Microsoft is once again expanding the privacy tools in Windows 11. In the latest experimental Windows Insider build, numbered 26340.9212, which began rolling out to program participants in the Canary channel on August 17, 2026, a new feature has been discovered: users will now be able to block access to the camera and microphone for each individual Win32 application. Until now, the system only allowed managing permissions for UWP/MSIX packaged apps, leaving "desktop" programs outside the scope of privacy settings.
What changed in build 26340.9212
The key innovation concerns Win32 applications specifically — classic "desktop" programs that make up the vast majority of software installed on PCs. Previously, if a user needed, say, to allow the Chrome browser to use the webcam, they had to grant access to all desktop applications at once. The new option, found in the experimental build, allows assigning camera and microphone permissions on a per-app basis — for each specific Win32 application. This effectively brings the granularity of privacy management up to the level that has long been the standard in the iOS and Android mobile ecosystems.
Why this matters: Win32 vs. UWP/MSIX
The mechanism for granting or denying camera and microphone access has existed in Windows for many years, but its application was limited to UWP/MSIX applications — so-called "packaged" programs from the Microsoft Store. For Win32 applications, which include, for example, Discord, Google Chrome, the Steam platform, and many other popular programs, such per-app control was previously unavailable. This is precisely why the discovered feature is seen as a significant step forward: it closes a major gap in the privacy system of a desktop OS, where most installed software runs in the Win32 format.
How it works now and what will change
In current stable versions of Windows 11, a user can enable or disable camera and microphone access for individual applications of a certain type, but the choice is limited to UWP/MSIX packages. After the tested change is implemented, the privacy settings panel will likely display a list of specific Win32 programs, for each of which camera and microphone use can be individually allowed or blocked. This will allow, for example, keeping camera access for video conferencing while simultaneously blocking it for a third-party app that requests the device without an obvious need.
Timeline and outlook
Build 26340.9212 was distributed to Windows Insider program participants in the experimental (Canary) channel on August 17, 2026. As of the time of writing — August 20, 2026 — the feature is in closed testing. If the trials go well and no critical compatibility issues are found, the expanded permission-management capabilities may be moved to more stable channels and, ultimately, become available to all Windows 11 users in upcoming updates.
Conflicting data
There is one significant caveat that is important to keep in mind. Microsoft has not yet mentioned this change in the official release notes for the latest Windows Insider build. In other words, the feature was discovered and described based on analysis of the build itself, rather than confirmed by a public release announcement from the company. On the one hand, the presence of toggles in the build's interface is direct technical evidence of development; on the other — without official release notes, it cannot be stated with 100% certainty that the feature will reach stable versions without changes or cancellation. Thus, the innovation is technically confirmed but not officially confirmed.
In any case, the discovered mechanism indicates that Microsoft is steadily bringing the Windows 11 privacy model up to the level familiar to mobile platform users. For PC owners who work daily with dozens of applications requesting camera and microphone access, per-app control will be a noticeable strengthening of personal data protection.
