Skip to main content

Disable app access to phone calls (breaks phone calls through Phone Link)

Overview

About this script

This script improves your privacy on Windows.

These changes use Windows system commands to update your settings.

This script prevents Windows apps from accessing phone calls 1 2 3. This includes reading phone call data 1 and making phone calls 1 2 3.

By controlling app permissions related to phone functionalities, it ensures that your personal communication remains private and secure, requiring explicit user approval before any app can interact with phone calls.

The restrictions include:

  • Preventing apps from accessing phone call data, including metadata and call triggers 1.
  • Disallowing apps from managing spam filters, such as modifying block lists or call origin details 1.
  • Blocking apps from initiating calls 1 2 3 or displaying the system dialer 1 without user consent.

This script configures:

  • Windows policy (LetAppsAccessPhone 2 3)
  • Privacy settings user interface (phoneCall 1)
Caution

Disabling app access may affect the functionality of certain Microsoft Store, third-party, and system applications. This will disable the Calls feature in the Microsoft Phone Link app, preventing the ability to make and receive phone calls through your PC [4].

[4]: https://github.com/undergroundwires/privacy.sexy/issues/350 "[BUG]: After applying Standard selection Phone Link is broken · Issue #350 · undergroundwires/privacy.sexy".

This script uses Batch (batchfile) scripting language.

Use with Caution

This script is only recommended if you understand its implications. Some non-critical or features may no longer function correctly after running this script.

Implementation Details
  • Language: batch

  • Required Privileges: Administrator rights

  • Compatibility: Windows only

  • Reversibility: Can be undone using provided revert script

Explore Categories

This action belongs to Disable app access to phone category. This category contains scripts that restrict app access to phone-related functionalities. They protect your privacy and security by ensuring communication details remain private and are accessible only when necessary. Read more on category page ▶

Apply now

Choose one of three ways to apply:

  1. Automatically via privacy.sexy: The easiest and safest option.
  2. Manually by downloading: Requires downloading a file.
  3. Manually by copying: Advanced flexibility.

Alternative 1. Apply with Privacy.sexy

privacy.sexy is free and open-source application that lets securely apply this action easily.

Open privacy.sexy

You can fully restore this action (revert back to the original behavior) using the application.

privacy.sexy instructions
  1. Open or download the desktop application
  2. Search for the script name: Disable app access to phone calls (breaks phone calls through Phone Link).
  3. Check the script by clicking on the checkbox.
  4. Click on Run button at the bottom of the page.

Alternative 2. Download

Irreversible Changes

This script is irreversible, meaning there is no straightforward method to restore changes once applied. Exercise caution before running, restoring it may not be possible.

  1. Download the script file by clicking on the button below:

    Download script

  2. Run the script file by clicking on it.

Download revert script

This file restores your system to its original state, before this script is applied.

Download restore script

Alternative 3. Copy

This is for advanced users. Consider automatically applying or downloading the script for simpler way.

  1. Open Command Prompt as administrator.
HELP: Step-by-step guide
  1. Click on Start menu

  2. Type cmd

  3. Right click on Command Prompt select Run as administrator

  4. Click on Yes to run Command Prompt


Animation showing how to open terminal as administrator on Windows 11

  1. Copy the following code:
Code to apply changes
:: Disable app access (LetAppsAccessPhone) using GPO (re-activation through GUI is not possible)
:: Set the registry value: "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy!LetAppsAccessPhone"
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$registryPath = 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy'; $data = '2'; reg add 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy' /v 'LetAppsAccessPhone' /t 'REG_DWORD' /d "^""$data"^"" /f"
:: Set the registry value: "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy!LetAppsAccessPhone_UserInControlOfTheseApps"
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$registryPath = 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy'; $data = '\0'; reg add 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy' /v 'LetAppsAccessPhone_UserInControlOfTheseApps' /t 'REG_MULTI_SZ' /d "^""$data"^"" /f"
:: Set the registry value: "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy!LetAppsAccessPhone_ForceAllowTheseApps"
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$registryPath = 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy'; $data = '\0'; reg add 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy' /v 'LetAppsAccessPhone_ForceAllowTheseApps' /t 'REG_MULTI_SZ' /d "^""$data"^"" /f"
:: Set the registry value: "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy!LetAppsAccessPhone_ForceDenyTheseApps"
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$registryPath = 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy'; $data = '\0'; reg add 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy' /v 'LetAppsAccessPhone_ForceDenyTheseApps' /t 'REG_MULTI_SZ' /d "^""$data"^"" /f"
:: Disable app capability (phoneCall) using user privacy settings
:: Set the registry value: "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CapabilityAccessManager\ConsentStore\phoneCall!Value"
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$registryPath = 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CapabilityAccessManager\ConsentStore\phoneCall'; $data = 'Deny'; reg add 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CapabilityAccessManager\ConsentStore\phoneCall' /v 'Value' /t 'REG_SZ' /d "^""$data"^"" /f"
  1. Right click on command prompt to paste it.
  2. Press Enter to apply remaining code.

Copy restore code

Copy and run the following code to restore changes:

Revert code
:: Restore app access (LetAppsAccessPhone) using GPO
:: Delete the registry value "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy!LetAppsAccessPhone"
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "reg delete 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy' /v 'LetAppsAccessPhone' /f 2>$null"
:: Delete the registry value "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy!LetAppsAccessPhone_UserInControlOfTheseApps"
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "reg delete 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy' /v 'LetAppsAccessPhone_UserInControlOfTheseApps' /f 2>$null"
:: Delete the registry value "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy!LetAppsAccessPhone_ForceAllowTheseApps"
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "reg delete 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy' /v 'LetAppsAccessPhone_ForceAllowTheseApps' /f 2>$null"
:: Delete the registry value "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy!LetAppsAccessPhone_ForceDenyTheseApps"
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "reg delete 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy' /v 'LetAppsAccessPhone_ForceDenyTheseApps' /f 2>$null"
:: Restore app capability (phoneCall) using user privacy settings
:: Set the registry value "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CapabilityAccessManager\ConsentStore\phoneCall!Value"
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$revertData = 'Allow'; reg add 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CapabilityAccessManager\ConsentStore\phoneCall' /v 'Value' /t 'REG_SZ' /d "^""$revertData"^"" /f"

Support

This website relies on your support.

Support now

Your donation helps keep the project alive and improves its content ❤️.

Share this page: