Mac privacy indicators
What the Orange, Green and Purple Dots in the Mac Menu Bar Mean
Apple calls the dots and the arrow next to the Control Center icon in the menu bar privacy indicators. This page repeats what the Apple Support pages for macOS Sequoia 15, macOS Tahoe 26 and macOS 27 Golden Gate say about them. Updated October 15, 2026.
The dots at a glance
Apple states that only one privacy indicator dot is shown at a time. If both the microphone and a camera are in use, you see only a green dot.
| Indicator | What Apple says it means |
|---|---|
| Orange dot | The microphone on your Mac is in use. |
| Green dot | A camera is in use. |
| Purple dot | The system audio is being recorded. |
| Arrow | Your location is in use. |
Sources, fetched on October 15, 2026, from the Apple Mac User Guide:
- What's in the menu bar on Mac?. The pages for macOS Sequoia 15, macOS Tahoe 26 and macOS 27 Golden Gate give the same text about the indicators.
- Use Control Center on Mac. The page shows macOS 27 Golden Gate. The pages for macOS Sequoia 15 and macOS Tahoe 26 give the same text about the indicators.
- Control access to the microphone on Mac and Control access to the camera on Mac. These pages show macOS 27 Golden Gate. The pages for macOS Sequoia 15 and macOS Tahoe 26 give the same steps.
See which app is using your camera or microphone
Click the Control Center icon in the menu bar. Apple says that the top of the window may contain a field that shows which apps are using your microphone, location, camera or system audio. You can click that field to open the Privacy window, which may have additional information. The macOS Sequoia 15 and macOS Tahoe 26 pages mark this step for macOS 13.3 or later.
Turn off access for an app
- Choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Privacy & Security in the sidebar. You may need to scroll down.
- Click Microphone or Camera.
- Turn access on or off for each app in the list.
The Camera page adds that the list shows apps you have installed that have asked to use the camera.
Questions about the dots
Can two dots show at the same time?
No. Apple states that only one privacy indicator dot is shown at a time. If both the microphone and a camera are in use, you see only a green dot.
Where are the dots?
Apple says that privacy indicators, which can be dots or arrows, are located to the right of Control Center in the menu bar.
Is the purple dot the microphone?
No. Apple says that an orange dot indicates the microphone on your Mac is in use, and a purple dot indicates the system audio is being recorded.
How do I stop an app from using the microphone or camera?
Choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Privacy & Security in the sidebar. Click Microphone or Camera. Turn access off for the app in the list.