Does the MacBook notch have a camera and sensors?

The notch Published 4 November 2026

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Yes. The camera sits in the notch, in the middle of the top edge of the display. Apple’s support article about the cutout calls the notch the camera housing. The tech specs list the camera by model, and Apple does not describe other sensors in the pages checked for this article, so none are listed here.

The camera by model

MacBook Pro (14 inch, 2021): a 1080p FaceTime HD camera with an advanced image signal processor.
MacBook Air (M2, 2022): a 1080p FaceTime HD camera.
MacBook Air (13 inch, M5): a 12MP Center Stage camera with support for Desk View.

Camera quality differs by model, so check the tech specs page for yours.

The green light

Apple’s camera permissions guide says a green light beside the camera glows to indicate the camera is on. It comes on when an app that uses the camera opens and goes off when you close or quit all such apps. The light is a hardware indicator you can check at a glance, not a setting.

See which apps can use the camera

Open the Apple menu and choose System Settings.
Click Privacy and Security in the sidebar.
Click Camera.
Turn access off for any app you do not want to use it.

Apple says the list shows apps you have installed that have asked to use the camera. FaceTime and Photo Booth have built in access and do not appear there. Apple also notes that the privacy dots in the menu bar are part of Control Center, and clicking one shows which app is using the camera, microphone or system audio.

Notch apps and the camera

A notch app does not get the camera because it sits next to it. It would need the same permission as any other app, and macOS would show the green light when it used the camera. Our privacy checklist for notch apps lists what to check before you install one, and checking your camera before a call covers the usual preview step.

NotchStar’s Mirror tool is the only part of the app that uses the camera. It starts the camera when the Mirror tab opens and stops it when you leave. For the basics of the cutout itself, read what the notch is.

Quick answers.

Is the camera on all the time?

No. Apple says a green light beside the camera glows when the camera is on, and it turns off when you close or quit every app that uses it.

Link to this answer

How do I stop an app using the camera?

Open System Settings, click Privacy and Security, click Camera and turn the app off in the list.

Link to this answer

Keep reading.

What is the notch on a MacBook?: The notch is the cutout at the top centre of some MacBook displays that holds the camera. What it is, what Apple calls it and how macOS works around it.
How big is the MacBook notch?: Apple does not publish the notch size in its tech specs. Here is what Apple does list, and how apps and you can find the size on your own Mac.
Check your Mac camera before a video call: Preview your camera, check permissions and confirm the camera selected in your meeting app. Use a mirror preview without mistaking it for a recording test.
A quick mirror before every call: Check how you look before a call with a live, mirrored camera preview in the notch. The camera runs only while the Mirror tab is open.

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