orange dot monterey mac

I've just submitted my request to Apple for an option to disable this, or at least hide it when using full-screen apps.

I use ScreenFlow to record software demos. Usually, I'm recording Chrome/Vivaldi in Full Screen Mode, on a secondary display. I'm fully aware that ScreenFlowHelper is using the mic, but now that orange dot appears in every video I record, even on the secondary display.

I don't think my clients will appreciate having a bright orange dot in the upper right corner of every video. Hopefully, Apple will provide an option to disable this feature, or at least temporarily hide it, either when using apps in Full Screen Mode, or on secondary displays.

Ace_1000 wrote:

Apple can you please give us the ability to at least hide this stupid orange dot at the top right-hand of our screen?

Having the light appear does not prevent you from using any features of your computer.

This is a user-to-user support forum. Apple doesn't read here for suggestions or feedback. You can, however, let them know your thoughts here:

Product Feedback - Apple

Given Apple's commitment to protecting user privacy, I don't see it as likely they will let this be turned off. If there's a manual switch to turn it off, that opens up the ability for someone with less benign motives to turn it off.

Are your audio and visual apps prompting you with ___ wants to access your micrphone? When you click OK, that app is registered in System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy panel > Microphone. This should be a one-time prompt for that privilege when you click OK on that dialog.

i've not previously noticed that orange dot before. then it dawned on me. i use my catalina boot drive for any type of screen and or movie recordings due to 3rd party hardware not compatible with any macOS newer than catalina. i launched a recording on monterey and saw that orange dot you are explaining. that would be unacceptable for me as well. so if your machine is capable of running catalina, you can install that on an external SSD and run from that drive when you wish to do screen recordings until and unless apple gives us the option of turning that indicator dot off in monterey.

EDIT: does anyone know if that dot shows up in screen recordings with big sur?

Apple can you please give us the ability to at least hide this stupid orange dot at the top right-hand of our screen?

I am going to have downgraded my operating system just to get rid of it, what makes apple think its ok to have a **** orange dot at the right hand of our screen? it's noticeable and annoying. How could you possibly release an update of this nature and none of the geniuses at apple predicted that this would be not cool for a lot of people at least give us the ability to hide the dang thing if you're going to turn this on as a standard?

Everybody that uses apple isn't an airhead we can use a computer without having apple put child locks and mittens on everything, stop insulting my intelligence apple, I am not intellectually disabled!

This is an unbelievably stupid and annoying feature imo and ruins Apple computers for anyone using them for various uses in the live event or imag or anytime you are projecting or displaying the Mac for others to see while working with audio. They shouldn’t addd features like this without the option to turn it off

I don't know if it works, but this is supposedly a hack that moves the dot out of the way: https://lowtechguys.com/yellowdot/

I would appreciate it if people who were impacted by this would try it out and let me know if it works.

hello etresoft,

i was bored this morning. so even though i do all my recordings in catalina, i figured i would test the "yellow dot" app for monterey that you've provided a link to. after installing it, i did a couple quick tests. the app does seem to do what it says. the yellow dot disappears about a half second after initiating the recording.

jeffreythefrog wrote:

i was bored this morning. so even though i do all my recordings in catalina, i figured i would test the "yellow dot" app for monterey that you've provided a link to. after installing it, i did a couple quick tests. the app does seem to do what it says. the yellow dot disappears about a half second after initiating the recording.

Thanks for the follow-up. Do you have an external display? Some people have mentioned that the external display is where it is most annoying, especially when it is publicly visible.

Thanks for the follow-up. Do you have an external display? Some people have mentioned that the external display is where it is most annoying, especially when it is publicly visible.

I discovered that it is only when in full screen I can actually notice the dot.

If not in full screen (which I never use), it is a tiny little dot next to the Control Center icon. I would have never noticed it was ever on had this topic not made me aware of it.

etresoft wrote:

Do you have an external display? Some people have mentioned that the external display is where it is most annoying, especially when it is publicly visible.

i use my TV as a mirrored display of my iMac. so i had to mess around with my display settings to test that. YES, when i had the TV as an extended display, the orange dot also disappears from the TV.

Yep. This is working for me, and I'm incredibly grateful to you for sharing this workaround. My clients will love not seeing an orange dot in the corner of the videos they're paying me to create. Thanks again!

leftlane wrote:

Yep. This is working for me, and I'm incredibly grateful to you for creating a workaround. My clients will love not seeing an orange dot in the corner of the videos they're paying me to create. Thanks again!

It's not my creation.

This is a problem for those of us who make a living in live production. When I bring a keynote into Vmix using Vmix NDI the orange dot appears on all screes attached to the Mac. The 'YellowDot' app did not work for me but I did find a work around with Record Indicator Utility. https://github.com/cormiertyshawn895/RecordingIndicatorUtility

It is involved and requires 'FileVault' be disabled plus some further 'Terminal' commands. However it does work for live events when bringing multiple units into one mixer.

Hope this helps.