What does this mean and how to fix it

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Apple’s commitment to user privacy is commendable and has influenced the purchasing decisions of many people around the world. Despite the lack of flashy antivirus software on the front end of macOS, Apple computers offer maximum security and peace of mind for users.

However, this isn’t possible without some restrictions. While Apple users typically don’t have to worry about their computers being infected with malware, they also enjoy less flexibility compared to Windows users. macOS does a pretty good job of informing users of any suspicious activity with alerts that they can respond to or ignore.

A common notification that some people may have received is the “Your screen is being watched” alert on their Lock screen. Despite its ominous sound, in most cases this notification is nothing to worry about. Read on to find out exactly why your Mac is notifying you and how you can get rid of the message.

What is the “Your screen is being watched” message?

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Before you dive into possible fixes for this pop-up, it’s worth investigating why your Mac is warning you about this behavior in the first place. The “Your screen is being watched” message could mean a few things, but in most cases it refers to the app that’s currently recording your screen. This could be a third-party screen recording software or an app that sometimes needs to capture screenshots for previewing, like AltTab.

Programs like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet can also trigger this warning if you’re sharing your screen during a presentation. AirPlay is one of the most intuitive features you can use on Apple devices, allowing you to stream audio and video to other products in your home. It can also trigger the warning message if you’ve been streaming video from your Mac to a nearby device.

While unlikely, this message could indicate the presence of spyware on your computer. While macOS handles most types of cyberattacks and prevents apps from harming your computer, it’s still possible for some bad actors to get into your system. In either case, the best way to fix this problem is to identify the service that accessed your Mac’s display.

How to Fix Warning Message on Mac

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There are a few ways to get rid of this pop-up on macOS, and they all involve tweaking a few options in the Settings app. First, check to see if you have screen recording software running on your computer. You can often find the app icon in the taskbar at the top right of your screen. Alternatively, you can go to System Preferences > Privacy & Security > Screen & System Audio Recording and uncheck any app you suspect is currently recording your screen.

Try closing any video conferencing apps you might have running. You can also go to System Settings > General > Sharing and slide the “Screen Sharing” toggle to disable the feature system-wide.

Using AirPlay to share your Mac’s screen on a nearby Apple TV will also cause this pop-up. Click the Control Center icon in the taskbar at the top and select “Screen Mirroring.” Make sure you’re not connected to any other devices from this menu. You can disable AirPlay reception by going to System Preferences > General > AirDrop & Handoff and unchecking “AirPlay Receiver.” This will prevent other devices from sharing audio and video on your Mac.

Scan your Mac for suspicious apps

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As the Internet becomes more widespread, the number of cyberattacks in the form of downloadable malware and viruses inevitably increases. Spyware and adware are quite common, and the latter is usually easy to spot if your computer has been infected with ads and random pop-ups. If you suspect that an application you recently downloaded from the Internet is secretly accessing content on your screen, it is important to find and eliminate the threat as soon as possible.

You can go to System Preferences > General > Storage and click the information icon next to “Apps” – this will show you a list of all the installed programs on your Mac, along with their file paths. If you see something you don’t recognise, it’s best to uninstall the app. Alternatively, you can scan your computer for viruses using Microsoft Defender on your Mac – this is a simplified approach that looks at not only the apps, but also all the files stored on your computer.

If none of the above options seem to dismiss the notification, you can perform a factory reset on your Mac. Make sure you have everything backed up, as this will wipe your entire drive and start your computer up like new. A full reset will also come in handy if you have other software issues with your Mac.