macOS Sequoia Will Require Users to Update Screen Recording App Permissions Monthly

[MacRumors]

With macOS Sequoia, Apple is requiring users to regularly reauthorize permissions for screen recording apps, a move that has not been popular with some Mac users. Popups for screen recording app permissions have been showing weekly up throughout the beta testing process, but Apple has tweaked the frequency in response to user feedback.

The latest macOS Sequoia beta prompts users to review their screen recording app permissions once a month, an update over the more frequent weekly popups. The prompt reminds users that screen recording apps have access to their screens and audio.

[App Name] is requesting to bypass the system private window picker and directly access your screen and audio. This will allow [App Name] to record your screen and system audio, including personal or sensitive information that may be visible or audible.

When the popup shows up, there's now an option to "Allow For One Month" to let the app function as normal, or to open System Settings to get to the screen recording options. macOS Sequoia was also requiring users to approve screen recording apps after restarting their Macs, and this requirement has been removed.

It does not appear that there is a way for users to permanently give screen recording access to recording functionality, but a monthly popup is at least more convenient than a weekly popup.

Article Link: macOS Sequoia Will Require Users to Update Screen Recording App Permissions Monthly

 

[LockOn2B]

They’re getting too hand holdy with the privacy prompts… Why not show a different colored dot in the corner like the camera and mic ones

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

This really isn't necessary. Even monthly is too much.

 

[shadowboi]

Same as “10 minutes” Airdrop that they ruined since iOS16 in response to Hong Kong protests.

Thanks, Apple.

 

[IllegitimateValor]

Honestly great move. Non-tech savy folks and those lacking the stamina to remain vigilant should appreciate this privacy move. After discovering how easy it is to get to the desktop from Steam Link, this is welcome on that possible stalker angle.

monthly fatigue could set in on this *VISTA FLASHBACKS* but can’t think of a better solution that couldn’t be abused

 

[IllegitimateValor]

Same as “10 minutes” Airdrop that they ruined since iOS16 in response to Hong Kong protests.

Thanks, Apple.

Diabolical! An hour would’ve been nice, but gotta keep the people down ✊

 

[pol0001]

Does this also apply to screen sharing through MS Teams and Zoom?

 

[citysnaps]

Makes sense. Sounds good to me.

 

[Eric_WVGG]

so I'll only want to see how far I can fling my MacBook Pro like an Olympic discus once a month per app that uses screen recording, excellent.

 

[jchap]

Honestly great move. Non-tech savy folks and those lacking the stamina to remain vigilant should appreciate this privacy move.

Non-tech savvy folks will likely not even understand why this is necessary, and will just click through or try to leave it be for as long as possible.

 

[koelsh]

It does not appear that there is a way for users to permanently give screen recording access to recording functionality, but a monthly popup is at least more convenient than a weekly popup.

This ought to read:

It does not appear that there is a way for users to permanently give screen recording access to recording functionality, but a monthly popup is at least less problematic than a weekly popup.

It's still solving one problem by creating another one. On the one hand this does at least theoretically help privacy and security. On the other hand we're already drowning in an ocean of popups so just make it that much deeper.

 

[Chuckeee]

This just begs for a third-party app that would automatically grant that permission monthly for you In background

 

[mansplains]

It's an improvement I guess. Thankfully CleanShot doesn't crash with every screenshot attempt like it used to.

It wouldn't bother me as much if it were treated like a regular notification, banner-style. I'd even be fine with the alert style that requires action to dismiss. But I'm so sick of these prompts in the middle of the screen hijacking your attention. iOS has moved a few to dynamic island thankfully, but all prompts that takeover the device need to be scrapped.

They’re getting too hand holdy with the privacy prompts… Why not show a different colored dot in the corner like the camera and mic ones

This would be my second choice, with first being a toggle to disable the warnings of course. Nice and discrete!

Honestly great move. Non-tech savy folks and those lacking the stamina to remain vigilant should appreciate this privacy move.

The notifications I propose could be more forthcoming for the average users, while being non-intrusive. I've seen many people struggle to use Zoom on macOS with the screen recording settings, now think of the IT work every month for this. It's the same users who load a fake site with an iOS 7-style popup VIRUS DETECTED and call IT.

 

[rforno]

IMO that's still too frequent. Should be maybe 3-4x a year, max .... and/or give power-users a way to permanently shut off the notifications all together.

I appreciate what Cupertino is doing, but there are no good solutions here.

 

[Avenged110]

Other than grotesque power obsessions, I can't fathom why a company like Apple won't just offer a permanent toggle for all of these stupid user-harassment "features." Let the (a) lunatics who seem to get off on clicking constant popups and (b) people who refuse to learn how computers work face these constant bothers, but leave the rest of us alone (at our behest, no less!).

 

[dreamerstree]

Yeah, once a month is so annoying. I can't think of anything that could inconvenience me more than clicking an approve button once every 30 days. Might as well throw my computer in the dumpster.

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

We're getting there.

 

[Sydnxt]

It really blows my mind that Apple isn’t thinking about businesses or servers here, I work in IT and there are literally hundreds of Mac’s that we manage or update remotely. I legitimately don’t know what we’re going to do other than blacklist this update.

 

[swrobel]

Probably motivated by the Bartender Fiasco, but IMHO better solved by re-prompting on change of code signing entity rather than "arbitrary period of time"

 

[leicaman]

How about a terminal command for those of us capable of knowing the chances we're taking?

 

[Bokito]

I’m someone who has given a lot of apps a lot of permissions, setting that once is already a headache when you refresh your entire OS about once a year, but having to do that every month is a complete disaster. They could make it an option:
- Accept always
- Accept for 1 month
- Accept until app is closed
- Deny

Seems pretty simple. Sonoma and the macOS versions in the last year have already taken some things way too far. Some Apps need permission to every folder separately. Why can’t we just allow/deny access to the home folder as one instead of “App X wants access to your Downloads folder”, “App X wants access to your Desktop folder”?

Apple get your ****ing act together and Make the Mac great again. Thank you!

 

[mansplains]

Other than grotesque power obsessions, I can't fathom why a company like Apple won't just offer a permanent toggle for all of these stupid user-harassment "features." Let the (a) lunatics who seem to get off on clicking constant popups and (b) people who refuse to learn how computers work face these constant bothers, but leave the rest of us alone (at our behest, no less!).

Even with a toggle, it could prompt for admin password and check if the user is sure, mentioning abuse. This is still hand-holding your (b) group, but provides information for a learning experience. Similar to how gift cards have warnings about tech support scams. It's unfortunate people fall for a variety of scams, but you gotta adapt and keep up, like many other aspects of life.

 

[The Clark]

Why? Ugh, so annoying. As a developer it's already a big enough headache making things work with permissions. The lay person isn't even comfortable locating and enabling this stuff.

 

[Shirasaki]

Now this is another step too far. What’s Next? Reset notification settings and privacy settings once every month? “To allow user to review their privacy settings and choose the one that suites the best”? And let’s not forget this is macOS we are talking about, not iOS/iPadOS. Aren’t macOS supposed to be for power users who generally know what they are doing? Or is this the bits and pieces approach to slowly lock down macOS to the same level as iOS? Might as well let Apple control your device permanently at that point tbh.

 

[CWallace]

Honestly great move. Non-tech savy folks and those lacking the stamina to remain vigilant should appreciate this privacy move. After discovering how easy it is to get to the desktop from Steam Play, this is welcome on that possible stalker angle.

I am fine with it asking once a month twice, but once you approve it twice, the OS should accept that you know what you are doing and cease.

As others have noted, constantly pestering people (even if monthly) will likely lead to "dialog box fatigue" where people - savvy or not - just by habit click the dismiss button so they can get back to whatever they were doing without even looking to see what the dialog box is reporting.

And at that point, the entire purpose of implementing this process as a security feature is invalidated.