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Is Camera Safe?

Camera privacy label · by Apple Inc. · checked November 2026

  • Nothing linked to you
  • Recently updated
App Privacy label Developer-reported · checked November 1, 2026
Used to track you
0types

None declared

Linked to you
0types

None declared

Not linked to you
4types
Short answer

On the label it is low-risk: Camera collects some data but says none of it is linked to you or used for tracking. None of it falls in Apple's most sensitive categories (health, financial, location, contacts or your own content). In total the label lists 4 data types; 40% of security camera apps we checked declare tracking.

At a glance

Camera privacy in one look

Data exposure on the label
Not linked to you
  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4

Built only from the developer's App Store label. It describes disclosure, not tested behaviour.

Verdict from the label
Not linked to you

Camera collects some data but says none of it is linked to your identity, and none is used for tracking.

Try it

Did Camera ask for something?

Pick the permission prompt you saw. We compare it with what Camera's developer declared.

It asked me for access to…
Tap a prompt to compare it with the label.
Not on the label

Location is not on Camera's label. That can be fine: data used only on your iPhone does not have to be declared. If the data would need to leave the phone for the feature to work, ask why it is missing.

Not on the label

User Content is not on Camera's label. That can be fine: data used only on your iPhone does not have to be declared. If the data would need to leave the phone for the feature to work, ask why it is missing.

Not on the label

Contacts is not on Camera's label. That can be fine: data used only on your iPhone does not have to be declared. If the data would need to leave the phone for the feature to work, ask why it is missing.

Not declared on the label

Camera declares no tracking, so a tracking prompt would contradict its label. Decline it, and consider reporting the mismatch to Apple.

Not on the label

Health & Fitness is not on Camera's label. That can be fine: data used only on your iPhone does not have to be declared. If the data would need to leave the phone for the feature to work, ask why it is missing.

A permission is what the app can reach on your iPhone; the label is what the developer says leaves it. They answer different questions.

Line by line

What Camera collects, explained

Data typeWhat it coversWhere to limit it
IdentifiersNot linked to you An account ID, screen name, customer number or a device-level ID such as the advertising identifier. Settings › Privacy & Security › Tracking: turn off Allow Apps to Request to Track, or tap Ask App Not to Track when prompted.
Usage DataNot linked to you What you tap, open and view inside the app, plus which ads you have seen. There is no single iOS switch. Look for an analytics or personalised-ads toggle in the app's own settings.
Other DataNot linked to you Any data the developer did not fit into Apple's named categories. Read the app's privacy policy, linked from its App Store page.
DiagnosticsNot linked to you Crash logs, launch times, hang rates and energy use. Settings › Privacy & Security › Analytics & Improvements › Share With App Developers controls what Apple passes on; the app's own crash reporting is separate.
Reading the label

What Camera's label means for you

Camera's label has 4 types under “Data Not Linked to You”. A data type can appear in more than one section when it is used for different purposes — for example, identifiers used for both analytics and advertising.

Every type on Camera's label is in the “not linked” section, so the developer says the data is stripped of anything that identifies you before it is used. That is typical of anonymous analytics and crash reporting. Not linked is still collected: the data leaves your phone.

None of the data types fall into the categories most people consider sensitive: health, financial information, precise location, contacts, browsing history or the content you create.

Security camera apps stream video from inside and around your home. Cloud recording, sharing with household members and law-enforcement request policies all matter. Turn on two-factor authentication for the camera account and review who has shared access.

Among the 164 security camera apps in our snapshot with a label, 40% declare tracking, 66% collect data linked to you and 17% say they collect nothing. Camera lists 4 data types, about the same as the average of 3.1 for this group.

Photo and video apps usually request access to your photo library. iOS lets you share only selected photos, which keeps the rest of the library — and its location metadata — away from the app.

On your iPhone

Settings to check for Camera

  1. 1

    Tracking

    Settings › Privacy & Security › Tracking. If “Allow Apps to Request to Track” is off, apps cannot ask, and they are told to treat you as having declined. You can also turn it off for this app alone.

  2. 2

    Photos

    Settings › Privacy & Security › Photos. Limited Access lets you pick exactly which pictures the app can see; Add Photos Only lets it save without reading your library.

  3. 3

    Microphone & camera

    Settings › Privacy & Security › Microphone and Camera. The orange and green dots in the status bar show when either is in use.

  4. 4

    Lock the app

    On iOS 18 and later, touch and hold the icon and choose Require Face ID. Anyone who picks up your unlocked phone then needs your face, fingerprint or passcode to open it.

  5. 5

    Notifications

    Settings › Notifications › Camera › Show Previews: When Unlocked keeps message and account details off the Lock Screen.

Cross-app tracking

Does Camera track you?

No tracking declared

There is no “Data Used to Track You” section on Camera's label.

Does Camera track you? Full answer and how to stop it →

iOS 18 and later

Lock Camera behind Face ID

  1. Find Camera on your Home Screen or in App Library.
  2. Touch and hold the icon until the quick-actions menu opens.
  3. Tap Require Face ID (or Require Touch ID / Require Passcode, depending on your iPhone).
  4. Tap Require Face ID again to confirm. Camera now asks for authentication every time it opens.

The lock is an iPhone feature, so it works whether or not Camera has a passcode of its own. It does not change what the app sends to its developer.

Lock or hide Camera: step-by-step guide →

From the App Store record

About Camera

DeveloperApple Inc.
App Store categoryPhoto & Video
Latest version1.9, released October 2026
First releasedOctober 2021
RequiresiOS 10.0 or later
Size11 MB
Age rating4+
Languages1 (EN)
Bundle IDcom.apple.camera

The current version shipped in October 2026, so the app is actively maintained and its label is likely current. Labels are updated by developers when practices change.

Also by Apple Inc.: Calculator, Passwords, iCloud Drive, Safari, Journal, Files.

Read with care

What the label cannot tell you

  • A label is self-reported. Apple publishes the developer's answers and can reject apps that misrepresent them, but it does not independently verify what Camera sends.
  • It does not say where data is stored, how long it is kept, whether it is encrypted, or which companies receive it. The privacy policy covers those points.
  • Optional data counts: if a feature lets you add something (a profile photo, a phone number), the type is listed even if you never use the feature.
  • Data handled only on your iPhone is not 'collected', so a no-collection label is compatible with an app that reads your files locally.
  • Third-party sign-in, payment processors and SDKs are supposed to be included, but a label can lag behind a new version.

The question to ask Camera's developer: Who can view my camera footage, and is it end-to-end encrypted?

How it compares

Camera vs similar security camera apps

Data types listed on each App Store privacy label
Tracks youLinked to youNot linkedCollects nothing

Fewer types is not automatically safer: a cloud backup app has to collect your files to work. Compare like with like.

Checking another app?

Look up any of our apps in seconds, or put two labels side by side.

App privacy checkerCompare two appsBrowse 4,500 apps
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All security camera apps → Who tracks you? A–Z → Apps that collect identifiers → Privacy label decoder →

Do it now

Your Camera privacy checklist

Tick what you have done
Tick each step as you do it on your iPhone.

Done. You have applied every control the label points to.

Quick quiz

True or false?

  1. Q1Camera's privacy label says it uses data to track you.
    Right.
    Not quite.

    False: there is no Data Used to Track You section on Camera's label.

  2. Q2Apple tests every app to confirm its privacy label is accurate.
    Right.
    Not quite.

    Labels are self-reported by developers. Apple can reject or remove apps that misrepresent practices, but it does not audit each label.

  3. Q3Camera collects Identifiers.
    Right.
    Not quite.

    True: Identifiers appears on its label, in the Not Linked to You section.

  4. Q4Data “Not Linked to You” is never sent off your iPhone.
    Right.
    Not quite.

    It is collected and sent; the developer says it is de-identified rather than tied to your account or device.

  5. Q5Tapping “Ask App Not to Track” can stop an app from working.
    Right.
    Not quite.

    Apple's rules require apps to work the same whether or not you allow tracking.

Questions people ask

Camera privacy FAQ

Is Camera safe to use?
Based on its App Store privacy label, camera collects some data but says none of it is linked to your identity, and none is used for tracking. Whether that is acceptable depends on what you will store in it. The label is developer-reported, not an independent security test.
Does Camera track you?
No. Camera's label has no Data Used to Track You section.
What data does Camera collect?
Identifiers, usage data, other data and diagnostics. None of it is linked to your identity.
Who makes Camera?
Apple Inc., according to the App Store. It was first released in October 2021 and the current version is 1.9.
Can I lock Camera with Face ID?
On iOS 18 or later, touch and hold Camera's icon and choose Require Face ID (or Touch ID / Passcode). This is an iPhone feature and works for most downloaded apps, whether or not the app has its own lock.
How does Camera compare with other security camera apps?
Across 164 security camera apps with labels in our snapshot, 40% declare tracking and 17% say they collect no data. Camera lists 4 data types against an average of 3.1.
Who can view my camera footage, and is it end-to-end encrypted?
The privacy label cannot answer that. Look for it in Camera's privacy policy or support pages, linked from the App Store listing. Turn on two-factor authentication for the camera account and review who has shared access.
How do I delete my data from Camera?
Apps that let you create an account must also let you start account deletion from inside the app (an App Store rule since June 2022). Deleting the app from your iPhone alone does not delete data already sent to the developer.
Facts on this page come from Camera on the App Store, as reported by the developer. Checked 2026-11-01. How we collect data · Report a correction