How to Manage Screen and System Audio Recording Permissions on Mac

macOS blocks apps from capturing your screen or the sound your Mac plays until you give them permission. In macOS Sequoia and later, this privacy setting is called Screen & System Audio Recording. In Ventura and Sonoma it is called Screen Recording. This guide explains how to grant, remove and reset that access, then how to check that a recording or screen share actually works.

Before you start

The permission is a local macOS privacy control. It only decides whether an app may capture the screen and system sound. It does not decide where recordings are saved. Some apps keep files on your Mac and others upload them to the app's own cloud service, so check that in the app's own settings or documentation.

• An administrator account, or the administrator's password, because changing the setting asks you to authenticate.
• The app you want to allow, installed and opened at least once. Many apps only appear in the list after they first try to capture the screen.
• Your macOS version, which you can find in Apple menu > About This Mac. Setting names and locations differ between versions.
• If your Mac is managed by a school or company, the administrator may have locked these settings. In that case you may not be able to change them yourself.

Microphone and camera access are separate permissions. Recording your voice needs Microphone access. Recording a webcam feed needs Camera access. Both are in the same Privacy & Security area. Screen and system audio access does not cover either of them.

Step-by-step instructions

Allow an app (macOS Sequoia and later)

• 1. Open the Apple menu and choose System Settings.
• 2. Click Privacy & Security in the sidebar.
• 3. Click Screen & System Audio Recording.
• 4. Find the app and turn its switch on. Authenticate with your password or Touch ID if asked.
• 5. If macOS asks you to quit and reopen the app, do so. The new permission usually takes effect only after a restart of the app.
• 6. If the app is not listed, click the add (+) button, select the app in Applications, and turn it on.

On some versions, this pane also has a separate list for apps that only capture system audio and not the screen. If an audio-only tool is not working, look for it in that list too. Sequoia may also show reminders that ask whether an app should keep its access. If you choose not to allow it, capture stops until you allow it again.

Allow an app (macOS Ventura and Sonoma)

Open System Settings, click Privacy & Security, then click Screen Recording. Turn the switch on for the app, authenticate, and reopen the app if prompted. The steps are the same as above. Only the name of the setting is different.

Allow an app (macOS Monterey and earlier)

Open System Preferences, click Security & Privacy, and open the Privacy tab. Select Screen Recording in the left list. Click the lock icon and authenticate, then tick the checkbox next to the app.

Remove or undo access

Each change can be undone. To pause access, turn the app's switch off. To remove the app from the list, select it and click the remove (−) button. If you need it again later, add it back with the add (+) button or let the app ask again.

Understand what the permission does not do

macOS's built-in screen recorder opens with Shift-Command-5. Its Options menu lets you record from a microphone, but it does not capture system audio by itself. To record the sound your Mac plays, use an app that supports system audio capture and has been given this permission. The other option is an audio routing tool that the recording app can use as its input device. In both cases, check which output device is playing the sound and which input device the recorder uses.

Check the output

• Make a short test recording. Play some sound, show a moving window, and speak if you also need the microphone.
• Play the file back and confirm that the windows, not just the desktop, are visible.
• Check that system sound and your voice are each present at a usable volume. Missing system audio usually means the app's audio option is off or the wrong source is selected.
• Check resolution and frame rate in the app's export or recording settings. These come from the app, not from the macOS permission.
• Note where the file was saved, and whether the app uploaded a copy anywhere.

A common sign that permission is missing is a recording or screen share that shows only the wallpaper, the menu bar, or a black area instead of app windows. If your microphone sounds too quiet or too loud, open System Settings > Sound > Input. Watch the input level while you speak and adjust the input volume. Keep background noise low during the test, or you won't be able to judge the result.

Common problems and next steps

The switch is on, but capture still fails

Quit the app completely and open it again. If that does not help, turn the switch off and back on, or remove the app with the remove button and add it again. Updated or reinstalled apps sometimes need their permission granted again.

Resetting the permission from Terminal

As a last resort, the command tccutil reset ScreenCapture clears screen recording decisions for all apps. Adding an app's bundle identifier after it limits the reset to that app. Each affected app will then ask for permission again the next time it captures the screen. Use this only if the normal switches do not help. Note that it also removes access you had given on purpose.

Zoom cannot share the screen or its sound

Give Zoom access in the Screen & System Audio Recording or Screen Recording pane, then quit and reopen Zoom. To include your Mac's sound in a screen share, turn on Zoom's share sound option when you start sharing. If participants cannot hear you, check Zoom's audio settings. Make sure the microphone it uses is the one you expect, and that Zoom has Microphone access in Privacy & Security.

Audio is distorted, missing or out of sync

If you send sound through a virtual or external audio device, open Audio MIDI Setup. Check that the devices involved use matching sample rate settings. Also confirm that your Mac's output device is set to the device the recording app listens to. Otherwise, the sound may play through the speakers but never reach the recording.

The setting is greyed out or missing

Greyed-out switches on a work or school Mac usually mean the setting is managed by a device policy. Ask your IT administrator to change it. On a personal Mac, make sure you are signed in as an administrator, or have an administrator authenticate the change.