In the test: Webcam Slider from inLine for iPad and MacBook

A few days ago the German manufacturer told me inLine a set with two webcam sliders provided that I have tested for you. At this point, first of all, thanks to inLine for the small gift. I like to include products that I personally find interesting in tests, but I do not allow the companies to influence my test report. That means you get to read my honest opinion here and not a paid hymn of praise. This is a brief note for readers who have just landed with me and are wondering whether the review was bought here or not. It is not him.

InLine 55263 webcam slider cover, black, pack of 2

• Webcam slider, suitable for notebook webcams and similar
• Self-adhesive, durable
• Less than 1mm thick, does not hinder the closing of the notebook

7,34 EUR

Buy it at Amazon Price includes VAT, plus shipping costs (updated: 9.06.2023 at 10: 58 clock)

Incompatible: webcam slider and the iPhone X / XS / XR models

Every iPad in my household has a webcam slider or one Webcam stickers Mistake. As safe as the Apple devices may be: For me, a physical cover on the camera is still the most reliable way to lock out possible hackers and bad people who could possibly take over my Facetime camera. I usually only use Facetime on the iPhone and here you have the problem - at least with the current models from the iPhone X - that not only the camera is installed in the notch of the display, but also all the sensors that are used for face- ID and the like can be used.

If you were to attach a webcam slider up there, you would automatically have sealed any sensors, which would in any case impair the function for unlocking via face recognition or render it unusable. Accordingly, on the new iPhone models and the current iPad Pro (the model without a home button and with Face ID), you cannot attach a webcam cover that works with a slider.

The only alternative here is to work with a very small webcam sticker in order to actually only cover the Facetime camera. But even this is used when the iPhone is to be unlocked using face recognition. From my point of view, there is currently no usable variant on the market that covers the camera but does not override the function for automatically unlocking the iPhone.

Practical sliders like the ones I received from inLine can be used for all older iPads, iPhones up to iPhone 8 and also for MacBook, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models. These enable the Facetime camera to be "unlocked" quickly if you want to communicate via Skype or Facetime with a video image, but otherwise offer the security that nobody can secretly spy on the camera here.

Vignetting: Problem with a larger webcam on the iMac

The inLine webcam slider cannot be used with an iMac because the camera opening is too large there. If you attach the cover to the iMac, you always have a darkened vignette in the picture. I will shortly test which covers are suitable for iMacs, which will then be presented in a separate article.

I can't tell if the problem is with all iMacs. I've only tried it on an iMac 5K Retina and there are clearly visible problems as the slider restricts the image section.

Practical with the inLine Slider: Extremely flat design

I already had one a while ago Soomz webcam slider in the test. Although this was made of metal, it has the disadvantage compared to the inLine slider that it is approx. 1 to 2 mm thick. When used with a MacBook, this not only creates a small gap when you fold the MacBook, but it also presses with its metal edge on the area of ​​the trackpad when the MacBook is folded.

Here offers the InLine webcam slider enormous advantages, because by being made of plastic, it cannot scratch the aluminum of the MacBook or damage the trackpad. The low height of less than a millimeter is also helpful when using a laptop, as it does not act as an obstacle when the device is closed.

I have attached the second slider to the display of my MacBook and you can tell that it can no longer be closed 100%, but there is only a gap that should be less than 1 millimeter. The magnetic retention mechanism that keeps the lid closed on the MacBook also still works. I would say you can safely use the slider on Apple laptops.

Attaching the slider

If you look at the slider, you can see a thin, brown paper on the underside. This covers the adhesive film with which the webcam slider is attached to the device. I glued it to me over the camera of my iPad Pro 9,7 inch. To do this, it is advisable to clean the display first so that no greasy fingers prevent the adhesive from sticking well.

I used glass cleaner for this, but users who still have a fairly new iPad or iPhone should rather work with a microfiber cloth without cleaning agents. Apple usually supplies displays with a grease-repellent coating that can be safely attacked with a glass cleaner. I didn't care about my old iPad, that's why I worked with a cleaning agent.

If the display is nice and clean, you look for a well-lit workspace, because you can only see the camera on the black displays when it is halfway bright. For alignment, it is helpful to activate the Facetime camera. So you can quickly see whether the slider is covering something from the camera or not and can correct it when attaching it.

Then pull off the protective film from the webcam cover and hold it as close as possible over the camera opening to align it. If that looks okay, just press one end of the screen and let the rest follow. Finished!

Removal without adhesive residue and damage

An important aspect of such webcam covers is of course the adhesive that is used. To see whether the inLine slider can be removed without leaving any residue, I removed it from the iPad display with my fingernail. At first the plastic plate pops out and can be pushed back and forth, but it can just as easily be clicked back in if it should happen during normal operation.

The glue holds up quite well, but you can easily remove the slider with the help of your fingernails. I couldn't find any residue on the iPad display. If you stick the slider back on right away, it will stay on another device if you want to change.

Conclusion: useful accessories

You can call it paranoia or "privacy protection". I think the fewer points of attack you offer, the fewer that can be exploited by bad people. A webcam cover is a very simple tool to limit the possibilities of such people. For that reason I would put them on any MacBook, iMac or iPad.

The inLine webcam slider is a very practical solution because it is made of plastic and poses no potential danger for devices that might slip over the slider in a pocket. The extremely thin construction also helps that it can also be used for laptops.

A single small point of criticism on my part would be that you can't tell at first glance whether the camera is open or closed. A small red point on the frame of the slider would have been sufficient for this. Without further ado I drew a point on it with a white marker and can quickly see whether the Facetime camera is open or not.

You can easily check the "effect" on the iPhone and iPad by activating the rear camera in the camera app. On Macs, just use the Photo Booth program to see what the webcam is showing.

If you want to get the webcam slider from inLine, you will find it here at Amazon:

InLine 55263 webcam slider cover, black, pack of 2

• Webcam slider, suitable for notebook webcams and similar
• Self-adhesive, durable
• Less than 1mm thick, does not hinder the closing of the notebook

7,34 EUR

Buy it at Amazon Price includes VAT, plus shipping costs (updated: 9.06.2023 at 10: 58 clock)

Jen Kleinholz( Founder & Sir Apfelot )

Jens has been running the blog since 2012. He appears as Sir Apfelot for his readers and helps them with problems of a technical nature. In his free time he drives electric unicycles, takes photos (preferably with his iPhone, of course), climbs around in the Hessian mountains or hikes with the family. His articles deal with Apple products, news from the world of drones or solutions for current bugs.

The page contains affiliate links / images: Amazon.de