To allow app permissions in Windows 11, open Settings > Privacy & security and pick the permission under App permissions, such as Camera, Microphone, or Location. Turn on the main access switch, turn on Let apps access, and then turn on the switch next to the app that needs it. For desktop apps like Zoom or most browsers, turn on Let desktop apps access instead.
This guide covers allowing a permission for one app or all apps, how desktop apps differ from Microsoft Store apps, seeing every permission for a single app, browser and website permissions, and why switches can be grayed out. Steps follow Microsoft’s App permissions and microphone permissions pages, checked October 1, 2026.
Allow a Permission
- Press Windows key + I to open Settings.
- Select Privacy & security and scroll to App permissions. Result: you see a list of permissions, such as Location, Camera, Microphone, Notifications, Contacts and File system.
- Select the permission, such as Camera.
- Turn on the main access switch (for example, Camera access). Result: the device can be used at all.
- Turn on Let apps access your camera. Result: a list of Microsoft Store apps appears below.
- Turn on the switch next to the app you want to allow. For desktop apps, turn on Let desktop apps access your camera at the bottom. Result: the app can use the camera right away; restart it if it was already open.
Microsoft’s microphone page uses the same order: Microphone access, then Let apps access your microphone, then the switch for each app, and Let desktop apps access your microphone for desktop apps. Microphone access is also what Windows voice typing needs; see how to use voice typing in Windows 11.
Desktop Apps vs. Microsoft Store Apps
Microsoft says the Privacy page won’t list apps that have permission to use all system resources, and Windows desktop apps fall into this group. That means:
- Microsoft Store apps appear by name, each with its own switch.
- Desktop apps (programs you downloaded from a website, like Zoom, Chrome or Steam) share one switch, such as Let desktop apps access your camera. Windows lists desktop apps that used the device recently under that switch, but you can’t block them one by one there.
- To see what a Store app can do before installing it, check its permissions on its Microsoft Store page.
Microsoft’s list of what each permission means includes Location, Microphone, Webcam, Contacts, Calendar, File system, Pictures library and more. Its “Access all your files, peripheral devices, apps, programs, and registry” permission covers apps that can use your camera, microphone or printer without asking.
See Every Permission for One App
- Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
- Select the three dots next to a Microsoft Store app and choose Advanced options. Result: the app’s settings page opens.
- Under App permissions, turn individual permissions on or off.
You can also reach this page from Start › All apps: right-click an app and choose More › App settings. If an app doesn’t need special permissions, or it’s a desktop app, you won’t see any switches there.
Website and Browser Permissions
Browsers are desktop apps, so Windows only decides whether the browser itself can use the camera, microphone or location. Each website then asks separately. If a site can’t use your camera even though Windows allows it, select the icon to the left of the address in Edge or Chrome and allow the camera, microphone or location for that site.
If a Permission Won’t Turn On
- Switches are grayed out: the main access switch may be off, or your organization may manage these settings on a work or school PC.
- The app isn’t listed: it’s probably a desktop app. Use the Let desktop apps access switch.
- The camera or mic still doesn’t work: check that the device is selected in the app’s own settings, and that no other app is using it.
- Location is off for everything: turn on Location services at the top of the Location page first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the camera still not work in my browser?
Browsers also ask for permission per website. Allow the camera in the browser’s prompt or its site settings.
Can I remove a permission later?
Yes. Turn the app’s switch off on the same page. Turning off the main access switch blocks every app at once.
Can I block just one desktop app from the camera?
Not from the Privacy page. Microsoft says desktop apps can’t be controlled individually there. Use the app’s own settings, or turn off Let desktop apps access for all of them.
Do permission changes need a restart?
No. They take effect right away, though an app that’s already open may need to be closed and reopened.
Related: How to Only Allow Apps from the Microsoft Store in Windows.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read hundreds of millions of times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.