Before the macOS update 10.15.1 or “Catalina”, disabling the web camera on a Mac was pretty straightforward. Disable SIP, change some perms or delete some files/folders, reboot and enable SIP. MacRumors forum member Dashwin, for example, put a webcam cover on his 16-inch MacBook Pro in April and the result was a crack in the display under where the camera is located. The latest MBP 16.
![]() TMO Quick Tip - Disabling a Built-in iSight Camera
Instant: the polaroid instant photos 3 1. by Jeff Gamet, 7:30 AM EDT, June 11th, 2007
Apple didn't give us an overly obvious way to disable the iSight camera that's built in to the iMac, MacBook, and MacBook Pro, which is a problem for some people that work in sensitive environments. Covering the camera with a piece of tape will do the trick, but in some work places, that isn't enough.
You can completely disable your built-in iSight by moving a single file. Just move the QuickTimeUSBVDCDIgitizer.component file from System/Library/QuickTime to another safe location on your hard drive. Be careful what you move, because the System directory isn't a particularly safe place to mess around in. Should you move, rename, or delete the wrong file, you could potentially render your Mac unbootable.
You have to authenticate as an administrator when you try to move QuickTimeUSBVDCDIgitizer.component, and it will copy to the location you are trying to move it to instead of actually moving. Once the copy is complete, drag the original to the trash.
Removing the iSight component file will disable the camera and prevent any application from using it. If an application does try to use the camera, you'll see a dialog that says the device is in use by another program.
Webcam For Macbook Pro
To return your iSight to its normal and usable state, simply put the QuickTimeUSBVDCDIgitizer.component file back.
Jeff Gamet is TMO's Morning Editor and Reviews Editor. He lectures, teaches and speaks on Mac OS X and design-related topics, and is the author of The Designer's Guide to Mac OS X from Peachpit Press.
Disable Webcam Macbook
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