How do I remove an app from Security/Accessibility?

sudo sqlite3 /Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.TCC/Tcc.db 'delete from access where client like "%appnamehere%"'

Replace "appnamehere" with the name of the app as it appears in the Accessibility list (keep the % signs).

Hi, I'm having the same problem, but your method didnt work =/

I added an automator app into the list and it gave at a different name, a bunch of numbers and letters, worst of all, I cant read the whole name since its so long and there's no way to resize the window so I dont even know its name to put into the command!

Would I just be able to delete the Tcc.db file and have it rebuild itself? Or is that a terrible idea?

Is the goal to deny access to the app in question? If so, uncheck the box.

There is no provided method for removing an item from the list, probably because that makes it easier to later grant access to an app that had previously requested access.

I would also like to do this. My use case is slightly different: I'm writing some documentation, and want to take screenshots of the full process. Once apps have been added to Security & Privacy > Accessibility, it's hard to take "clean" screenshots that illustrate the specific instructions I'm trying to write.

(I know that Apple has knowledgebase articles on the topic. Those are general, and very helpful to me, but not to what I'm documenting. I'm writing instructions that are specific, to a particular app and process flow, and it's important that the screenshots be specific, too, not generic.)

@Hazza42: I don't know if it's safe to remove the Tcc.db file. If you've already done so, hopefully it worked out. But I'd recommend a different approach.

Thanks to @JoshHimself, we know that these entries are stored in a SQLite database at that file path. So, just like we can delete from it, we can also look at what's there in the first place, using standard SQLite commands.

Here's a Terminal command that will show you all entries:

sudo sqlite3 /Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.TCC/Tcc.db 'SELECT * FROM access'

You'll probably get a few lines that look like this:

kTCCServiceAccessibility|com.apple.AccessibilityInspector|0|1|1|

kTCCServiceAccessibility|com.red-sweater.FastScripts|0|1|0|??

Each line is one of the entries in the Security > Accessibility apps list. The reverse URL-looking string is what you want to use for the WHERE clause of your DELETE.

You don't need the whole string, just something unique to the app(s) you want to delete. The percent signs ('%') on either side of the criteria tell SQLite to match that string anywhere in the client name. So, I only need to use "Script" to get rid of com.red-sweater.FastScripts.

To be super-safe, first do another SELECT with the WHERE clause added, to make sure you're only getting the entries you want to delete:

sudo sqlite3 /Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.TCC/Tcc.db 'SELECT * FROM access WHERE client LIKE "%Script%"'

kTCCServiceAccessibility|com.apple.ScriptEditor2|0|1|0|??

kTCCServiceAccessibility|com.red-sweater.FastScripts|0|1|0|??

So, the string "Script" is sufficient to delete both FastScripts and AppleScript Editor (which, as you can see, does not actually use that name in the Tcc.db database).

Once you're sure you've got the WHERE clause right, change SELECT * to DELETE, and bombs away. In my case:

sudo sqlite3 /Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.TCC/Tcc.db 'DELETE FROM access WHERE client LIKE "%Script%"'

I rebooted immediately afterwards, on the theory that the values might be cached somewhere, and would get written back to the database if I tried to open the Security control panel. Not sure it's required, but it won't hurt anything.

Thanks for the help, not being too terminal savvy I went and restored an old time machine backup of the TCC.db from before I messed up. After a quick restart we're all back to normal again =]

I actually had to access it through the finder rather than through the time machine app as the Library folder is made inaccessable there.

Can you help me? Josh's answer didn't tell me where to enter all that stuff. I entered in terminal -- just typed it all in. Are quotes included around app? Am I entering it in the wrong place? Where do I go to enter everything he typed? Also, do I include the sentence before the "%app%" -- I have the same problem and have been trying to remove all day. It's a parental control app I DO NOT want my young children to see, so unchecking is not helpful for hiding the fact that it's there from my tech savvy little ones. THank you!

Hi Josh!

Can you help me? Where to enter all that? I entered in terminal -- just typed it all in, but nothing happened. Are quotes included around app? Am I entering it in the wrong place? Where do I go to enter everything you typed?

Also, do I include the sentence before the "%app%" -- ---> 'delete from access where client like>>

I have the same problem and have been trying to remove all day. It's a parental control app I DO NOT want my young children to see, so unchecking is not helpful for hiding the fact that it's there from my tech savvy little ones.

THank you!

Do you have a Time Machine backup? I would reccomend just copy pasting the TCC.db file that you are trying to rewrite from a backup before you accidentally added an application to the list, then I think I did a restart for the changes to take effect.

The TCC.db file should be under Library / Application Support / com.apple.tcc

JnlTT:

In response to your specific questions:

Can you help me?

Yes

Where to enter all that?

Terminal

Are quotes included around app?

Yes, quotes and percent signs around the app's name, and single quotes around the entire sql command

Am I entering it in the wrong place?

I don't think so. Did it prompt you for your administrator password? It should have, based on the "sudo" command.

Where do I go to enter everything you typed?

The terminal prompt.

Also, do I include the sentence before the "%app%" -- ---> 'delete from access where client like>>

Yes. This is the sql command. You're telling it to take the action "delete from" the table named "access" any row that matches the criteria "where" the field corresponding to "client" looks "like" the "%appname%".

Hypothetical

Let's suppose the name of your app is something like KidWatch.

1. Make sure your system preferences application is closed

2. Launch the Terminal application (e.g., click the spotlight icon in the top right of the screen, type Terminal, and hit return)

3. Paste the following line exactly into terminal (again, based on the hypothetical situation where your app, as it appears in the list in the accessibilty window, is named KidWatch):

sudo sqlite3 /Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.TCC/Tcc.db 'delete from access where client like "%KidWatch%"'

4. Once this command is run, you will be prompted for your user password. Type it and press return.

5. Navigate back to the accessibility list of programs and verify it is gone.

This doesn't seem to have all the names in my list and has other names not in the list, so I'm not sure it is the best way to do this. There should be a way to easily remove wayward itens from this list just like in the user/login items list. As it is now, you have to delete the offending .app in order to get rid of the entry.

Josh Himself I'd like to thank you and Alderete both for helping with the main thing (Terminal) I'm not any good at, Though I really wish it was as easy as it seems. The more I dedicate myself to Mac the more I need to learn it and I don't ever plan on leaving OSX. So I'm thinking I should pick up some literature on the how to use terminal...usually I just put in exactly what I'm told and I've had pretty good success, So far (knocking on wood) but it bothers the **** out of me not knowing terminal and should by now, however is there anything you can recommend on.... a book, a class, etc ....anyhow more importantly I just wanted to thank you guys for showing us when you didn't have to and yet you did...

Jon

Michael,

I think I found a simple way to do this, if it is an App created from a script using AppleScript...

a) Find the App, open it in AppleScript Editor, save it as a Script [if you want to retain a copy].

b) Trash the App version, then empty your trash.

The App will vanish from the Privacy table, and will also disappear from the list in Notifications

This issue arose while I was creating and testing a Script based App, occasionally Apps would appear in Privacy with very strange long names, as you noted.

They were created when I ran a previous version of the Script. In fact, I ended up with half a dozen or so.

When I trashed the old version of the Apps, they did not disappear. When I emptied the trash, they did.

Note the Trash contained the name of the App, not the strange long name

A tip when adding a third party application name to the "%appnamehere%"' field. The third party App name may not run with the same name as the App listed in your Applications folder. Open the App on the computer you want to have the item removed from the Accessibility list. Go to an Admin computer with Apple Remote Desktop and add the remote computer. Select the remote computer and perform the Send Unix Command. Type or copy in the following:

osascript -e 'tell application "Finder" to get name of every process whose visible is true'

When you read the list that comes back you will see the proper operational name of the Apps that are active. The names listed should appear to be close to the original Apps name. You should copy the name from this list and enter it into the "%appnamehere%" field.

Example:

Program (Application) to be removed from Accessibility list - KITE Client

Open KITE Client on computer.

Go to Admin Computer and open Remote Desktop and scan for computer. Add to local list in Remote Desktop.

Highlight Computer in list. Go to the Manage Menu item and select Send Unix Command (or select Unix icon)

Type in the following (run Command as User = Root) :

osascript -e 'tell application "Finder" to get name of every process whose visible is true'

My list returns the following:

Finder, KITEClient

I then copy KITEClient and add it to the original script:

sudo sqlite3 /Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.TCC/Tcc.db 'delete from access where client like "% KITEClient%"'

This can be run remotely in Apple Remote Desktop as a Unix Command or in Terminal on the target computer.