When a website asks for your camera or microphone, Edge usually prompts you first. If you want a tighter rule, you need to know where the browser-wide switch lives and how saved site exceptions override it.
Open the Camera or Microphone permission page in Edge, set the main switch, then review the Allowed sites and Not allowed sites lists before you allow a trusted service.
In this guide, I have covered:
Contents
Where to Manage Camera and Microphone Permissions in Edge
A video call site asks for your camera, or a microphone prompt keeps appearing on a page you barely use. Start on the site permissions page. Edge keeps both the browser-wide default and your saved site exceptions there.
- Open Microsoft Edge on your computer.
- Open the
menu and select Settings. - Select Cookies and site permissions in the left sidebar.
- Scroll to All permissions.
- Select Camera or Microphone.
You’re in the right place when the page shows a main switch plus the Allowed sites and Not allowed sites lists.
Turn Off Camera Access for All Websites
If you never want sites to open your camera for calls, meetings, or uploads, turn the camera permission off at the browser level. The direct Camera page skips the menu path.
- Enter edge://settings/content/camera in the Edge address bar.
- Press .
- Turn off the main permission switch for camera access.
That switch off means new camera requests are denied unless the site already has an allow entry.
Turn Off Microphone Access for All Websites
If a website keeps asking to use your microphone, turn off the browser-wide switch instead of answering the same prompt again. Open Edge’s Microphone permission page and turn off the main switch.
- Enter edge://settings/content/microphone in the Edge address bar.
- Press .
- Turn off the main permission switch for microphone access.
A site without an explicit exception will now be denied microphone access.
If you also use Edge on a phone, the same choices live in a different menu. You can allow or block the camera and microphone in Edge on Android from there.
Allow or Block Access for Individual Websites
Blocking every request can break the one video call you still need. Use the Allowed sites and Not allowed sites lists on the Camera and Microphone pages to make an exception for one website without loosening the main setting for every other site.
- Open the Camera or Microphone permission page for the access you want to change.
- Open the Allowed sites list to grant access, or the Not allowed sites list to block it.
- Select beside the list.
- Enter the site’s domain name.
- Select again to save the entry.
The domain should appear in the list you chose. Use Allowed sites only for services you trust and need.
An entry under Allowed sites can keep camera or microphone access even when the main switch is off. Remove that site from the list if you want the general block to apply to it.
Edge also controls other website prompts in this part of Settings. If browser alerts are part of the same cleanup, configure site notification settings in Edge on the computer.
If you need to stop a website from loading at all, rather than limiting only camera or microphone access, use the broader website blocking method for Edge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the microphone permission setting in Edge on a computer?
Open the menu, select Settings, choose Cookies and site permissions, then open All permissions and select Microphone. The direct Microphone page reaches the same controls faster.
Can I allow camera access for one site and block it everywhere else?
Yes. Add that domain under Allowed sites on the Camera permission page. The entry acts as an exception, so the main switch can stay off for other sites.
How do I remove a website from the Allowed sites or Not allowed sites list?
Open the relevant Camera or Microphone permission page and remove the domain from the list that contains it. That site then follows the main switch again.
Does blocking camera or microphone in Edge turn off the device itself?
No. The Edge setting controls website requests inside the browser. Your operating system’s device-level privacy controls remain separate.
Why can a website still use the camera after the main switch is off?
Check the Allowed sites list for an existing exception. A site on that list can keep access even when other requests are blocked.
I’m so frustrated right now. My son’s teacher wants him working in Chrome but the mic isn’t working when he goes into his zoom meeting. The teacher can’t hear him, when I switch to Edge, she can hear him. Her answer is “come by the school and pick up one of the school’s Chromebooks.” We had a chromebook but it would crash our WiFi every time we turned it on, so we returned it. We have a HP laptop that is only 7 months old that’s the next step up from the Chromebooks. Should we get rid of Edge? It seems like it’s competing with Chrome and taking all the mic access with it.
Hi Alyss, I don’t think Edge will take over Chrome for microphone access. You could check the Chrome browsers Microphone settings and make sure it’s Enabled instead of being disabled. You can choose the Input as a system Microphone or whatever is reflected in the Edge Browser microphone settings.
Also, please consider running the Sound Test within Windows OS for testing the Microphone. I believe this should work since your Edge is working without issue. Check out this article as well on fixing Google Chrome No Sound or Audio Output
None of this works – there is no “Site Permissions” in the Security menu. As far as I can determine there is no way to block camera use in Edge.
Looks like an uninstall is in its future – on my pc anyway!
Hi Pat, the ‘Site Permissions’ tab is visible in the sidebar pane. Do you have got the latest Microsoft Edge browser? Perhaps you might be using the Edge legacy browser.