How do deactivate the green sensor indicator (microphone and camera)?

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and_novice

New member
Jan 14, 2022
2
2
Hi everyone,

I recently noticed the green indicator lighting up when I use my phone, indicating that the microphone or camera is being accessed.

How can I disable that function, it is a bit irriating as it keeps popping on when I use the phone?

Many thanks

Andy
 
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V0latyle

V0latyle

Forum Moderator
Staff member
Feb 20, 2011
11,734
8
21,405
The Heartland of America
Google Pixel 5
Google Pixel 6a
It's an integral privacy feature of Android 12. It may be possible to disable it using a Magisk module, but I don't know of a specific module that might do it, nor would I ever want to in the interests of privacy.
 
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D

Dennis9

Member
Mar 14, 2020
12
8
Samsung Galaxy S9+
Samsung Galaxy S20 / S20+ / S20 Ultra
I have the solution!

Activate the developer option on the phone. Enable USB debugging.

Install platform tools on the PC.
Connect cell phone to PC.

Start command prompt with platform-tools. E.g. C:\platform-tools>
then type in ADB DEVICES and confirm on the phone.
The phone should now appear in the list.
Now copy and paste the following line

Code:
adb shell cmd device_config put privacy camera_mic_icons_enabled false default

and confirm with Enter.
From now on there is no longer a green dot when using the camera and microphone.
Restore the green dot with

Code:
adb shell cmd device_config put privacy camera_mic_icons_enabled true default
 
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P

pies88

New member
May 10, 2022
1
1
This works great. However, if you reboot the device, the annoying icon is back. Do you know of a more permanent solution? Thanks!
 
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asdlasdf

asdlasdf

New member
Jul 7, 2022
1
0
I tried the method, worked once, but next time when I tried to use the front camera to record a video, although it showed no green dot, the video wasnt catched! only voices.... anyone knows how to resolve it? thx
 
rpmccormick

rpmccormick

Senior Member
Dec 1, 2008
788
117
OnePlus 7 Pro
Hummm... doesn't work for me.

adb shell
cmd device_config put privacy camera_mic_icons_enabled false default

I still see annoying green dot when opening camera (not horrible, but prefer not to have it).
I still see annoying green dot flashing on and off randomly all the time due to some background location (ie: sharing my GMaps location with my wife).

That drives me frickin insane to be trying to use my phone and have that damn green thing keep showing a location bubble, then a green dot, then nothing, then the location bubble again and so on all the frickin time. Who wants that? You can't even click it to see what is getting your location and disable it. It is totally useless.

Has anyone found a fix (that both works and survives reboots)?
 
XtraWater

XtraWater

Senior Member
Apr 8, 2018
1,022
232
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
Samsung Galaxy S5
I found a solution. But it needs Tasker and root. If interested let me know. I'm using it on custom rom
 
rpmccormick

rpmccormick

Senior Member
Dec 1, 2008
788
117
OnePlus 7 Pro
I found that I have a slider in Developer Options to turn on/off the location one which is the one that is truly annoying. The issue is that even if I turn it off, it comes back on by itself (always after a reboot, but randomly when I have not rebooted in a few days as well).

I have root and Tasker, though I never use Tasker and find it a bit annoying in my notifications area. I would be interested in your solution though. I wish the dev-opts switch just held so I didn't get the location one all the time. The camera/mic is not so bad (though completely unnecessary useless feature that has never helped anyone identify a bad-actor app and never will)
 
XtraWater

XtraWater

Senior Member
Apr 8, 2018
1,022
232
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
Samsung Galaxy S5
Task: Disable Green Dot

A1: Run Shell [
Command: cmd device_config put privacy location_indicators_enabled false default
Timeout (Seconds): 0
Use Root: On
Use Global Namespace: On ]

This is the task.

Create a profile with Event - Device Boot and assign this task. I only use it since a few days, but it works so far.

After a reboot the green indicator will appear for s few seconds until Tasker sets in.
 
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M

MSundy

Member
Nov 23, 2022
5
4
Using Tasker as XtraWater suggested and the following command:
cmd device_config put privacy camera_mic_icons_enabled false default

I was able to create a task to disable the camera's green dot. But, it only works 1/2 the time after a reboot. And when it does not work after boot up then running the task manually also does not get rid of the green dot. I'm using a rooted Pixel 6 on Android 13. I copied the other settings as well: timeout: 0, root: on, global namespace: on.

This is the first time I've ever used Tasker and I'm fairly new to rooting phones but what gets me is that it works about 1/2 of the time. Maybe a timing issue during boot up?

Any ideas??? This is driving me crazy.
 
M

MSundy

Member
Nov 23, 2022
5
4
It appears the Tasker job isn't doing anything actually. I disabled it and rebooted the phone a few times and it seems sometimes it shows the dot and sometimes it doesn't.
 
A

anenasa

Member
Mar 2, 2022
10
8
Xiaomi 11 Lite 5g NE
Hello, I created a Magisk module for this. This module will execute commands for disabling the green dot after boot. (
"cmd device_config put privacy location_indicators_enabled false default" and "cmd device_config put privacy camera_mic_icons_enabled false default")

The green dot may still show up for a few seconds after boot, that's because I set a delay before executing commands. Without the delay, the module may not work, probably because some system program enabled the green dot again after commands are executed.

Tested on POCO X4 Pro with ArrowOS (Android 13).
 

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J

Jackson Karloff

Member
Dec 9, 2021
8
2
Thank you, the module just worked fine...
 
mvincent2k

mvincent2k

Senior Member
Nov 19, 2018
67
28
OnePlus Nord N200 5G
Jackson Karloff said:
Thank you, the module just worked fine...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not working for me on
Not working for me on S20 with latest magisk on Android 13. Is there an updated version for this?
 
M

maramao84

New member
Dec 15, 2022
1
0
Hi.
Please help me.

I didn't understand how to make the command final. I tried to enter the command "cmd device_config put privacy location_indicators_enabled false default" and "cmd device_config put privacy camera_mic_icons_enabled false default"
but it gives me error. how can I do? thank you
 
byfarkhod

byfarkhod

New member
Jan 22, 2023
1
0
Hello.

This work but after some times again show green dot can you please check this ?

Redmi 10 note ver 12
 
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  • 6
    D
    Dennis9
    I have the solution!

    Activate the developer option on the phone. Enable USB debugging.

    Install platform tools on the PC.
    Connect cell phone to PC.

    Start command prompt with platform-tools. E.g. C:\platform-tools>
    then type in ADB DEVICES and confirm on the phone.
    The phone should now appear in the list.
    Now copy and paste the following line

    Code:
    adb shell cmd device_config put privacy camera_mic_icons_enabled false default

    and confirm with Enter.
    From now on there is no longer a green dot when using the camera and microphone.
    Restore the green dot with

    Code:
    adb shell cmd device_config put privacy camera_mic_icons_enabled true default
    View
    4
    A
    anenasa
    Hello, I created a Magisk module for this. This module will execute commands for disabling the green dot after boot. (
    "cmd device_config put privacy location_indicators_enabled false default" and "cmd device_config put privacy camera_mic_icons_enabled false default")

    The green dot may still show up for a few seconds after boot, that's because I set a delay before executing commands. Without the delay, the module may not work, probably because some system program enabled the green dot again after commands are executed.

    Tested on POCO X4 Pro with ArrowOS (Android 13).
    View
    3
    M
    MSundy
    I was able to disable the green camera/mic indicators from an ADB shell w/these commands:
    device_config put privacy camera_mic_icons_enabled false default
    device_config set_sync_disabled_for_tests persistent

    The first command disables them and the second one keeps the playstore from reverting the change, as I understand it. This command:
    device_config put privacy location_indicators_enabled false default

    should disable the location indicator, according to several sources, but I could not get it to work for me. The only means I've been able to use to disable the location indicator is by using SystemUITuner and adding the location indicator to the statusbar icon blacklist.
    View
    3
    V0latyle
    V0latyle
    It's an integral privacy feature of Android 12. It may be possible to disable it using a Magisk module, but I don't know of a specific module that might do it, nor would I ever want to in the interests of privacy.
    View
    3
    A
    anenasa
    Hello, I found an XPosed module called Location Indicator Whitelist. Despite the name, it can disable indicator for microphone and camera in addition to location. Instead of totally disabling indicator, it disables indicator for selected application.
    View

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