Webcam warning: Covers can destroy MacBook display
Apple has released a support document with warnings: Commercially available webcam covers are a problem for MacBooks. Here are the alternatives.
Webcam cover on a Mac: This one is already too thick, according to Apple.
(Image: oasisamuel / Shutterstock)
Anyone who fears that malware on their Mac could activate the webcam and secretly record what's happening in front of the screen often reaches for the widely available webcam covers. These are meant to be placed over the camera area of the MacBook Pro or Air, which on modern devices is in the area of the "notch," the indentation in the center at the top. The problem: If you close a computer equipped with these plastic sliders, it can lead to damage due to very tight tolerances. Apple has been warning about this for a long time in a Support document. Since the user is responsible for the application, the repair can be expensive – it is by no means covered by warranty.
Fear of being filmed
In addition to the camera, Apple has installed a warning light in portable Macs (as well as the Studio Display) that turns green as soon as the camera is active. Accordingly, you shouldn't need a webcam cover. "The FaceTime HD camera integrated into your Mac computer is designed with your privacy in mind and includes a status indicator that lights up green when the camera is active," Apple emphasizes. This way, the user always knows "when the camera is on." In the past (2013), there were very complex hacks with old Macs that could bypass the green light. Currently, however, nothing is known about such a vulnerability in modern Apple Silicon computers – Apple has also apparently implemented further protective measures at the hardware level.
Videos by heise
However, a physical barrier is not the green light. Accordingly, some users prefer to "play it safe" to prevent filming by a camera cover. But this is precisely where hardware damage threatens if you don't do it right. Apple itself provides some tips for "work environments that require a camera cover at all times" – because these also exist. However, the specifications are strict: The camera cover must "not be thicker than a sheet of printer paper (0.1 mm)" if you still want to close the MacBook. "If you attach a camera cover that is thicker than 0.1 mm, remove the camera cover before closing the computer," it states laconically otherwise. Camera covers that leave adhesive residue should also be avoided.
A Post-it helps
Camera covers can also cause other problems: The sensors for setting True Tone and automatic screen brightness are covered depending on the design and then no longer work. If the camera cover is too thick, it can lead to display breakage. This is only noticed when the MacBook is opened again.
As a solution, you can simply work with a Post-it note, cut it to size and bend it – the adhesive surface is attached to the back of the MacBook. More professional alternatives are available from providers like Eyebloc, whose magnetic cover also includes holes for the aforementioned sensors and is comparatively thin. However, the component is currently only available for an extremely expensive almost 44 Euros
Empfohlener redaktioneller Inhalt
Mit Ihrer Zustimmung wird hier ein externer Preisvergleich (heise Preisvergleich) geladen.
Ich bin damit einverstanden, dass mir externe Inhalte angezeigt werden. Damit können personenbezogene Daten an Drittplattformen (heise Preisvergleich) übermittelt werden. Mehr dazu in unserer Datenschutzerklärung.
(bsc)
