Years in the past, again once I used Home windows Vista, I acquired so irritated by the fixed Person Account Management (UAC) pop-ups asking for permission seemingly each time I did something that I downloaded an app that might silence them for good. Maybe not essentially the most wise factor to do from a safety perspective — OK, positively not essentially the most wise factor to do — however I used to be a determined man. Lately, I’m getting related vibes from macOS Sequoia.
That’s as a result of Apple’s newest working system will nag you about permissions on a month-to-month foundation for something that data your display. Granted, it’s not as frequent as what I’d get in Home windows Vista — and these prompts had been truly weekly within the macOS Sequoia beta, which prompted such a blowback from customers that Apple modified the frequency — but it surely nonetheless feels prefer it’s going to be an actual ache for me and a variety of customers. Positive, macOS Sequoia hasn’t truly been out lengthy sufficient for me to be bugged by these alerts each month but, however I don’t need to grasp round till I begin pulling my hair out. I must take motion now.
Fortunately, I’ve simply come throughout an app that, just like the one in my Home windows Vista days, can put a cease to those annoying popups, albeit in a extra refined method that doesn’t compromise your safety fairly so badly. It’s referred to as Amnesia and, because the identify suggests, it helps macOS to conveniently overlook that it wants my permission in any respect.
Neglect the issue
Amnesia does this by modifying the .plist file utilized by the display seize permissions function. This file comprises references to all of the apps which have requested display recording permissions and the date on which they might want to get permission as soon as once more. Often, this date is one month out from the final time entry was granted. Amnesia merely units this date far sooner or later — on the time of writing, 100 years from now — banishing the reminders within the course of.
The app is very simple. While you open it for the primary time, it is advisable to choose the folder the place the .plist file is situated — helpfully, the dialog field opened by Amnesia for this objective ought to already be in the appropriate place. After that, the app’s essential display is populated by any apps which have requested display recording permissions, which in my case is simply the Logitech G Hub app. Click on the Disable Reminders button and also you’re all set.
In keeping with Amnesia’s developer, solely apps that don’t use Apple’s restrictive display seize API will present up in Amnesia, therefore why I solely had G Hub and nothing else that captures my display, like Zoom. Handily, Amnesia additionally tells you when the permissions will expire so that you at all times know if it’s working. With reminders disabled (and the button’s textual content modified to Reset), it is best to see that the permissions will run out in 100 years.
And that’s about all there may be to it. It’s designed to be so simple as potential in order that it might probably get out of your means when it’s not in use. It could be good to have the ability to customise the size of time that permission notifications are suppressed, and Amnesia’s developer tells me that is one thing they’re engaged on. Apart from that, I actually don’t want way more from the app.
A nuanced answer
Jordi Bruin
I do know what you’re pondering. As irritating as these popups could be, they serve an essential objective: to make sure you at all times know precisely what you’ve granted permission to and to allow you to revoke that entry if the app in query now not wants it. Isn’t completely disabling these reminders a horrible thought for the safety of your Mac?
And the reply is sure, it’s a horrible thought — should you simply disable each permission reminder and by no means take into consideration whether or not your apps actually do at all times want entry to your display. Happily, Amnesia doesn’t fairly work like that.
As an alternative of merely suppressing each permission notification, Amnesia is much more nuanced, because it allows you to resolve what to do on an app-by-app foundation. That’s higher in your safety — as an alternative of issuing a blanket go to each app that wants permission, you’ll be able to enable those you belief whereas requiring all the things else to undergo the same old course of. Wish to guarantee a sure app is frequently checked? You may, all with out having to always approve those you recognize are protected.
I’d nonetheless advocate checking Amnesia sometimes and eager about whether or not it is best to revoke permissions to sure apps, as you by no means understand how your circumstances would possibly change down the road. It’s by no means a nasty thought to examine your Mac’s safety frequently, this instance included.
Amnesia operates on a pay-what-you-like mannequin, and there are not any subscriptions, only a one-off asking value. You may even get it at no cost should you so need, however I’d counsel donating a couple of bucks to the developer for his or her good work.
Talking of the developer, they’ve put out a couple of different helpful apps which might be price checking. That features Vivid, which makes use of HDR mode to double your MacBook’s brightness (I frequently use it and the distinction is actually evening and day), and MacWhisper, a transcription app powered by AI.
If you wish to get forward of Apple’s adjustments to permissions in macOS Sequoia, Amnesia is price your time. Use it sensibly and it might probably lower down on annoyances with out borking your Mac’s safety.