Webcam users rejoice: the end of the "Another App Is Using the Camera Already" error message could be nigh.

People have been asking for the ability to use a single webcam in two or more apps at the same time for what feels likes forever. Built ostensibly as an accessibility feature, Microsoft is finally bringing what it is calling "Multi-app camera" to Windows 11.

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For the moment, the feature is limited to Windows Insider who have installed the latest Dev Channel release (Windows 11 build 26120.2702 ), but it is likely to prove popular and progress through the testing channel quite quickly.

This particular update is one of two new settings billed as Windows Camera Advanced Configurations. Found under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Cameras, clicking the Edit button provides access to two new options. Microsoft describes them in the release notes for the Insider build:

We will have to wait to see just how the option to use a single webcam across multiple apps will develop. It is not yet clear what restrictions there may be - will it be possible to have a Teams Meeting while also having a video chat in WhatsApp, for instance? We do know that Microsoft has more ideas in the works, however.

The company says: "Coming in a future build, we plan to introduce a third option here for selecting a media type. This feature will let you choose different media types like resolution and frame rate, with the default setting being "Let Windows Choose" for optimal experience".