I found an app that fixes annoying pop-ups in macOS Sequoia

Years ago, when I was using Windows Vista, I became very annoyed by constant User Account Control (UAC) pop-ups asking for permission, seemingly every time I did it All that I downloaded an app that could silence them for good. This may not be the most sensible solution from a security perspective – OK, definitely It wasn’t the most sensible solution, but I was a desperate man. I’m currently experiencing similar vibrations on macOS Sequoia.

That’s because Apple’s latest operating system will nag you every month for permissions to everything that records your screen. Granted, it’s not as frequent as it was in Windows Vista – and in the macOS Sequoia beta, these prompts appeared virtually every week, causing so much user backlash that Apple changed the frequency – but it still feels like it’s happening will be a real pain for me and many users. Sure, macOS Sequoia hasn’t been on the market long enough yet to wake me up with monthly alerts, but I don’t want to stick around until I start pulling my hair out. I need to take action Now.

Fortunately, I’ve just come across an application that, like the one I used in my Windows Vista days, can put an end to these annoying pop-ups, albeit in a more sophisticated way that doesn’t pose as much of a threat to your security. It’s called Amnesia and, as the name suggests, it helps macOS conveniently forget that it even needs my permission.

Forget about the problem

Amnesia does this by editing the .plist file used by the screen capture permissions feature. This file contains references to all apps that have asked for screen recording permissions and the date when they will need to get permission again. Typically, this date is one month after access was last granted. Amnesia simply sets this date in the distant future – as of this writing, 100 years from now – while removing reminders.

The application is extremely simple. When you first open it, you need to select the folder where the .plist file is located – it helps that the dialog that Amnesia opens for this should already be in the right place. The main app screen is then populated with all the apps that have requested screen recording permissions, which in my case is simply the Logitech G Hub app. Click Turn off reminders button and it’s ready.

According to Amnesia’s creator, only apps that don’t use Apple’s restrictive screen capture API will appear in Amnesia, which is why I only had G Hub and nothing else that captured my screen like Zoom. Amnesia also easily lets you know when permissions expire, so you always know if it’s working. With reminders disabled (and button text changed to Set), you should see that the permissions will expire in 100 years.

And that’s pretty much it. It is designed to be as simple as possible so that it does not get in the way when not in use. It would be nice to be able to adjust the length of time that permission notifications are hidden, and the creator of Amnesia told me that they are working on that. Other than that, I really don’t need much else from the app.

A refined solution

I know what you’re thinking. While these pop-ups can be annoying, they serve an important purpose: making sure you always know exactly what you’ve given permission to do, and allowing you to revoke that access if an app no ​​longer needs it. Isn’t permanently disabling these reminders a terrible idea for your Mac’s security?

The answer is yes, it’s a terrible idea – if you just turn off all permission reminders and never think about whether your apps really always need access to your screen. Fortunately, Amnesia doesn’t work that way.

Instead of simply hiding every permission notification, Amnesia is much more nuanced because it allows you to decide what to do in individual applications. This is better for your security – instead of giving a blanket pass to every app that requires permission, you can allow trusted apps while requiring everything else to go through the usual process. Want to make sure a specific application is checked regularly? You can do this without having to constantly approve those that you know are safe.

I still recommend checking Amnesia from time to time and considering whether you should revoke permissions on certain apps, as you never know how your situation may change in the future. It’s not a bad idea to check your Mac’s security regularly, including this example.

Amnesia operates on a “pay what you want” model and has no subscriptions, only a one-time starting price. You can even get it for free if you want, but I suggest giving the developer a few dollars for his good work.

Speaking of the developer, they have released some other useful apps that are worth checking out. This includes Vivid, which uses HDR mode to double the brightness of a MacBook (I use it regularly and the difference is literally day and night), and MacWhisper, an AI-powered transcription app.

If you want to get ahead of Apple’s permissions changes in macOS Sequoia, Amnesia is worth your time. Use it wisely and you can reduce annoyances without compromising the security of your Mac.