Apple: Don’t put a cover over the webcam of MacBooks

Apple warns MacBook users not to tape their webcams with a cover or physical tape. That could damage the camera or the laptop. The Macs have an indicator that indicates that the webcam is being used, the company emphasizes.

apple says in a support message that users should not use a camera cover on their MacBooks. The space between the screen and the keyboard is “designed with very narrow margins,” the company says. As a result, a MacBook, MacBook Air or MacBook Pro can be damaged if users stick tape on it themselves.

Another problem is that the light sensor stops working if users stick a webcam cover to their laptop themselves. As a result, functions such as automatic brightness can no longer work.

Apple also gives tips for users who nevertheless want a physical camera cover, for example because this is required by their employer. Camera covers should be no thicker than 0.1 millimeters, the thickness of A4 paper, and should not leave any adhesive residue. If users do install a thicker cover, they should remove it before closing the computer.

Apple points to the indicator on MacBooks that shows if a camera is actively being used. The laptops don’t have physical kill switches, but they do have an indicator that shows when the camera is active. “The camera is made in such a way that it cannot be activated without the indicator light also coming on,” the company writes.