Q.I never use the built-in webcam on my PC laptop. Is there a way to deactivate it in case I ever get infected with any malware that tries to use the camera?

A. On most versions of Windows, you can disable the laptop’s camera with the Device Manager utility found in the Control Panel area; you should also be able to get to the Device Manager with a quick system search. Once you have the Device Manager open, look for Imaging Devices in the list and click the triangle next to it to see your laptop’s camera model.

Right-click on the webcam’s name and choose Disable from the contextual menu. (With the webcam selected, you can also get to the Disable command from the Action menu in the Device Manager box.) Once you select Disable, Windows pops up a warning box explaining that the camera will stop working if you proceed. Click the Yes button to confirm your decision.

Disabling the webcam does not remove it from your system and you can turn it on again by repeating your steps through the Device Manager and choosing Enable from the contextual menu. (On some laptop models, you may be able to disable the webcam from the computer’s BIOS settings, but this approach may also turn off the system’s microphone; check your manual if you want to pursue this method.)

Sophisticated viruses and skilled intruders might be able to turn the webcam back on even if you disable it, so make sure your computer’s antivirus and security programs are up to date. If you want to take a more physical approach to hindering the webcam, a small piece of tape placed over the lens can effectively block its view; inexpensive accessories like the C-Slide Webcam Cover or the CamPatch perform the same function with more style and less adhesive residue above the screen.

Google Now, Everywhere

Q.I use Google Now on my Android phone and find the info cards helpful. Are they available on the computer as well?

A. If you have already set up Google Now on your Android device, you can get many of the same notifications on your computer. You just need to use Google’s Chrome browser and be signed into it with the same Google account you use on your Android phone; those using the Google app for iOS can also set up notifications in Chrome. If you do not use the Chrome browser, you can download it free from Google.

When you have Chrome open on your computer, click the three-lined menu button on the right side of the window and select the option to sign into Chrome. Once you log in, Google Now will show you some of the same notifications you get on your phone, like weather and coming events.

To see the notifications, click the bell icon on the computer’s screen. On a Mac, the icon is in the top menu bar. On Windows systems, it is in the notifications area of the taskbar.

TIP OF THE WEEK If you manually manage the music and other media on your iPod using iTunes 12, you can easily add files to your connected player without having to drag them around the program’s window. When you have an album, playlist or other things you want to copy to the iPod, click the three-dot icon for the More menu next to item’s title.

When the Menu expands, choose Add To and then the name of the iPod you wish to update with the selected content. From the Add To menu, you can also add the album or song to a new or existing playlist.