reset button for everything Chrome has been noting down. You’ll be signed out of most websites afterward.

One setting to leave alone: Enhanced protection, under Privacy and security, then Security, does share more with Google, but it’s the best scam protection Chrome has. Here’s why Enhanced Safe Browsing is worth it. And Incognito mode won’t help here. It only stops Chrome saving your history on your own computer.

If all of this sounds like too much effort, it is. It really shouldn’t be this hard. The simpler fix is switching to Mozilla Firefox, which is free, blocks many trackers from the start, and brings over your bookmarks and passwords in a few clicks. It’s easier than teaching your cat to fetch.

Essential Security Steps Beyond the Cover

A cover handles the camera. These four habits keep hackers from getting into your computer in the first place, which protects the camera and everything else.

1. Keep Your Computer Updated

1. Keep Your Computer Updated

Yes, those annoying update notifications are important. Think of them as vitamins for your computer. They might be annoying, but they’re good for you. Here’s why software updates matter so much.

2. Use Antivirus Software

It’s like having a security guard for your computer, except this one won’t fall asleep on the job or spend all day doing crossword puzzles (looking at you, Fred from the mall security desk). Windows comes with one built in, called Windows Security, so make sure it’s switched on. Macs have malware protection built in that runs on its own.

3. Check App Permissions

• Go to your device’s settings.
• Look for app permissions or privacy settings.
• Review which apps have camera and microphone access.
• If your calculator app wants camera access, it’s probably up to no good.

4. Turn on Your Firewall

It’s like a bouncer for your computer, keeping out the riffraff while letting the good stuff through.

An Easy First Step Toward Better Security

Covering your webcam is like wearing pants during a video call. It’s just a good idea.

It won’t solve all your privacy concerns, but it’s an easy first step. And unlike pants, you only have to put it on once. For the next steps, lock down your phone, tablet and computer, and keep our online safety guide for seniors handy for everything else.

Remember: even Mark Zuckerberg, the Facebook guy who probably knows more about privacy invasion than anyone, turned up in a 2016 photo next to a laptop with its webcam taped over. In his case, it’s probably a solid gold cover made from melted-down smartphones.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go make sure my webcam is covered before I practice my new Elvis and Michael Jackson fusion dance routine. Some things are better left unseen.

Questions About Webcam Covers and Privacy

Can Someone Turn on My Webcam Without the Light Coming On?

On most modern computers, it’s very hard for anyone to turn on the webcam without the light. Apple says a Mac’s camera is built so it can’t run without its green light. Researchers have managed it on some older laptops by tampering with the camera’s own software, though, which is why a cover is cheap insurance.

Is a Webcam Cover Safe for My Laptop?

A webcam cover is safe on most laptops if it’s thin. Thick covers can crack the screen when the lid closes, and Apple warns against them on MacBooks, saying anything thicker than a sheet of printer paper should come off before you close the lid. A small piece of tape is thinner than most store-bought covers.

Does Covering My Webcam Stop the Microphone?

No. Covering your webcam blocks the picture, not the sound. The microphone is a separate part, and a cover does nothing to it. To control it, check which apps have microphone access in your computer’s privacy settings, and watch for the orange microphone dot on Apple devices.

How Do I Know If an App Is Using My Camera?

The quickest sign an app is using your camera is the light next to it. On a Mac, iPhone or iPad, a green dot appears at the top of the screen, and opening Control Center shows which app it is. On Windows 11, Settings, then Privacy & security, then Camera, lists the apps allowed to use it.