Know what the green dot at the top of your screen means

Last Update date : May 25. 2022

Privacy and transparency regarding the use of the camera and microphone by certain applications is a major concern for Samsung and its products.

Since Android 12 (S OS), Samsung has included several enhancements to improve the user experience for privacy protection.

View of the main screen with the green dot active at the top of the notification panel.

This green dot is a tool that allows you to know when an application is accessing the device's camera or microphone in real-time by displaying a green dot at the top of the notification panel.

When viewing or scrolling through the menus, you can see whether or not some apps are using the camera or microphone.

You can also see which applications are accessing these functions if you tap on the green dot.

How to know which apps are using your camera or microphone

Step 1. View of a call where the camera and microphone chip appears. The other indicators are hidden for a while. Step 1. View of a call where the camera and microphone chip appears. The other indicators are hidden for a while.

Step 1. The tool will display the green dot at the top right, showing whether the microphone, camera, or both are in use.

Step 2. View of the green dot at the top right of the screen during a call a few seconds later. The other indicators appear again. Step 2. View of the green dot at the top right of the screen during a call a few seconds later. The other indicators appear again.

Step 2. A few seconds later, only a green dot will be displayed with the rest of the indicators.

Step 3. View of the notifications menu displayed during the call with the green dot at the right top of the screen. Tap on the green dot. Step 3. View of the notifications menu displayed during the call with the green dot at the right top of the screen. Tap on the green dot.

Step 3. Open the notification bar and tap on the green dot.

Step 4. View of the notifications menu displaying the applications that are currently using the camera or microphone. Step 4. View of the notifications menu displaying the applications that are currently using the camera or microphone.

Step 4. Now you can see which application is using the camera or microphone.

How to check and change the camera and microphone access permissions

You can check the permissions given to the camera and microphone and change them if you wish to do so.

If you want to check the permission list, please follow the next steps.

1 In the Settings menu, tap on the "Privacy" option.
2 In the Privacy menu, tap on the “Permission Manager” option.
3 In the Permission Manager menu, you can review which apps have the permission to use camera, microphone, or both.

Please, follow the next steps.

1 In the Settings menu, tap on the "Privacy" option.
2 In the Privacy menu, tap on “Camera access/Microphone access”.
3 In the Permission Manager menu, you can review which apps have permission to use the camera, microphone, or both.

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