Windows 11 Is Getting Per-App Privacy Controls

Microsoft has started testing a change that is overdue. Users can now control camera, microphone, and location access on an app-by-app basis, rather than through a single device-wide switch.

It sounds like a small settings tweak. For any business running a fleet of Windows 11 devices, it is a useful step towards clearer visibility over what’s touching sensitive hardware on company machines, and it is worth understanding before it reaches general release.

What’s Changing in Windows 11

From One Device-Wide Toggle to App-By-App Control

Previously, desktop app access to the camera, microphone and location was managed through a single setting covering every app on the device. Under the new model, being tested in Insider Preview Build 26340.9233, each app gets its own toggle. That means a user, or an IT admin, can see exactly which applications have asked for access to sensitive hardware, and switch any of them off individually.

Where to Find the New Settings

The new controls sit under Settings, Privacy & security, then Camera, Microphone or Location. Each app that has requested access appears in its own list, with a toggle to grant or revoke permission.

Why This Matters for Businesses

Better Visibility into What’s Requesting Access

Most SMBs have no clear picture of which desktop applications are quietly accessing a webcam, microphone, or location data across their Windows 11 device fleet.

A single device-wide setting made that worse, because switching it off broke every app at once, including the ones staff needed. Per-app controls make it realistic to lock down the applications that do not need sensitive access, without disrupting the ones that do.

A Word of Caution on Unsigned or Disguised Apps

Microsoft has flagged something worth repeating to staff directly: some applications use shared system components or browser-hosted experiences, and can appear under an unfamiliar name, or show up as unsigned, if Windows cannot verify the publisher.

The advice is simple. Only grant camera, microphone, or location access to apps you recognise, trust, and treat an unexpected permission request as a reason to check, not to click accept. The same principle applies to any access request, not just app permissions, which is why multi-factor authentication and staff awareness training matter just as much here as they do for login security.

Part of a Bigger Shift: Windows Baseline Security Mode

This update sits alongside a wider change Microsoft announced earlier this year. Windows 11 is moving towards smartphone-style permission prompts, asking for explicit user consent before an app can access sensitive resources, as part of what Microsoft calls Windows Baseline Security Mode and User Transparency and Consent.

According to Microsoft, the change was prompted by apps increasingly installing unwanted software, overriding settings, or modifying core Windows experiences without asking first. The rollout is phased, and Microsoft has said it will adjust the pace based on feedback, so this is not landing everywhere overnight. If your business is still running Windows 10 devices, these changes are one more reason the upgrade to Windows 11 is worth planning for sooner rather than later.

What We Recommend

None of this requires immediate action. The feature is still in Insider Preview, and most business devices will not see it for some time. But it is a good prompt to tidy up app permissions now, rather than waiting for Microsoft to force the issue.

• Review existing app permissions on staff devices, particularly for camera and microphone access on machines used for video calls.
• Educate staff on Microsoft’s own advice: only approve access requests from apps they recognise and trust.
• Use Intune or Group Policy to manage privacy settings centrally, rather than relying on individual users to get it right, or let a managed security services provider handle it for you.
• Keep an eye on the phased rollout of Windows Baseline Security Mode, since broader permission prompts will affect how apps behave across your estate.

As with most Windows Insider features, we would recommend testing on a small pilot group once this reaches a wider release, rather than assuming it will behave identically across every device and app in your environment.

Not sure which apps can access your cameras, microphones, or location data? We can check that for you. Get in touch with Speedster IT and we’ll help make sure your Windows 11 devices are set up safely.

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