Deactivate the MacBook Pro 2023 webcam permanently

Greetings!

We appreciate your post in the Apple Support Community. To permanently deactivate the webcam on your MacBook Pro 2023 without physically altering it, follow these steps:

1. System Preferences: Go to Apple menu > System Preferences.
2. Security & Privacy: Click on the Security & Privacy option.
3. Privacy tab: Navigate to the Privacy tab and then to Camera. Uncheck all apps to prevent them from accessing the camera.

For an extra layer of security:

• Terminal:Open the Terminal app (found in Applications > Utilities).
• Enter the following command: sudo chmod a-r /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreMediaIO.framework/Versions/A/Resources/VDC.plugin/Contents/MacOS/VDC
• Press Enter. You'll be asked for your password; type it in (no characters will appear for security reasons) and press Enter again.

This command changes the permissions of the camera driver, effectively disabling the camera. If you ever want to re-enable it, you'd need to reverse the command, which makes it difficult to impulsively turn the camera back on.

Note: Always ensure you're comfortable using Terminal commands and understand their implications. The above command is reversible, but if you're unsure, seek assistance or consider third-party parental control apps that offer similar functionality.

For English speakers, we have a dedicated community right here: discussions.apple.com. Since your message is in English, we warmly invite you to join us in that community.

Best regards!

If you're looking to permanently disable the camera on your iPhone via command line, you're facing a challenge. Apple's iOS is a closed system, meaning you don't have the same command line access as on some other operating systems. Apple does this to maintain system security and stability.

However, if you're thinking in terms of Mac and using the iPhone as a webcam for the Mac (through apps like Camo, EpocCam, or similar), you can disable those specific apps from accessing the iPhone camera by going to their specific permissions on the Mac.

If you're looking for a physical solution, some people use camera covers, but do be careful about any adhesive or cover that might damage the lens or phone surface.

All the best to you too! Take care!