How to Turn Off Screen Recording Permission Alerts in macOS Sequoia

How to Turn Off Screen Recording Permission Alerts in macOS Sequoia

How to Turn Off Screen Recording Permission Alerts in macOS Sequoia


# Bid Farewell to macOS Sequoia Screen Recording Permission Notifications with Amnesia

The launch of macOS Sequoia introduced a fresh security feature aimed at boosting user privacy by providing reminders about granted permissions for screen recording. Although the goal of this feature was to protect users from potential data misuse, numerous experienced Mac users found the relentless notifications to be more of a hindrance than a help. Thankfully, a new application named Amnesia presents a remedy to this issue, enabling users to silence these notifications permanently.

## Grasping macOS Sequoia Screen Recording Permissions

In earlier macOS iterations, bestowing permissions to applications was generally a one-off process. However, with the launch of macOS Sequoia, Apple implemented a mechanism whereby users would receive notifications weekly concerning their screen recording permissions. This indicated that if you had granted access to a third-party screenshot application, you would receive prompts every week to confirm whether you still wished to allow that access.

Apple’s reasoning for this constant prompting stemmed from security concerns; the company maintained that any application with screen recording permissions could possibly access sensitive data. Thus, they deemed it essential to keep users aware of the permissions they had allocated.

Despite Apple’s good intentions, many users felt the weekly notifications were overly frequent and bothersome. In response to user input, Apple modified the frequency of these notifications from weekly to monthly. However, for those who frequently utilize applications that require screen recording permissions, even monthly prompts can still be irritating.

## Amnesia: The Answer to Permission Annoyance

Introducing Amnesia, a new application created by Jordi Bruin, renowned for developing practical tools such as MacWhisper and MacGPT. Amnesia is crafted to modify the property list (.plist) files associated with applications, enabling users to eliminate the annoying reminders entirely.

### What Are .plist Files?

Property list files, or .plist files, are a specific type of file utilized by macOS to save application preferences and settings. While macOS does not permit users to permanently turn off permission alerts, Amnesia cleverly bypasses this restriction by pushing the reminder date far into the future. This means that rather than receiving monthly notifications, users can set the next reminder date to a moment well beyond their lifespan or even the hypothetical heat death of the universe.

### How to Utilize Amnesia

Amnesia operates on a pay-what-you-like model, allowing users to decide how much they wish to contribute, including the choice to pay zero. However, if you find the app beneficial, it’s probably worth something to you.

Upon first using Amnesia, users must grant the app access to the folder containing the .plist files. The application will then read and modify the timestamps for the applications you aim to change. The specific path for the .plist file is:

`~/Library/Group Containers/group.com.apple.replayd/ScreenCaptureApprovals.plist`

To ensure optimal functionality, users should verify they are on version 1.1 or newer of Amnesia if they are on macOS version 15.1 or later.

### Obtain Amnesia

If you’re fed up with the persistent notifications and wish to take back control over your screen recording permissions, you can [obtain Amnesia here](https://goodsnooze.gumroad.com/l/amnesia).

### Final Thoughts

While Apple’s motivations for the screen recording permission notifications in macOS Sequoia were founded in user security, the execution left many users exasperated. Amnesia offers a straightforward and efficient solution to this issue, allowing users to use their applications without the continual disturbances. Whether you opt to pay for the application or download it for free, Amnesia serves as a valuable asset for any Mac user aiming to enhance their experience.