Webcam covers and privacy screens: what they do

Webcam covers and privacy screens are two of the simplest privacy accessories for a laptop. A webcam cover blocks the camera lens; a privacy screen filter narrows the angle from which the display can be read, so the person in the next seat on a train sees mostly black. This guide explains what each one does and doesn’t do, the camera indicator lights and permission settings already built into Mac and Windows computers, Apple’s caution about covers on MacBooks, and how a few privacy products compare on their makers’ published specifications.

What these products protect against

The two accessories deal with different concerns.

• Webcam covers and shutters physically block the lens. They address the worry that an app, or malicious software, could turn the camera on without the user knowing. A cover does nothing for the microphone, and nothing for the data on the computer.
• Privacy screens (also called privacy filters) address “shoulder surfing”: someone nearby reading the screen in a café, on public transport or in a shared office. They don’t encrypt anything or stop anyone who is directly in front of the screen.

Neither one is a substitute for the basics on the device itself: updates, a screen lock and keeping an eye on which apps have camera permission. The guides to Windows computer security basics and Mac security basics cover those.

Do you need one?

Many computers already include features that cover part of the same ground.

Camera indicator lights. Apple says the built-in camera on its Mac laptops “uses a camera indicator light that glows green when the camera is active”, and that the camera “is engineered so that it can’t activate without the camera indicator light also turning on”. Apple suggests the indicator light as a way to tell whether the camera is active, instead of a cover.

Notifications in Windows. Microsoft’s Windows privacy page says that if a device has a camera light, “the light turns on when the camera is active”. On devices without one, it says Windows shows a notification when the camera turns on or off.

Camera permissions. Both systems control which apps can use the camera. Apple says that from macOS Mojave onwards, an app needs permission before it can use the camera. Microsoft’s camera permissions page describes turning camera access on or off for each Microsoft Store app, and a single setting for desktop apps. It also warns that desktop apps “might still be able to access your camera or microphone even when these settings are turned off”, and that desktop apps can’t be controlled one by one.

Built-in shutters. Some laptops and external webcams include a sliding shutter. Lenovo’s ThinkPad user guide, for example, describes a “webcam privacy shutter” that slides to cover or uncover the lens. Logitech states its Brio 100 webcam has an integrated privacy shutter.

Phones and tablets. iPhone, iPad and Android phones also list which apps can use the camera; our iPhone and Android guides show where.

So whether a separate cover adds anything depends on the device: what indicator it has, whether it already has a shutter, and how much the user relies on permission settings. Workplaces sometimes have their own requirements, which Apple’s guidance also acknowledges.

How to check camera access on Mac and Windows

On a Mac. Based on Apple’s documentation (checked October 2026), a green light beside the camera glows when the camera is on, and the camera turns off when all apps or features that can use it are closed. Apple’s guide to using the camera on Mac links to its instructions for choosing which apps can use the camera.

On Windows. Based on Microsoft’s instructions (checked October 2026). Menus can change between versions; Microsoft’s guide has the latest steps.

1. Open Start > Settings > Privacy & security > Camera.
2. Camera access controls the camera for the whole device. If it can’t be changed, Microsoft says an administrator on the device needs to change it.
3. Under Let apps access your camera, each listed app has its own switch.
4. Let desktop apps access your camera is a single switch for all desktop apps.

Microsoft notes that Windows Hello face sign-in can still work when camera access is off.

Apple’s caution about covers on MacBooks

Apple has published specific guidance about camera covers on its laptops:

• Apple says “Closing your Mac laptop with a camera cover on it may damage your display”, because “the clearance between the display and keyboard is designed to very tight tolerances”.
• Where a cover is needed, Apple says it shouldn’t be thicker than an average piece of printer paper (0.1 mm).
• Apple says a cover thicker than 0.1 mm should be removed before closing the computer.
• Apple says to avoid covers that leave adhesive residue.
• Apple notes a cover can also block the ambient light sensor, which affects automatic brightness and True Tone.

Other laptop makers design their screens differently. The laptop maker’s own guidance is the reference for any particular model.

What to compare in a privacy screen

Size and fit. Privacy filters are made for a specific screen size and aspect ratio (for example 14-inch, 16:10). Makers list these per product, the laptop’s own specifications give both figures, and a filter for a different shape won’t cover the screen properly.

How it narrows the view. Makers describe a viewing angle. Kensington says its MagPro limits viewing to plus or minus 30 degrees. 3M says its Black Privacy Filters fade to black from a 30-degree side angle, with “black out” privacy outside a 60-degree viewing angle. These are makers’ descriptions of their own designs.

Attachment method. Options include magnetic strips (for laptops with compatible bezels), adhesive tabs or strips, and hinged mounts that let the filter flip up. Some suit putting the filter on and off daily; others are designed to stay on.

Matte or glossy. Several filters are reversible, with a glossy side for a clearer image and a matte side that reduces glare and fingerprints.

Blue light claims. Some makers state their filters reduce blue light, with different figures (for example 3M states 35%, Kensington up to 22%, Targus nearly 40%). These are makers’ own figures, measured their own way. This guide doesn’t assess them or make any health claim about blue light.

Range options. Some makers offer more than one type. 3M, for example, lists Black Privacy and Bright Screen Privacy filters for laptops.

For MacBooks. Apple’s 0.1 mm guidance applies to anything placed over the camera.

How the products compare

Based on makers’ published specifications, checked October 2026. Products are listed alphabetically, not ranked.

Prices aren’t shown; each maker’s site has current details. The product summaries below set out what each maker states.

Things to watch for

• Covers can affect sensors. Apple notes that a cover can block the ambient light sensor on its laptops.
• Adhesive residue. Apple advises avoiding covers that leave residue.
• Microphones aren’t covered. A camera cover or shutter blocks only the lens.
• A filter isn’t a lock. Someone directly behind the screen can still read it, and an unlocked, unattended laptop is still open to anyone.
• Public places and travel. The guide to public Wi-Fi and travel security covers the network side of working in public.
• Home offices. Working from home security covers what official guidance says about work devices and home setups.

Common questions

Do I need a webcam cover?

It depends on the device. Many computers already include features that cover part of the same ground: camera indicator lights, notifications when the camera turns on, settings for which apps can use the camera and, on some laptops and webcams, a built-in sliding shutter. Apple suggests its indicator light as a way to tell whether the camera is active, instead of a cover. Workplaces sometimes have their own requirements. See Do you need one?

Do webcam covers work?

A physical cover blocks the lens, so the camera can’t see while it’s closed. It does nothing for the microphone or for the data on the computer, and it isn’t a substitute for updates, a screen lock and checking which apps have camera permission. Built-in indicator lights and permission settings deal with the same concern in a different way. See what these products protect against.

Is it safe to put a webcam cover on a MacBook?

Apple says closing a Mac laptop with a camera cover on it may damage the display, because the clearance between the display and keyboard is designed to very tight tolerances. Apple’s guidance is that a cover shouldn’t be thicker than 0.1 mm, about an average piece of printer paper, and that a thicker one should be removed before closing. Apple also notes a cover can block the ambient light sensor. See Apple’s caution.

What does the green light next to my Mac camera mean?

It means the camera is on. Apple says the built-in camera on its Mac laptops uses an indicator light that glows green when the camera is active, and that the camera is engineered so it can’t activate without the light also turning on. The camera turns off when all apps or features that can use it are closed, and from macOS Mojave onwards an app needs permission to use it. See how to check camera access.

How do I turn off camera access in Windows?

Microsoft’s steps place the settings under Start > Settings > Privacy & security > Camera. Camera access controls the camera for the whole device, each listed app has its own switch, and one switch covers all desktop apps. Microsoft warns that desktop apps might still access the camera even when these settings are off, and notes that Windows Hello face sign-in can still work. See the Windows steps.

How does a laptop privacy screen work?

A privacy screen narrows the angle from which the display can be read: from straight ahead it’s readable, while people to the side see a darkened screen. Kensington, for example, says its MagPro limits viewing to plus or minus 30 degrees. Filters are made for a specific screen size and aspect ratio. Some makers also state blue light figures, which are their own claims and aren’t assessed here. See what to compare in a privacy screen.

Where to get official help

Apple’s page on camera covers and Mac laptops and Microsoft’s guide to camera permissions in Windows are the makers’ own references. For other laptops, the device maker’s user guide describes any built-in shutter or indicator.