Apple Warns MacBook, MacBook Air & MacBook Pro Users Against Closing Their Laptops With a Camera Cover Attached
Last updated September 23, 2021
- Camera covers can easily damage your laptop’s screen, which can be costly to repair even with AppleCare+ deductions.
- Apple-made laptops aren’t designed for camera covers thicker than 0.1mm; Using adhesive tape is also not recommended.
- If you’re using a cover, make sure to remove it before closing your laptop.
During the last couple of years, we've seen plenty of news about the exploits of cameras found in today's digital devices. We're talking about vulnerabilities found in IoT devices, home security cameras, iPhones, and Android smartphones. Therefore, it’s not surprising to see camera covers being extensively used on laptops as well. However, as Apple points out, this can cause physical damage to laptops and should be used with plenty of caution.
The Cupertino-based company has published an article detailing how camera covers can cause significant damage to MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro laptops. That's because the "clearance between the display and keyboard is designed to very tight tolerances." Besides, covering your laptop's camera can also prevent features such as automatic brightness and TrueTone from working correctly.
Instead of using a camera cover, Apple advises its customers to rely on a camera indicator light. That's because the FaceTime HD camera shows a small dot that activates as soon as any application accesses your camera. A small green dot will appear on the right side of the built-in camera and will remain active as long as any software is having access to this part of your computer.
Image Courtesy of Apple.
Furthermore, you're advised to check which applications can use your camera. For this purpose, you need to have macOS Mojave installed or a newer version of macOS. Go to Apple > System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy. Then, select "Camera," and you'll see the apps with permissions to access your camera.
Of course, there are certain situations where users must use a camera cover. Apple acknowledges that, and the company has issued a set of guidelines to help keep you on the safe side. It's said that the camera cover should not be thicker than an average piece of printer paper (0.1mm). You are also advised against using covers that leave adhesive residue. And finally, there's always the option of removing the camera cover before closing your laptop.
Even though everything said above might strike some individuals as obvious advice, it's good to be reminded that we need to take proper care of our digital devices. Apple-made laptops are among the sturdiest laptops out there. However, their lightness and thinness should not be taken for granted. Remember that camera covers can damage your Mac laptop's screen, which can cost up to $1,500 to repair on high-end models (as shown in the picture above).
Finally, we'd like to remind you that Apple has been doing plenty in terms of securing the privacy of its users. The company's T2 security chip is also preventing third-parties from misusing your laptop’s microphone. And even though the company has had certain problems with MacBooks in terms of their build quality, recently discovered patents show that Apple is developing laptops with superior durability.
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