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“Your screen is being observed” Mac Message

I keep getting this message, "your screen is being observed" before I log into my iMac. How do I stop my screen from being observed?



[Re-Titled by Moderator]


iMac 21.5″, macOS 10.12

Posted on Dec 12, 2020 4:51 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jun 10, 2021 8:45 AM

This message means that an app has permission to "see" the contents of your screen and is currently exercising that privilege. (It need not be recording of the screen per se. )


Of the built-in apps, this is typically the built-in Screen Capture feature has been unknowingly triggered to record your screen (Shift-Cmd-5).


Of the 3rd-party apps, it would be one or more of the apps in Apple Menu > System Preferences… > Security & Privacy > Screen Recording

36 replies

Aug 6, 2021 1:36 PM in response to rkaufmann87

I don't think this is a helpful reply. I see the same message and, as another poster wrote, it comes from enabling the DisplayLink driver which I use on my M1 MBP to allow me to connect an extra external display.


A more helpful reply would have been something along the lines of:


"This may be due to a third party software application that needs access to the screen data for a legitimate reason or it may be due to a virus (although OS X is fairly immune to viruses)"


I am pointing this out because in a user support forum it is important to provide accurate information to someone seeking assistance.

“Your screen is being observed” Mac Message

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