How to Enable Presence Sensing in Windows 11

Windows 11 includes a feature called Presence sensing. This uses built-in sensors on your computer to tell if you are nearby. Some apps can use this information to change how they work or to save power.

Why use Presence sensing?

Presence sensing helps your computer react to you. For example, your screen might wake up when you approach it or lock when you walk away. It also gives you control over which apps are allowed to see if you are at your desk.

What happens when you enable it?

Once enabled, your computer will actively monitor your presence. You can choose to turn the feature off entirely or manage which specific apps have permission to use the sensor data.

Note: This feature only works on devices with special sensors. If you do not see these settings in your menu, your computer hardware does not support it.

How to enable or disable Presence sensing

You can manage these settings through the Windows Settings app. These steps do not require admin privileges.

1. Open the Windows Settings app. You can find this in your Start menu or by pressing the Windows key + I on your keyboard.
2. Click on Privacy & security on the left-hand menu.

3. Click the Presence sensing tile on the right side of the screen.
4. Use the toggle switch to turn Presence sensing to the On or Off position.

5. To give your apps permission to use this data, toggle the Let apps access presence sensing switch to On.

That is all there is to it. Your computer will now respect your privacy choices regarding these sensors.

For more technical details, check this Microsoft.com.

Summary

Presence sensing is a privacy tool for Windows 11 that detects your physical presence. You can enable or disable this feature and control app permissions through the Privacy & security section of your Windows Settings. This feature requires specific hardware to function.