How to Enable Screen Recording on Mac (Permissions Guide)

Screen recording permission on Mac is managed through Privacy & Security settings. macOS requires every third-party app to get explicit permission before it can capture your screen — so if a screen recorder isn't working, the most common cause is a missing or revoked permission.

This guide covers how to grant permission, what to do when an app isn't listed, and how to fix the most common issues.

Why macOS requires this permission#

Apple added screen recording permission in macOS Catalina (10.15) as part of broader privacy protections. Before Catalina, any app could capture your screen silently. After Catalina, apps must request permission and users must explicitly approve it in System Settings.

The permission covers capturing screen content — what's visible on your display, including content in other apps' windows. It also covers system audio recording as of macOS 13 Ventura (system audio and screen content are grouped under the same privacy category on newer macOS versions).

How to enable screen recording on Mac#

The steps vary slightly by macOS version. Here's how to do it on current macOS:

macOS Ventura (13), Sonoma (14), and Sequoia (15)#

1. Click the Apple menu () in the top-left corner
2. Select System Settings
3. Click Privacy & Security in the sidebar
4. Scroll down and click Screen Recording (or Screen & System Audio Recording on macOS 14+)
5. Find the app in the list and toggle it on
6. Quit and relaunch the app

The app needs to be fully quit — not just closed — before the permission takes effect. Use Cmd+Q or right-click the Dock icon and choose Quit.

macOS Monterey (12) and earlier#

1. Click the Apple menu and select System Preferences
2. Click Security & Privacy
3. Select the Privacy tab
4. Click Screen Recording in the left sidebar
5. Click the padlock icon at the bottom-left and enter your password to unlock
6. Check the box next to the app
7. Quit and relaunch the app

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What to do if the app isn't in the list#

Apps only appear in the Screen Recording list after they've requested permission. If you installed an app but haven't launched it or tried to record yet, it won't show up.

To trigger the permission request:

1. Open the app
2. Try to start a recording or access the screen capture feature
3. The app should show a system prompt asking for permission
4. Click Open System Settings or Allow, then follow the steps above

To add an app manually:

1. Open Screen Recording in Privacy & Security (steps above)
2. Click the + button below the app list
3. Navigate to the app in Finder (usually in /Applications) and select it
4. Toggle it on

This manual method works for apps that don't show a permission prompt automatically.

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macOS Sequoia: periodic re-authorization#

macOS Sequoia (15) introduced more aggressive screen recording permission resets. On Sequoia, you may need to re-grant permission after reboots or approximately monthly, even for apps you've already approved.

This is intentional — Apple described it as a privacy feature where apps must periodically re-confirm that you still want them to have screen access. If a screen recorder stops working after a macOS update or a restart, check Privacy & Security first. The toggle may have been reset to off.

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Common issues and fixes#

"Screen recording greyed out"#

If the toggle or checkbox is greyed out and you can't change it, one of these is the cause:

Managed device: If your Mac is enrolled in MDM (Mobile Device Management — common on company-issued Macs), an IT policy may be blocking or controlling screen recording permissions. Contact your IT team.

App hasn't requested permission: The toggle only becomes interactive after the app has made a permission request. Launch the app and try to record — the toggle should become active after the request fires.

Older macOS — padlock not unlocked: On macOS Monterey and earlier, you need to click the padlock and enter your admin password before you can change any privacy settings.

"I toggled it on but the app still can't record"#

The permission only takes effect after the app is fully restarted. Check that you've quit (Cmd+Q) and relaunched the app — not just closed the window.

"The app asked for permission, I clicked Allow, but now it's not working"#

Some apps behave unexpectedly with the first permission request. Try this:

1. Go to Privacy & Security > Screen Recording
2. Toggle the app off, then toggle it back on
3. Quit and relaunch the app

If that doesn't work, remove the app from the list (select it and click the − button), then relaunch the app so it requests permission fresh.

Homebrew-installed apps#

Apps installed through Homebrew often live in symlinks rather than direct paths, which can cause them to appear greyed out or not function even when toggled on. If you're using a Homebrew-installed screen recorder and permission isn't working, try downloading the app directly from the developer's website instead.

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QuickTime and the Screenshot toolbar don't need this permission#

Apple's built-in recording tools — QuickTime Player and the Cmd+Shift+5 Screenshot toolbar — are system apps and don't require the Screen Recording permission toggle. They can record your screen without any setup.

The trade-off: QuickTime and the Screenshot toolbar are basic. They record the screen as-is, without zooming into clicks or capturing system audio natively. For product demos and tutorials where viewers need to see exactly what you're clicking, you'll want a third-party recorder with auto-zoom. See our guide to recording your screen with audio on Mac for a full breakdown of what the built-in tools can and can't do.

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After granting permission#

Once Screen Recording is enabled, most apps work immediately after relaunch. A few things to know:

Recording indicator: When any app is capturing your screen, macOS shows a small recording indicator in the menu bar (a circle or camera icon, depending on the app). You can click it to see which app is recording.

Revoking permission: To stop an app from recording your screen, go back to Privacy & Security > Screen Recording and toggle it off. The app loses access immediately.

Multiple apps: You can grant screen recording permission to multiple apps at the same time. They all appear in the list and can record concurrently if needed.

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Checking which apps have permission#

To see every app that currently has screen recording access:

1. Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Screen Recording
2. The full list of apps that have requested permission appears, with their current status

Any app you don't recognize in that list is worth checking. Apps can request screen recording permission quietly — through an onboarding flow or as part of an initial setup — and it's easy to miss. Revoking access for apps you don't actively use is reasonable.

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For more on what to do after you've got recording working, see our Mac screen capture keyboard shortcuts guide and the tips & workflows pillar covering audio, capture methods, and export options.