Webcam Protection

Access this feature from: Privacy ▸ Webcam Protection ▸ Open

Webcam Protection prevents applications and malware from accessing your PC's webcam without your consent. With Webcam Protection enabled, untrusted applications can not capture images or videos and send the content outside of your PC to compromise your privacy.

Webcam Protection is enabled by default. To disable this feature, click the green ON slider so that it changes to red and displays the text OFF. We recommend keeping Webcam Protection turned on at all times.

Note: This feature is available in AVG Internet Security only.

Adjust Webcam Protection behavior

To adjust how Webcam Protection handles applications that attempt to access your webcam, select an option on the main Webcam Protection screen:

  • Smart Mode: automatically allows trusted applications to access your webcam. If an untrusted application attempts to access your webcam, a notification appears asking you to allow or block the application. After selecting an option, the application appears on the Blocked/ Allowed apps screen where you can view its status and select additional actions.
  • Strict Mode: notifies you each time any application attempts to access your webcam and allows you to decide if the application is blocked or allowed. After selecting to block or allow an application, the app appears on the Blocked/ Allowed apps screen where you can view its status and select additional actions.
  • No mercy: automatically blocks all applications that attempt to access your webcam.

Note: Webcam Protection determines trusted applications based on AVG Reputation Services, which reviews the application's certification information and analyzes how many users have the application installed. The AVG Reputation Services setting is enabled by default in AVG Settings

Manage blocked and allowed applications

The Blocked/ Allowed apps screen displays a list of the applications you block or allow while Webcam Protection is in Strict Mode.

To view and manage applications, click the Blocked/ Allowed apps tab. Use the drop-down menu next to an application and select Block or Allow to change its status. To remove an application from the list, hover your cursor over the application's row and click the X icon.

Click Close to return to the main Webcam Protection screen.

Troubleshoot issues

The following issues may occur:

  • Webcam Protection does not appear in the Privacy menu: ensure you are using the latest version of AVG Internet Security. To update AVG, go to Settings ▸ Update and click Update in the program section. Note: This feature is not available in the free version of AVG Antivirus.
  • Webcam Protection displays popups too often: if you receive several notifications from AVG asking you to block or allow applications, ensure Smart Mode is selected on the main Webcam Protection screen. If you selected Strict Mode, AVG notifies you each time any application attempts to access your PC's webcam.
  • Your PC's webcam stopped working: if your PC's webcam does not work after installing AVG Internet Security, ensure that you set Webcam Protection behavior to Smart Mode or Strict Mode. If you are using the No Mercy setting, Webcam Protection prevents all applications from accessing your PC's webcam.