Smart TVs can do almost anything these days. All you need is an internet connection and some apps, and you can enjoy using your Samsung Smart TV. However, with the influx of intelligence in our homes, it’s natural to wonder whether or not your TV has a camera in it.
Many Smart TVs, including the newest versions of Samsung Smart TVs, have recently started using a built-in camera and microphone, which can do wonderful things in meetings. However, not all Samsung models have them, and it may not be as obviously placed or visible as a webcam on other devices.
It will be fairly simple to know if your Samsung Smart TV has a camera and microphone if you have a keen eye. There are some obvious and not so obvious places to check for a camera, but following this guide will help you feel safer and more secure if you know if your Samsung Smart TV has a camera or not.
How to Check a Samsung Smart TV for a Camera
Many people don’t mind having a camera on their Smart TVs; however, a growing number of people are becoming concerned about their Smart TVs having cameras in them without knowing them and feeling their privacy being diminished with the idea of their TV possibly spying on them.
It might feel like spying, especially when a Smart TV can use facial recognition to suggest movies and series to watch. If you’re concerned or just curious, there are ways to check if your Smart TV has a camera. Samsung makes Smart TVs with and without cameras, but you can still check with the following two methods to settle your mind.
Physically Checking Your Samsung TV
Not many Samsung Smart TVs come with built-in cameras, so chances are of your Samsung TV having a camera are very slim; however, some models have cameras. To ease your sense of security, you can still check.
The first method requires you actually to check your physical Samsung Smart TV. You would look at the top part of the bezel (the frame) and notice a slight difference in it, which is where the camera is. It will appear just as a camera on a laptop or tablet screen would.
Some Smart TVs will have a retractable camera, which you just have to feel the back of the top edge of the TV to find.
Check Your User Manual
One of the surest ways to check if your Samsung Smart TV has a camera is to check the user manual. The user manual will have information on whether or not your Smart TV has a camera. It should also be labeled on the box your TV came in, but chances are you might have thrown that out.
If you threw out your box and user manual, you could check the back of the TV. On the back of the TV, there should be a model number. You can do a quick product search to find out if your Samsung TV has a camera installed or not.
How to Check a Samsung Smart TV for a Microphone
Even if your Samsung Smart TV doesn’t have a camera, there might be a chance that it has a microphone installed. Many TVs have a voice-activation mode, which users utilize to turn the TV on and off, change the channel or volume, or open and close apps.
Just as there are privacy concerns with hidden cameras on Smart TVs, people are just as concerned with hidden microphones in their TVs. You have two main methods to check for a microphone in your TV, which essentially are the same as checking for a camera.
Physically Checking for a Microphone
Just as you’d check your Samsung Smart TV for a camera, you can physically check it for a microphone; however, the microphone won’t be on the TV; it will actually be on the remote. The front of your remote should have a small black hole in it, which is the microphone.
Some Samsung TV remotes will also require you to press a button on the remote to use the microphone. This button is also a physical signifier of if there is a microphone in your Samsung TV.
The user manual will have the same information about the Smart TV having a microphone as a camera. Most TVs that have cameras already have microphones installed. If you don’t have your user manual, check your TV model number to see if a microphone is installed.
Samsung Smart TVs With Cameras and Microphones
If you’re in the market for a Smart TV with a camera and microphone, Samsung has a small variety of Smart TVs with a camera and microphone installed. If you want a Samsung TV with a camera, you will buy one from the F-series.
Samsung Smart TVs Without Cameras and Microphones
Most Samsung TVs made after 2020 are installed with a microphone. However, this can be disabled in a few easy steps. If you still want a Samsung TV without a microphone, you can purchase an older model, such as this 2020 Samsung TV model.
Conclusion
Even though most Samsung TVs don’t have cameras installed in them, some are available that have cameras. Most Samsung TVs have a microphone installed in the remote to use voice activation. There are still models with neither cameras nor microphones, but your safest bet is to buy an older TV to ensure you don’t have a camera or microphone.