How to Block a Webcam in Skype

Skype is an ideal communication tool for video chatting and free voice calls over the Internet. But sometimes the Skype webcam feature causes issues with other installed programs. Additionally, some companies do not allow the video feature of Skype to be active for security purposes. In older versions of Skype, the user was able to block the webcam by adding an additional line to the “config.xml” file. The process for newer versions is similar.

Instructions

1. Close the Skype application.

2. Right-click the Windows “Start” button to show the “Search” input box.

3. Type “shared.xml” into the Search box and press the “Enter” key. View the search results and locate the “shared.xml” file associated with Skype. Find the file in a subdirectory of the Skype directory.

4. Right-click on the “shared.xml” file to show the File context menu.

5. Click the “Open With” option to open a list of available programs.

6. Scroll to and click on the icon for “Notepad.” The XML file opens in the Notepad text editor.

7. Type the following section into the XML file in the section labeled <lib>:

   <Video>
   <Disable>1</Disable>
   </Video>

8. Click the “File” option on the top navigation bar, and then click “Save.” The webcam is blocked and disabled in Skype.