On Windows 11 build 22624.1610 (and higher releases), you can enable the “Presence Sensing” feature to control how apps can determine whether you are near the device, and in this guide, you will learn how.
Presence Sensing refers to the features that can use specific sensors on the device that can help determine whether you are near the computer. The new page in the Settings app will allow controlling whether apps can access the sensors to detect your presence.
However, the settings page is only available on devices with compatible presence sensors. If this is the case, you can now manage your privacy and block or allow certain apps from accessing these sensors. Microsoft will not collect images or metadata, and all processing is done locally on the device’s hardware to maximize privacy.
This guide will teach you the steps to turn on Presence Sensing on Windows 11.
Enable Presence Sensing on Windows 11
To enable Presence Sensing on Windows 11, use these steps:
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Open Settings on Windows 11.
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Click on Privacy & security.
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Click the Presence sensing tab.
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Turn on the “Presence sensing access” toggle switch to enable Presence sensing on Windows 11.
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(Optional) Turn off the “Presence sensing access” toggle switch to disable Presence sensing on Windows 11.
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Turn on the “Let apps access presence sensing” toggle switch.
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Turn on or off the apps you want to allow or deny access to presence sensors.
Once you complete the steps, you will be able to control the apps that can determine your presence near your computer running Windows 11.
If you don’t see the settings page, it’s because the device isn’t running the latest version of Windows 11 that supports the feature or the computer doesn’t include compatible sensors to enable the Presence Sensing feature.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].