Newer MacBook Pro and Air Users Not Highly Recommended to Use Camera Covers as Screen Damage Complaints Arisen

Newer MacBook Pro and Air users, take off the camera cover before shutting the lid down! Apple has already published documentation on using camera coverings regardless of material or size, as camera coverings thicker than a ream of paper can break the fragile screen. This can also cause the ambient light sensor to get damaged as well, with Apple recommending all users to use the camera indicator light to determine whether the camera is recording or not. Screen fractures can also occur, especially when camera coverings made out of plastic, polycarbonate or hard materials are stuck on the front-facing camera. Users should also be on the lookout for any camera permission pop ups on apps that do not utilise camera features, as that can also have hackers hacking into an app.

The support documentation states that the clearance of the screen and the bottom of the MacBook can be in its tightest tolerances, causing pressure from the camera covering to compress down and damage the screen when the MacBook is closed. This comes after a lot of 16-inch MacBook Pro users, including a few other users with the 2016 and later MacBook Pro models, 2015-18 MacBook and 2018 and later MacBook Air users as the bezels of the displays are much smaller than their older counterparts in previous generations. All MacBook users can decide which apps can use the FaceTime HD camera through System Preferences > Security and Privacy > Privacy, in the camera settings. In addition, macOS Mojave and later versions all require developers to let users make decisions about camera use on third-party apps before the camera or video recording features can be used, as an added security measure. This can help prevent inadvertent recording or capturing of pictures and videos without the user’s permission and having to worry about using a cover over the camera.

Apple also makes guidelines if in any case, a user needs to use a camera cover for their work, such as customer service, using a work-issued Mac or anything else that requires users to use it. This includes using a thinner camera covering less than the thickness of a paper ream and without any strong adhesive backings. If the camera cover is thicker than a piece of paper or 0.1 millimetres, users have to take the camera covering off before closing the MacBook. The frontal camera on MacBooks is engineered to only turn on its light when the camera features or apps are being used by the user.

(Image via Wall Street Journal)