This browser is no longer supported.
Upgrade to Microsoft Edge to take advantage of the latest features, security updates, and technical support.
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(128, 8%, 22%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EA%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Since the update to 1709 I keep getting every few hours “Host process for windows tasks is using the webcam”.
Is this safe and normal?
I have the HP Envy running windows 10 pro.
Regards
Stan.
Moved from: (Windows / Windows 10 / Security & privacy)
Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.
Hi all... Update
I have Kaspersky internet security and it's that is displaying the report so If you have Kaspersky internet security that telling you the web cam is been used so this is what I did: -
Go to windows settings… Privacy… Camera… then I turned off “Let apps use my camera hardware” and up to now it’s never reported web cam been used up to now after about 10 hours.
hope that helps us all.
regards
Stan.
We should not need to turn off our hardware or cover it with tape (although my camera is off and covered), the point is Microsoft has installed programs on our computers that use the camera but the camera is a part of the hardware that we OWN ,not Microsoft , and we should be able to choose what software is to use the camera. There should not be calls to OUR hardware at all until we enable or install the program ourselves. I personally hate Skype (I know some like it)and would love to get rid of it but that is fruitless. We need more control over OUR computer hardware. Microsoft windows is the software but we go through hoops to try to get some control back over our computers so that we can use them the way we want without Microsoft bloatware clogging up everything. Some features and software are useful and some are just plain junk.
Hello,
Thank you for your reply.
But think for a second that I'm not an Idiot...
" Settings> Privacy" - and disabling webcam - is the first think I, and 99.99999999% of people DID BEFORE asking questions here.
If the solution was that simple - no one would ask questions about what is going on with Win10.
The problem is that no matter disabled webcam use permission in setting or not - windows host process still trying to get access to it according to Kaspersky Internet security - and that is NOT american software (Russian security software doesn't have to provide backdoor access for NSA or Microsoft without users will to do so), so I can trust it.
Windows 10 is well known for spying - no big surprise.
As for using "task manager" - please, I'm not in kindergarten, I know how to use Microsoft OS.
The location is OK - and I did not think for a second that it is third-party malicious software. I was obvious that it is Microsoft built in thing.
Hi ,I wasn't trying to imply that you may be an idiot or in kindergarten. I have no knowledge of what you know
computer wise .Only trying to help but I can't tell you what is going on with Win10. I do know it is terribly intrusive
and I have an intense dislike for the privacy issues it presents. .. Sorry I could not be of help. Have a Happy New Year !!
It is nice to eventually find out that Kaspersky found that and notifies you about it. I did the same procedure and denied access to camera from Kaspersky not Windows 10 setting.
have same problem, tons windows stuff turning on my camera .I covered camera.
Hi Kiva,
Just to check, have you tried performing the steps posted by StanOfSaxons?
We're looking forward to your reply.
