Chrome on Android puts camera and microphone permissions behind a single two-option control. You can block both sensors for every site, set Chrome to ask each time, or grant access to one trusted site.
Current Chrome builds also show a three-option permission prompt instead of the old Allow/Block pair. The Android-level block goes further and stops every app on the phone from using those sensors.
You can customize microphone and camera access in Chrome on Android from a single Site settings screen. Block both sensors for every site, set Chrome to ask each time, or allow only the specific sites you trust. The controls are moving into a new Privacy and security section in the 2025 Chrome menu redesign, but the older Site settings path still works the same way.
You will also see the new three-option permission prompt and learn how to lock the sensors down at the Android level, which stops every app on the phone from using them.
In this guide, I have covered:
Contents
Customize Microphone and Camera Access in Chrome Site Settings on Android
In Chrome on Android, camera and microphone both sit under Site settings, so the navigation starts the same way.
- Tap the
menu in the top right corner of Chrome. - Tap Settings.
- Scroll down to Advanced and tap Site settings.
TIP: On Chrome 136 and newer, Site settings has moved under Settings → Privacy and security. The older Settings → Site settings path still works, but the grouped menu is the new default.
You’ll know it worked when you see Camera and Microphone listed under Permissions.
Block Camera and Microphone for Every Site
On a current build of Chrome for Android, the camera and microphone screens no longer use a single on/off toggle. They show two options, and the one that blocks all access is labelled Don’t allow.
From the Site settings page above, follow these steps for the microphone:
- Tap Microphone.
- Select Don't allow sites to use your microphone. The choice saves right away.
For the camera, repeat the same flow and pick Camera in step 1, then Don’t allow sites to use your camera in step 2.
With this on, no site can request your mic or camera through Chrome until you flip the setting back.
Let Sites Ask Each Time (The Default Mode)
Some sites need those sensors for video calls, voice chat, or video uploads. For those cases, switch the control to Sites can ask for your microphone or camera. Chrome then prompts you every time a new site requests access, and you decide on the spot.
From the Site settings page above:
- Tap Microphone or Camera.
- Pick Sites can ask for your microphone (or …your camera).
- Back out of the menu. Every new site will now trigger a permission prompt.
This is the default on a fresh install of Chrome. It is the most flexible option if you only want to allow access on a case-by-case basis.
Customize Access for a Single Site
If a trusted site needs the camera or microphone while the global setting is Don’t allow, or if you want to revoke a site that abused a previous Allow, you can override the rule for just that URL. For a full walkthrough of every per-site permission Chrome keeps, see the site settings and site information guide for Chrome on Android.
- Open the site in Chrome on Android.
- Tap the
icon to the left of the address bar. On older Chrome versions, tap the lock icon instead. - Tap Permissions.
- Find Microphone or Camera and pick Allow, Block, or leave it on the default Ask.
- Reload the tab. The change takes effect right away.
For a full inventory of every site you’ve already decided on, open Site settings → Microphone (or Camera) and scroll past the global selector. The Allowed and Blocked lists let you clear or change any of those decisions in one place.
If you want to test the permission flow without affecting your main profile, open the same page in an Incognito tab in Chrome on Android. The decision will not be saved.
Read the New Three-Option Permission Prompt
When a site asks for access, current Chrome versions show a three-option prompt instead of the old Allow/Block pair.
- Allow while visiting the site: the permission lasts only for the current visit and is forgotten when you close the tab.
- Allow this time: the permission is granted for a single use, and the next request pops the prompt again.
- Never allow: the site is added to your blocked list and stops showing the prompt on later visits.
Pick Never allow for any site you don’t recognize or trust. Chrome remembers the choice and won’t ask again. Other site prompts in Chrome, like notification permission requests, use a similar flow with a small chip on the left of the address bar.
Block the Camera and Microphone at the Android Level
To stop every app on the phone from using the mic or camera, not just Chrome, use the OS-level switch in Android Settings. This affects every browser and any other app that requests those sensors.
- Open Settings on your Android phone.
- Tap Apps, then See all apps.
- Find and tap Chrome.
- Tap Permissions.
- Pick Microphone or Camera and select Don't allow.
Repeat for any other app you want to silence. This is a stronger guarantee than the Chrome-level block, because Chrome can’t even send the request without the OS permission first.
Bottom Line
Most websites don’t need your camera or microphone. Leaving Chrome on Don’t allow is the safest default, and switching to Sites can ask is one tap away whenever you need to make a call or join a video chat. Per-site overrides let you keep the strict global rule while still allowing the few sites you trust.
You can also manage the camera and microphone settings in Chrome on the Computer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does blocking the microphone in Chrome also block it in other apps?
No. Chrome’s site-level block only affects what Chrome itself can do. Other browsers, voice recorders, or any other app can still use the microphone unless you also flip the OS-level switch in Android Settings → Apps → Chrome → Permissions.
How do I unblock the camera or microphone after blocking it for every site?
Open Chrome → More → Settings → Site settings → Camera (or Microphone) and switch the option back to Sites can ask for your camera (or …your microphone). The change is instant.
What is the difference between Don’t allow and Sites can ask?
Don’t allow blocks every site, no prompt, no exceptions, until you change the setting back. Sites can ask shows a prompt every time a new site requests access, and you pick Allow or Block on the spot. The latter is the default on a fresh install.
Can I allow a single website while keeping the camera blocked for everything else?
Yes. Set the global Camera option to Don’t allow, then visit the trusted site, tap the icon left of the address bar, and choose Permissions → Camera → Allow. The per-site allow takes priority for that URL only.
Why does a website still ask for camera access after I set Chrome to block it?
Most likely a site exception from a previous session is overriding the global setting. Open Site settings → Camera, scroll to the Allowed list, and remove the site. The next reload will respect the global block.
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