Fed Up with Privacy Settings, Help Needed!

[JoelBC]

I am in the process of "moving into" a new MacBook after 9 years.

I decide to go the clean install route after all this time so as to not move all the garbage across via the migration tool.

In my quest for as clean of an install as possible I noticed that a number of apps installed themselves in the Security & Privacy / Privacy section of the System Settings, many of which are either a) not needed or b) not permissions I want to grant. For example, I only use Team Viewer for remote control and nothing else yet it has grabbed ahold of my camera and microphone despite me denying permissions (i.e. all the permission denial did was uncheck the boxes with the Privacy section)!

In my striving for a super clean install I noticed that some applications were removable while others were not!

The ask: How do I get rid of the apps that I don't need or don't want to be included in the Privacy section where there is no minus button to remove them.

Thanks.

Joel

 

[hg.wells]

Can you give an example or screenshot of an application that was not removable?

 

[bogdanw]

You can Reset Authorization from Terminal
https://developer.apple.com/documen...ting_authorization_for_media_capture_on_macos
tccutil reset Microphone
tccutil reset Camera
tccutil reset AddressBook
tccutil reset AppleEvents
or all
tccutil reset All

 

[JoelBC]

Can you give an example or screenshot of an application that was not removable?

Absolutely, please see the below, notice teh absence of the +/- buttons...

 

[JoelBC]

You can Reset Authorization from Terminal
https://developer.apple.com/documen...ting_authorization_for_media_capture_on_macos
tccutil reset Microphone
tccutil reset Camera
tccutil reset AddressBook
tccutil reset AppleEvents
or all
tccutil reset All

@bogannw, appreciate the response but note:

1. I tried the very command for the AddressBook yesterday and it failed unfortunately! I cannot recall whether I rebooted my MacBook or not, do you think that could be it and, if yes, can / will try again!

2. What about for other "areas" with the same issues?

Thanks.

 

[hg.wells]

Ok so doing some digging I don't think its a glitch, certain area's like the microphone and camera applications have to request access, yet other area's like disk access you have the capability to add additional applications.

Have a look at Apple's documentation it specifically lists which area's are just requests from the application and which you have the ability to add in an application:

Change Privacy preferences on Mac

On your Mac, manage the information your computer makes available to others across the internet or a network.

support.apple.com

So I don't think this is something you can change.

 

[mollyc]

What happens if you click the Unlock icon? You will have to enter your computer password, but you can't make changes until you unlock that section.

 

[bogdanw]

A few weeks ago, I got fed up too and used tccutil reset All. A logout or restart is advised, then you will be asked again about a certain permission when you use an app that requires that permission.
If you have time, with SIP disabled, permissions can be individually removed from the two databases that store them: ~/Library/Application Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db and /Library/Application Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db
Read the database:
sqlite3 /Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db 'select * from access'
sqlite3 ~/Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db 'select * from access'
Search for a permission, let’s say Photos access
sqlite3 ~/Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db "select * from access where service='kTCCServicePhotos';"
Delete permissions for an app
sqlite3 ~/Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db "delete from access where client like 'com.apple.iMovieApp';"

 

[J.Gallardo]

I don‘t understand the urgency in erasing an app in the list of privacy items…! It’s supposed to work the way it works: it lists apps that needed/asked for permissions; so it’s correct to list an app with denied access to mic, cam…etc. It keeps a record, AND offer the possibility of “changing opinion” about an specific app.
Perhaps, if the functioning of “privacy“ is really well finished, you could only erase those apps that will ask again for permission when used. If an app can’t be erased, maybe it’s because you would lose the ability to change the setting and grant access in an easy way… I even suspect that behavior is decided by the app developer.
I remember erasing these entries when uninstalling some app… and never found it impossible IF the app was properly uninstalled.

 

[JoelBC]

Ok so doing some digging I don't think its a glitch, certain area's like the microphone and camera applications have to request access, yet other area's like disk access you have the capability to add additional applications.

Have a look at Apple's documentation it specifically lists which area's are just requests from the application and which you have the ability to add in an application:

Change Privacy preferences on Mac

On your Mac, manage the information your computer makes available to others across the internet or a network.

support.apple.com

So I don't think this is something you can change.

@hg.wells : Appreciate the digging. That link was hugely helpful as well as consistent with that Apple told me which was:

1. As soon as / when an application asked for permission that puts it in the application in the tab. The denial or granting of permission only impacts whether the application is or is not checked within the tab.

2. As too the ability to add / delete applications, the only sections that provide for this capability are: Files and Folders, Full Disk Access, Input Monitoring, Accessibility, Screen Recording and Bluetooth.

I think I am essentially stuck but happy to learn otherwise should someone wish to educate me!

 

[JoelBC]

What happens if you click the Unlock icon? You will have to enter your computer password, but you can't make changes until you unlock that section.

I obviously did that first!

 

[JoelBC]

A few weeks ago, I got fed up too and used tccutil reset All. A logout or restart is advised, then you will be asked again about a certain permission when you use an app that requires that permission.
If you have time, with SIP disabled, permissions can be individually removed from the two databases that store them: ~/Library/Application Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db and /Library/Application Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db
Read the database:
sqlite3 /Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db 'select * from access'
sqlite3 ~/Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db 'select * from access'
Search for a permission, let’s say Photos access
sqlite3 ~/Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db "select * from access where service='kTCCServicePhotos';"
Delete permissions for an app
sqlite3 ~/Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db "delete from access where client like 'com.apple.iMovieApp';"

I am in but will need help, what you are describing is above my understanding, at least at present!

 

[JoelBC]

I don‘t understand the urgency in erasing an app in the list of privacy items…! It’s supposed to work the way it works: it lists apps that needed/asked for permissions; so it’s correct to list an app with denied access to mic, cam…etc. It keeps a record, AND offer the possibility of “changing opinion” about an specific app.
Perhaps, if the functioning of “privacy“ is really well finished, you could only erase those apps that will ask again for permission when used. If an app can’t be erased, maybe it’s because you would lose the ability to change the setting and grant access in an easy way… I even suspect that behavior is decided by the app developer.
I remember erasing these entries when uninstalling some app… and never found it impossible IF the app was properly uninstalled.

Because it is NOT clean and there is tons of duplication.

I was speaking with a developer and you are correct, the asks are determined by the developer. The developer I was speaking to confirmed that he once had Full Disk Access that the other 5 asks were redundant! Why then ask, why not give the ability to keep things clean!

 

[bogdanw]

I don't have TeamViewer installed, so I can't test them, but these commands from Terminal should remove TeamViewer from Camera and Microphone

sqlite3 ~/Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db "delete from access where client='com.teamviewer.TeamViewer' and service='kTCCServiceCamera';"

sqlite3 ~/Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db "delete from access where client='com.teamviewer.TeamViewer' and service='kTCCServiceMicrophone';"

Close System Preferences when you run them and open it after to check if they worked.

 

[JoelBC]

I don't have TeamViewer installed, so I can't test them, but these commands from Terminal should remove TeamViewer from Camera and Microphone

sqlite3 ~/Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db "delete from access where client='com.teamviewer.TeamViewer' and service='kTCCServiceCamera';"

sqlite3 ~/Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db "delete from access where client='com.teamviewer.TeamViewer' and service='kTCCServiceMicrophone';"

Close System Preferences when you run them and open it after to check if they worked.

Appreciate the help, truly!

I will give it a try, one question tough: will the apps reappear in Notifications when I restart them or will they be gone for good.

The reason for the above question is this: Even where there are "+", "-" buttons to add and remove applications the removal is temporary. Specifically, I removed TeamViewer from Accessibility and as soon as I restarted TeamViewer it reappeared. Useless!

Thanks!