Screen is being observed

I have this same issue...a new MAC with Big Sur OS, and it shows this message each time I reboot/start up the computer after it sleeps. I checked as suggested and there are no apps listed, so nothing with any permission to record. Did you find any more advice about what else to check? Clearly, it is worrisome to be warned that I am being observed! What to do????

For me there is no app checked in Screen Recoding and yet I am seeing "Screen is being observed" at the login screen. This occurs even when my MacBook is not connected to external monitors. Where else can I look for software that triggers this message?

I was able to resolve this on macOS Big Sur by going into:

1. System Preferences (grey gear icon) >
2. Security & Privacy (grey home icon, probably on the right.) >
3. Privacy (probably rightmost tab) >
4. Screen Recording (scroll left column down to red/orange icon) >
5. unlock (gold padlock, lower left) >
6. unchecked Google Chrome >
7. allowed it to restart Chrome when the prompt popped up

To prevent problems in the future, when I do actually want to do a video chat or whatever, I then rechecked Google Chrome and allowed it to restart again.

[Note that you can also search for "Privacy" with the search field in the upper right of the system preferences window to get to that privacy tab but you cannot simply search "Screen Recording"]

Hello everyone. I noticed having Adobe Photoshop open, even when screen recording is unchecked in privacy, it still gives me the message. When I quit the app the message disappears from my Lock Screen. Hope this helps someone!

Had a co-worker with the same problem. In Applications -> Utilities there is an application named Screenshot. She was trying to do a screenshot with that and instead started recording her screen. Poking around I noticed an icon in the menu bar I didn't recognize. I clicked it and a window came up with a screen recording in it and then a new file was created on the desktop ... she'd been recording her screen the entire time and the result was a 8+ GB video. 

I tried it ... did the screen record then locked my screen ... that message was on my log in screen as well.

Hello Sonya2811,

It sounds like you're seeing a message saying that your screen is being observed. On your Mac, do you have third party apps that may have access/permission to your screen? You can check that by going to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Screen Recording and make sure no apps are selected.

Regards.

Another question I have regarding this issue is that I have enabled Microsoft Teams and Zoom to record my screen since I need to record some classes that I teach online.

Is that why I am receiving this message "screen is being observed" on my startup screen?

Several sessions with Apple Support didn't help me. I solved this issue by performing a fresh install of Big Sur and then loading only my personal, not system, files from TimeMachine. Not the easiest solution since I had to import email and one other dataset, forgot which, manually. This was also necessary since there was a disconnect between my AppleID and iCloud and Music.

Thanks, for me, I found that this "observation" message at login was caused by a new display driver for a multi-HDMI adapter. This allows me to have 3 additional monitors hooked up to my MacBook. This also leads to me not being able to unlock my computer with my apple watch.

Ha.. I just saw the exact same message on my login screen.. I googled it and found this thread... I noticed that I had turned on screen flow for a call yesterday and I didn't turn it off.. So yes, my screen was being recorded, it was just from me though.. very cool!

For me it was when I closed Google Chrome the message disappeared.

I realised that I had used "Cast" previously that day, but apparently didn't close it properly and for that reason I saw the message.

I have found the message to be on the screen when I use my Apple TV (the new 4K one) as my secondary display. When I turn it off (only use my MacBook Pro's internal display) the message is gone. When I have AppleTV as my second screen it shows up.

It didn't show up when I had the same display connected via HDMI.

Thank you Sonya,

I saw that GoogleChrome caused the problem. When I unchecked the box the message in my lock screen disappeared.

Thanks @correadebernalillo, it was a multi HDMI driver for me too: “Display Link Manager” if it helps anyone else!

stay safe!