This tutorial will show you how to clear the microphone last accessed history by apps for your account in Windows 11.
When your microphone is in use, a microphone icon will be displayed in the notification area of the taskbar.
You can also look in Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone to see which apps are currently using your microphone or have recently or previously accessed your microphone. If an app had accessed your microphone, it will have a last accessed time stamp to let you know when.
Reference:
Windows camera, microphone, and privacy - Microsoft Support
Find out how to change privacy settings for your camera and microphone in Windows.
support.microsoft.com
If wanted, you can clear the microphone last accessed history by Windows apps (Microsoft Store apps) and desktop apps.
EXAMPLE: Microphone last accessed history by apps
Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone
Here's How:
1 Click/tap on the download button below to download the Clear_microphone_last_accessed_history_for_current_user.zip file.
Download
(Contents of BAT file for reference)
Code:
@echo off
:: Clear Microsoft Store apps last accessed history
Powershell -Command "Get-Item -Path HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CapabilityAccessManager\ConsentStore\microphone\* | Remove-ItemProperty -Name LastUsedTimeStart -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue"
Powershell -Command "Get-Item -Path HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CapabilityAccessManager\ConsentStore\microphone\* | Remove-ItemProperty -Name LastUsedTimeStop -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue"
:: Clear desktop apps last accessed history
Powershell -Command "Get-Item -Path HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CapabilityAccessManager\ConsentStore\microphone\NonPackaged\* | Remove-Item -Recurse -Force"2 Save the ZIP file to your desktop.
3 Unblock the ZIP file.
4 Extract the BAT file from the ZIP file.
5 Run the BAT file.
6 You will now see a command prompt quickly flash open and close to run the commands to clear the microphone last accessed by apps history.
7 You can now delete the BAT file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Last edited:
