This article explains how to allow or block camera and mic access in Chrome. Instructions apply to all desktop devices with the most recent version of Chrome.

What to Know

  • Select the three dots in the upper-right corner and go to Settings > Privacy and security > Site Settings.Alternatively, select the lock icon next to the URL at the top of Chrome and choose Site Settings.Use the Custom behaviors section to set permissions for individual websites.

How to Access Chrome Camera and Mic Settings

If you want to block a website from accessing your mic or camera or allow a website to access either of them, you can do so under Chrome’s settings menu.

  • Open Chrome and select the three vertical dots in the upper-right corner.
  • Select Settings.
  • You can use a keyboard shortcut to access the Settings menu. On Windows, press Alt+F or Alt+E, or F10, followed by the Spacebar. On a Mac, press Command+, (comma).
  • Choose the Privacy and security section.
  • Scroll down and select Site Settings.
  • In the Permissions section, select Camera, which contains the Camera and Microphone options.
  • Activate the Sites can ask to use your camera option. Repeat the process for the microphone and activate the Sites can ask to use your microphone option.

More Options for Site Settings

If you have multiple microphones or cameras, you can choose which one to use as the default device for Chrome using a drop-down menu next to the default listing.

Open Chrome and select the three vertical dots in the upper-right corner.

Select Settings.

You can use a keyboard shortcut to access the Settings menu. On Windows, press Alt+F or Alt+E, or F10, followed by the Spacebar. On a Mac, press Command+, (comma).

Choose the Privacy and security section.

Scroll down and select Site Settings.

In the Permissions section, select Camera, which contains the Camera and Microphone options.

Activate the Sites can ask to use your camera option. Repeat the process for the microphone and activate the Sites can ask to use your microphone option.

To block all access to your microphone (or camera), turn on the Don’t allow sites to use your microphone (or camera) option.

You can manually set or block camera and microphone access for individual websites. Add them in the Custom behaviors section under Not allowed to use your camera (or microphone) or under Allowed to use your camera (or microphone).

If you remove a website from the block list, it doesn’t move it to the allow list and vice versa. The same idea is valid for the list of allowed devices. Deleting a site there does not move it into the list of blocked sites.

  • How do I enable a microphone in Windows?
  • In Windows, go to Start > Settings and select Privacy > Microphone. Then, in the Allow apps to access your microphone section, turn on the toggle switch.
  • How do I turn the microphone on and off on my Android device?
  • Open the Chrome app and select Settings > Site Settings. Then, tap Microphone and turn the Microphone toggle switch on or off.

In Windows, go to Start > Settings and select Privacy > Microphone. Then, in the Allow apps to access your microphone section, turn on the toggle switch.

Open the Chrome app and select Settings > Site Settings. Then, tap Microphone and turn the Microphone toggle switch on or off.

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