Webcam Shield

Access this feature from: Privacy ▸ Webcam Shield

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

Webcam Shield 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 Shield turned on at all times.

Note: This feature is available in Avast Ultimate and Avast Premier only.

Adjust Webcam Shield behavior

To adjust how Webcam Shield handles applications that attempt to access your webcam, use the slider at the bottom of the screen to select an option:

  • Smart: 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 Webcam Shield Settings screen where you can view its status and select additional actions.
  • Strict: 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 application appears on the Webcam Shield Settings 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 Shield determines trusted applications based on Avast Reputation Services, which reviews the application's certification information and analyzes how many users have the application installed. The Avast Reputation Services setting is enabled by default in Avast Settings.

Manage blocked and allowed applications

Click the gear icon on the Webcam Shield screen to view a list of your Blocked and Allowed applications.

To change an application's status, use the drop-down menu next to the relevant application and select Block or Allow. To remove an application, hover your cursor over the application's row and click the X icon.

Click Close to return to the main Webcam Shield screen.

Troubleshoot issues

The following issues may occur:

  • Webcam Shield does not appear in the Privacy menu: ensure you are using the latest version of Avast Ultimate or Avast Premier. To update Avast, go to ☰ Menu ▸ Settings ▸ Update and click Update in the program section.
    Note: This feature is not available in Avast Internet Security, Avast Pro Antivirus, or Avast Free Antivirus.
  • Webcam Shield displays popups too often: if you receive several notifications from Avast asking you to block or allow applications, ensure the slider that controls Webcam Shield behavior is set to Smart. If the slider is set to Strict, Avast 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 Avast Premier, ensure that the Webcam Shield behavior slider is set to Smart or Strict. If the slider is set to No Mercy, Webcam Shield prevents all applications from accessing your PC's webcam.