Windows 11 is finally adding per-app controls for desktop programs accessing your microphone, camera, and location

Q: Which desktop (Win32) apps appear in the new per-app microphone, camera, and location dropdowns in Windows 11 Experimental Build 26340.9212?

The article states that traditional Win32 desktop apps such as Discord and Chrome appear in the new per-app microphone, camera, and location dropdowns. Windows Latest also reports testing multiple desktop browsers in the Experimental Build 26340.9212 and being able to choose which desktop app had access to those features.

Q: How do the new per-app controls replace the old "Let desktop apps access your camera/microphone/location" toggle in Settings > Privacy & security?

The Settings > Privacy & security section removes the separate "Let desktop apps access your camera/microphone/location" catch-all toggle and instead lists each desktop app in the same per-app dropdown menu used for native Microsoft Store apps. This lets you choose microphone, camera, and location permissions for individual Win32 desktop programs rather than enabling them all with one switch.

Q: Can I set different permissions for the same desktop app (e.g., a browser) for microphone, camera, and location independently?

Yes. The Experimental Insider build moves desktop apps into the same per-app permission list as Store apps, replacing the single catch-all toggle, and Windows Latest found it could choose which desktop browsers had access to microphone, camera, and location individually. This lets you set permissions for the same desktop app separately for microphone, camera, and location.

Q: Does the preview build let me block specific desktop apps like Discord or Chrome from accessing my camera or mic without affecting other desktop apps?

Yes. The Experimental Insider PC Build 26340.9212 for Windows 11 replaces the single catch-all desktop-app toggle with per-app entries in Settings, letting you choose which desktop Win32 apps (for example Discord or Chrome) can access your microphone, camera, and location. Windows Latest tested the update and confirmed it could choose which desktop app had access to each sensor.

Windows 11 is adding enhanced per-app privacy controls for desktop programs accessing your microphone, camera, and location settings.

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Kosta Andreadis

Senior Editor

Published Aug 20, 2026 1:31 AM CDT

1 minute & 30 seconds read time

TL;DR: An Experimental Windows 11 Insider build lets users grant per-desktop-app permission for microphone, camera, and location instead of a single universal toggle, placing Win32 apps alongside Microsoft Store apps in Settings. Microsoft hasn't officially confirmed a public release yet.

Voice: Kosta AndreadisSpeed

0:00 / 2:28

Microsoft is finally updating Windows 11's privacy and security settings to give users more direct control over what apps can or can't access your PC or laptop's microphone, camera, and location settings. As spotted by Windows Latest, a recent Experimental Insider PC Build 26340.9212 for Windows 11 lets you choose which desktop apps can access these features.

Windows 11 is adding enhanced privacy controls for desktop apps accessing hardware like your microphone, image credit: Windows Latest.

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For native Microsoft Store apps, you've been able to choose which apps can, say, access your microphone for years. However, when it comes to more traditional desktop Win32-style apps, like Discord, Chrome, and anything else that launches via a .exe file, this feature was missing. Before this update, you had a single catch-all toggle that let all desktop apps access your microphone, camera, and location settings.

And with that, you were beholden to in-app settings or Windows pop-ups to confirm which desktop app could access them. As seen in this preview build, the 'Privacy & security' section of Windows 11's Settings removes the separate "Let desktop apps access your camera/microphone/location" toggle and instead places each app in the same dropdown menu as native Microsoft Store apps.

Windows 11 's enhanced privacy controls for desktop apps also covers cameras and location settings, image credit: Windows Latest.

Windows Latest tested the update by testing microphone, camera, and location permissions across multiple desktop browsers and found it could choose which app had access to what. This adds a sorely missing layer of privacy and security to Windows 11, since OS-level permissions for things like accessing your camera or microphone should be the bare minimum.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Question #1

Which desktop (Win32) apps appear in the new per-app microphone, camera, and location dropdowns in Windows 11 Experimental Build 26340.9212?

Question #2

How do the new per-app controls replace the old "Let desktop apps access your camera/microphone/location" toggle in Settings > Privacy & security?

Question #3

Can I set different permissions for the same desktop app (e.g., a browser) for microphone, camera, and location independently?

Question #4

Does the preview build let me block specific desktop apps like Discord or Chrome from accessing my camera or mic without affecting other desktop apps?

Have a question about this content not listed here? Ask below and TweakBot will answer it.

As of writing, Microsoft hasn't officially confirmed that these controls are coming as part of a future Windows 11 update, and the patch notes for the experimental build don't highlight it as a new feature. That said, as a privacy-friendly experimental feature currently in testing, it should definitely make its way to all Windows 11 users as soon as possible.