By default, Windows turns on the LED next to your webcam every time your camera is accessed. But if you’re in a well-lit environment or something is covering the LED, you might miss it. Also, the LED might be broken, so there’s no way of telling if your camera is on.
The good news is that you can have Windows 11 display a desktop notification to let you know whether your camera is turned on or off.
How to Turn On Camera On and Off Notifications
You need administrative rights to turn on camera notifications. So, if you’re using a local account, check out how to switch to an account with administrative rights on Windows 11. Then, follow these steps to edit the Registry Editor:
Press Winy + R to bring up a Run dialog. Type regedit and press Enter. In the Registry Editor, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Microsoft > OEM > Device > Capture. Locate and open NoPhysicalCameraLED. Set Value data to 1 to enable the notifications. Click OK and restart your computer.
If the NoPhysicalCameraLED value is missing, you can create it. Right-click on the empty space in the right pane, and click New > Dword(32-bit) value. Set its name and Value data to 1. Then, save the new changes and restart your computer for the changes to take place.
Changing the value to 1 doesn’t impact your camera LED. It will still light up every time you access the camera. If you want to revert the change, go through the above instructions again and set Value data to 0.
Once your computer boots up access the camera and test if Windows is showing the camera notification.
How to Check Camera History
If you missed the notification, Windows 11 allows you to check which apps have accessed your camera. Launch Windows Settings and go to Privacy & security > Camera. There, check the Recent activity section.
Also, it might be worth it to take a look at your Privacy settings and check which apps can access your camera.
Know When Your Camera Starts on Windows
Now, every time an app accesses your camera, Windows 11 will let you know. But if you want to add an extra layer to your privacy, you should consider placing tape over the camera.
