The default option in Google Chrome is to prompt the user to allow/block access to camera, whenever a website is trying to access the built-in Laptop camera or an external camera attached to Desktop computer.
If the User response is positive (Yes), Chrome adds that particular website to its Allow List and if the response is negative (No), the website gets listed in Chrome’s Block List.
Allow/Block Camera Access in Google Chrome
In addition to its default prompt based camera access, Google Chrome also provides the option prevent all websites from asking you to provide access to camera.
This can be useful, if the computer is being used by children and you want to prevent them from accidentally or unknowingly providing camera access to unknown websites.
Another option that is available in Google Chrome is to Allow/Block camera access to specific websites, which is another of ensuring that only approved sites are provided with access to the camera on your computer.
1. Prevent Websites from Accessing Camera in Google Chrome
If the computer is being used by a child or non-tech savvy elder person in the family, you can set the Google Chrome browser on their computer to deny camera access to all the websites.
1. Open Google Chrome > click on 3-dots menu icon and select Settings in the drop-down menu.
2. On Chrome Settings screen, select Privacy and Security in the left-pane and click on Site Settings in the right-pane.
3. On Site settings screen, click on the Camera tab.
4. On the next screen, select Don’t Allow Sites to Use your Camera option.
This will prevent all websites from accessing the Camera on your computer.
2. Prevent Specific Websites from Accessing Camera in Chrome
Instead of blocking camera access to all websites, you can prevent specific or selected websites from accessing the camera on your computer.
This method can be useful, if you have already provided certain websites with access to the camera on your computer and now you want to prevent them from accessing the camera.
1. Visit the website for which you want to block camera access.
2. Once you are on the website, click on the lock icon located at the left side of the URL and click on Site settings in the drop-down menu.
3. On the next screen, click on the Down Arrow next to Camera and select the Block option.
Now, this particular website will be prevented from accessing the integrated webcam on your laptop or the Camera attached to your desktop computer.
3. Allow Websites to Ask for Camera Access
At any time, you can go back to the default Chrome Setting and allow all websites to Ask or Prompt you to provide access to the built-in Laptop camera or to the external camera attached to Desktop computer.
1. Open Google Chrome > click on 3-dots menu icon and select Settings in the drop-down menu.
2. On Settings screen, select Privacy and Security in the left-pane. In the right-pane, scroll down and click on Site Settings.
3. On Site settings screen, click on the Camera tab.
4. On the next screen, select Site can ask to use your Camera option.
This setting allows the Chrome browser on your computer to access the Camera on your computer.