Have you ever felt uneasy while working in a coffee shop or on a train, as though someone might be glancing at your screen? It is a genuine privacy concern, particularly if you are dealing with sensitive emails or confidential documents, or even if you simply prefer to keep what you are doing to yourself.
Microsoft may soon have a solution. A feature called Onlooker Detection is reportedly being developed for Windows 11, designed to spot when someone is trying to look at your screen and alert you.
This builds on an existing Windows feature known as Presence Sensing, which already dims or locks your screen when you step away and wakes it when you return. Onlooker Detection goes further by dimming your screen when an unwanted glance is detected, sending you a warning, or doing both, making it harder for anyone nearby to see what you are working on.
To use this feature, your laptop needs the right hardware: a presence sensor, technically called Human Presence Detection. Many newer laptops already include it, especially those powered by Qualcomm, AMD, or Intel chips. If you are not sure whether your device supports it, you can check in the Settings app under System, then Power and battery.
Although Microsoft has not officially confirmed the feature, it has been spotted in preview builds of Windows 11. The timing of its release is uncertain, but the signs are positive.
Privacy is more important than ever, and this kind of subtle, built-in protection could make a real difference. It is another step toward making Windows 11 not only powerful, but also more personal and private. Would having a feature like this make you feel more at ease when working in public?
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