How to turn off camera and microphone access on a Google Pixel (Android 17)

Device

Android

Shown on

Google Pixel 10a, Android 17 (build CP3A.261005.005)

App

Settings

Path

Settings › Security and privacy › Privacy controls › Camera access

Real screenshots

7 of 7 steps

Checked

October 2026

Sources

1 official, linked below

Step by step

1. 

   Open Security and privacy

   Open Settings and tap Security and privacy.

   Done

2. 

   Tap Privacy controls

   Scroll down to the Privacy heading and tap Privacy controls: Permissions, controls.

   Done

3. 

   Find Camera access and Microphone access

   Under Controls, Camera access and Microphone access both say For apps and services; both were on on ours. The Microphone access note says that if it is off, microphone data may still be shared when you call an emergency number.

   Done

4. 

   Turn off Camera access

   Tap the Camera access switch. It turns dark with an X. Microphone access works the same way; we left it on.

   Done

5. 

   Open the Camera app

   Ours asked: Unblock device camera? This unblocks access for all apps and services allowed to use your camera. Tap Cancel to keep it blocked, or Unblock to turn the camera back on.

   Done

6. 

   Cancel: the camera stays black

   We tapped Cancel. The Camera app stayed open with its buttons, but the viewfinder was black.

   Done

7. 

   Turn Camera access back on

   Go back to Settings, Security and privacy, Privacy controls and tap the Camera access switch again. It shows a tick. Our Camera app showed a live picture again after that.

   Done

If you do not see this option

• What happens with the microphone off? We did not turn Microphone access off, so we can't say what apps show then. Its note on ours says microphone data may still be shared when you call an emergency number. Source: Change app permissions on your Android phone
• Path differs from Google's help? Google says Security and privacy, Privacy, Privacy controls. On ours Privacy is a heading on the Security and privacy page, and Privacy controls is the first row under it. Source: Change app permissions on your Android phone
• Want to block one app only? Permission manager, the first row on Privacy controls, sets the camera and microphone app by app. These switches block them for every app and service. Source: Change app permissions on your Android phone

If this does not work

• Camera app asks Unblock device camera? Camera access is off. Tap Unblock, or turn Camera access back on in Settings, Security and privacy, Privacy controls.
• Camera shows only black? After we tapped Cancel on the unblock question, ours stayed black. Turn Camera access back on, then open the Camera app again.
• Need the camera for one app only? Leave Camera access on and change that app's permission instead: change app permissions on a Pixel. Source: Change app permissions on your Android phone

About this guide

Google's Android help says you can turn off camera or microphone access for the whole phone in Privacy controls. On our Pixel the Camera app then asked whether to unblock the camera, and stayed black when we said no.

The screenshots are from our Google Pixel 10a with Android 17 (build CP3A.261005.005), in Dark mode. We turned Camera access off, opened the Camera app, and turned it back on. We did not turn off Microphone access.

Good to know

See which apps used the camera or mic in the past 24 hours: use the privacy dashboard on a Pixel.

Change the camera or mic for one app at a time: change app permissions on a Pixel.

In short: Settings, Security and privacy, Privacy controls, Camera access or Microphone access off. Turn it on to undo.