How to Review and Manage App Permissions in Windows 11

Step by step

1. 30 sec

   Open the Windows Settings app

   Press the Windows key on your keyboard to open the Start menu. Select the Settings icon or press the Windows key + I to launch the application directly.

   Note: Win + I
2. 30 sec

   Access the Privacy & security menu

   From the left-hand navigation pane in the Settings window, select Privacy & security. This menu houses all individual hardware and data access controls for installed software.

3. 1 min

   Locate App permissions

   Scroll down to the App permissions section. This list displays categories such as Location, Camera, Microphone, and Contacts. Each category represents a specific hardware or data set.

   Note: Reviewing these one by one provides the granular control necessary to isolate unnecessary access.
4. 1 min

   Review individual hardware access

   Click on a specific category, such as Microphone. You will see a list of applications that have requested access to that resource.

   Note: Toggle the switch next to any application to instantly revoke its permission to use that hardware.
5. 1 min

   Manage global and application-level settings

   Ensure the master toggle at the top of the category is set to On if you wish to allow any apps to access the feature. If the master toggle is Off, all applications are restricted from using that resource regardless of individual settings.