Neowin covered the feature this week and tied it to Windows 11 Insider Experimental Preview build 26340.9767. That build came out on October 23, 2026, alongside a redesigned internet speed test. Microsoft's records show a slightly different build history, explained below. What the feature does is well documented, though.
What's actually changing
Microsoft's own description is direct: "Windows Insiders can now manage camera, microphone, and location permissions for individual desktop apps. Previously, access for traditional desktop applications was managed through a single device-wide setting."
For context, gHacks explains that until now a single toggle labeled "Let desktop apps access your microphone" governs every non-Store program at once, so granting Discord microphone access leaves the toggle on for every other desktop application on the machine. Store apps have had separate toggles for years. Browsers, chat clients, game launchers and most software installed from the web or by IT were all handled by that one switch.
In the preview builds, Microsoft's release notes list these changes:
- Per-app allow or deny: you can turn camera, microphone or location access on or off for each desktop app.
- One familiar location: the controls are under Settings > Privacy & security > Camera, Microphone or Location.
- First-use prompts: an app that hasn't used one of these resources before will ask for permission the first time it tries.
TechPowerUp gives a practical example: you can maintain permissions for Zoom or Teams while playing games but remove these permissions for Chrome or any other web browser. Location works the same way. The site notes this helps anyone who actively blocks location services globally but needs them for specific applications like maps.
Neowin tested the feature on its own preview machine. Its Location page listed desktop apps such as Chrome and Excel next to their toggles, along with the date and time each app last accessed location services. Those names come from Neowin's machine. Microsoft hasn't published a list of which apps will appear.
Section summary: Windows 11 previews now give desktop apps their own camera, microphone and location toggles, instead of one switch for all of them.
Your existing settings won't be reset
Microsoft's release notes say what stays the same when the feature arrives on a PC:
- Existing permission decisions are kept.
- Apps that already had access keep it.
- Apps that were denied stay denied.
- You don't need to do anything, and no settings are reset.
This has a practical consequence. Installing the preview doesn't take access away from every app. If you've allowed desktop apps to use your camera and you're worried about one of them, Windows won't revoke that app's access for you. Open the relevant Settings page and turn it off yourself.
IT-Connect summed up the approach well: "The goal is simple: don't break anything. Existing choices will be preserved, allowed apps will remain allowed, and blocked apps will stay blocked."
Unfamiliar names and "Unsigned" entries
The list may not always show the app names you expect. Neowin's screenshots included entries such as COM Surrogate and Host Process for Windows Tasks. Microsoft's release notes explain why: most desktop apps show up under their own name, but apps that use shared system components, browser-hosted experiences or similar technologies may show up under a different name. Some apps may also be labeled Unsigned when Windows can't verify the publisher.
BleepingComputer reported that Microsoft also warned users to grant access only to apps they trust and recognize because of this.
These labels can be misread in two ways:
- A system-process name isn't necessarily the app making the request. It may be a shared Windows component acting on behalf of another program. Blocking it could affect more than one piece of software.
- "Unsigned" doesn't mean malware. It means Windows couldn't confirm who published the app. Small open-source tools and internal company apps can be unsigned. Still, it's worth checking before you give such an app your microphone.
Where the build numbers come from
The feature has turned up in several builds, so here is the history from Microsoft's records and earlier reporting:
| Build | Channel | Date | What happened |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26340.9212 | Experimental | August 17, 2026 | Feature found hidden; not in release notes |
| 26340.9233 | Experimental (26H2) | August 21, 2026 | Officially documented in release notes |
| 28120.3302 | Experimental (26H1) | October 23, 2026 | Documented in that day's release notes |
| 26340.9767 | Experimental | October 23, 2026 | Build Neowin associated with the feature |
The first appearance was unannounced. gHacks reported that the capability surfaced in Windows Insider Preview Build 26340.9212 for Windows 11 version 26H2, released to the Experimental channel on August 17, 2026. Microsoft's release notes for the build did not mention the new privacy controls. The toggles were spotted by an X user rather than announced. A few days later, Microsoft described the feature in the notes for build 26340.9233. BleepingComputer reported at the time that it was shipping to systems upgraded to Windows 11 Insider Experimental Preview Build 26340.9233.
In September, Microsoft's Windows IT Pro Blog said Windows Insiders in the Experimental channel can now decide which desktop apps access their camera, microphone, and location. Instead of relying on a single setting for all desktop apps, you can now review and manage access individually.
In the October 23 batch, Microsoft's roundup post lists 26340.9767 as the main Experimental build. The roundup itself doesn't mention the privacy controls. The full feature description, word for word as it appeared in August, is in the release notes for build 28120.3302 in the separate Experimental (26H1) channel.
So the feature is real and Neowin describes it accurately. But the newest official write-up we could verify is attached to 28120.3302, and the 26340.x Experimental builds have had the feature since August. If you're on an Insider PC, look at which channel you're enrolled in before deciding whether you should have it.
One more caveat. BetaNews reported that the hidden August build's same controls extend to location permissions and voice activation. Microsoft's official notes mention only camera, microphone and location, so treat voice activation as unconfirmed.
Section summary: The feature has been in testing since mid-August. The latest documentation we verified is in the Experimental (26H1) build 28120.3302 notes, not the 26340.9767 roundup.
For IT admins: current policies still apply
Microsoft's release notes say existing enterprise policies keep working as designed, and that it is "exploring additional management capabilities." That's all Microsoft has said. It hasn't announced per-app permission settings in Intune or Group Policy, a timeline, or any specific admin features. Plan only around what's documented:
- Existing camera, microphone and location policies still apply in the preview.
- Any new management options are only being explored. Don't put them in a deployment plan yet.
- If you run Insider test rings, look at how unsigned internal apps and apps built on shared components appear in the new lists. That's where help desk calls are most likely to come from.
When will everyone get it?
There's no date. Microsoft says features in these channels roll out gradually through Controlled Feature Rollout, starting with some Insiders and expanding as feedback comes in. It also warns that Experimental builds can be unstable, and that features may change, be removed, or never ship outside the Insider program. As BetaNews noted, Windows Insider builds routinely include features that later ship broadly, get redesigned, or get dropped entirely before reaching general availability.
Neowin's headline says "soon," which is more than the evidence shows. Microsoft has documented the feature in two channels and written about it on its IT Pro Blog, which suggests real commitment. But it hasn't announced a release date.
Why this matters
Phones have had this for years. BetaNews points out that per-app hardware permissions of this kind have been standard on iOS and Android for more than a decade. It also fits Microsoft's broader plans. BleepingComputer noted the change follows Microsoft's February announcement that it plans to introduce smartphone-style app permission prompts in Windows 11.
There's a limit worth stating. These controls cover three resources: camera, microphone and location. They don't put every desktop app in a sandbox, and they don't control what an app can do with your files, network or other data. Microsoft's general privacy documentation still says desktop apps can reach some data in ways the per-app toggles don't cover.
If you're on an Insider build
- Open Settings > Privacy & security.
- Select Camera, then go through the desktop apps listed and turn off any that don't need access.
- Do the same for Microphone and Location.
- If you see an unfamiliar entry or an Unsigned app, find out what it is before turning it on or off.
- If you don't see the per-app toggles, your build or channel may not have the rollout yet.
- To send feedback, open Feedback Hub (Win + F) and go to Settings > Privacy Settings.
If you're not an Insider, there's nothing to do for now. In the meantime, check the existing all-desktop-apps switch, because it still controls every non-Store program on your PC at once.