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Your Screen Is Being Observed? (Try these Fixes!)

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Writer, Apple

Ojash started his tech journalism journey six years ago. Fueled by his passion for technology (and coffee), he writes guides that help people solve problems with their computers and smartphones. He specializes in writing about Apple products but also knows a lot about other tech products. You can also see some of his work on other media publications like MakeUseOf and MacBookJournal.

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If you see a message telling you that “Your Screen is Being Observed” on your Mac, it can be alarming. It temporarily blocks your ability to use your computer and raises serious concerns about your digital privacy and security.

But don’t worry. We’ve got you covered. In this article, we’ll present several solutions to fix the “Your Screen is Being Observed” error on your Mac, no matter the cause – be it malware, a misconfigured system setting, or something else. Let’s get started.

What Does “Your Screen Is Being Observed” Mean on a Mac?

In simple words, the “Your Screen is Being Observed” error message appears on a Mac when the system detects that the screen is being monitored or recorded by another device or software. The error can occur from various sources, including malware, a misconfigured system setting, or a third-party app or tool used for recording or monitoring the screen.

It’s important to determine the root cause of the “Your Screen is Being Observed” error on your Mac in order to take the appropriate steps to resolve it.

The error could be a warning sign of malware that threatens your privacy and security, or it might be due to conflicting system settings or a third-party app.

How to Stop Mac Screen from Being Observed

To stop your Mac screen from being recorded, go to System Settings > GeneralSharing. Make sure that Screen Sharing and Remote Management are turned off.

Hopefully, it should help fix the problem; if not, try these fixes below.

  1. Restart Your Mac
  2. Disable Sharing Settings
  3. Disable Screen Recording in QuickTime Player
  4. Disable Screen Recording Permission of Third-Party Apps
  5. Disable AirPlay
  6. Scan and Remove Malware
  7. Updating the Operating System
  8. Check for Updates to Third-Party Software
  9. Check Your Login Items
  10. Check for the Controlling App

1. Restart Your Mac

The most basic yet effective way of fixing this error is to restart your Mac. If you’ve recently added a new application or altered your system settings and suddenly started seeing the error, consider restarting your device.

This can reset the OS and alleviate any problems that might cause the “Your Screen Is Being Observed” error.

Here’s how you can do it:

  1. Click the Apple menu and select Restart from the dropdown menu.
Restart macOS From the Apple Menu
Restart macOS From the Apple Menu. Screenshot: Ojash Yadav/Gotechtor
  1. If prompted, click Restart again to confirm.
Confirm Restarting your Mac
Confirm Restarting your Mac. Screenshot: Ojash Yadav/Gotechtor
  1. Wait for the Mac to shut down and restart.

2. Disable Sharing Settings

In some cases, the “Your Screen is Being Observed” error may be caused by the Mac’s sharing settings.

If you’ve recently enabled sharing for a service or tool or accidentally left sharing enabled for a service you no longer use, this could cause the error.

To disable sharing, follow these steps:

  1. Select the Apple menu and click System Settings.
Open System Settings from the Apple Menu
Open System Settings from the Apple Menu. Screenshot: Ojash Yadav/Gotechtor
  1. Click General and select Sharing.
  1. Toggle off all the services you don’t want to use and close the window.
Toggle off all unwanted services
Toggle off all unwanted services. Screenshot: Ojash Yadav/Gotechtor

3. Disable Screen Recording in QuickTime Player

If you’re using QuickTime Player to record your screen, it can be a good reason behind the “Your Screen is Being Observed” error. In that case, ending the screen recording can resolve the issue.

There are two ways to do that:

  1. Click the Stop button in the menu bar.
Stop recording Mac screen.
Stop recording Mac screen. Screenshot: Ojash Yadav/Gotechtor
  1. Or, press Command + Control + Esc on the keyboard to stop recording.

4. Disable Screen Recording Permission of Third-Party Apps

Over time, files associated with third-party applications on Mac may become damaged, leading to the dreaded “Your Screen is Being Observed” error message. Luckily fixing it is very easy.

Here’s how to do so:

  1. Open the Apple menu and click System Settings.
Open System Settings from the Apple Menu.
Open System Settings from the Apple Menu. Screenshot: Ojash Yadav/Gotechtor
  1. Select Privacy & Security in the left sidebar of the window that appears and scroll down the right sidebar and select Screen Recording.
Open Privacy & Security settings.
Open Privacy & Security settings. Screenshot: Ojash Yadav/Gotechtor
  1. Here, you can see all the apps with screen recording access. Find the third-party app you want to remove and toggle off the screen recording.
Disable unwanted apps.
Disable unwanted apps. Screenshot: Ojash Yadav/Gotechtor

5. Disable AirPlay

If you’ve recently employed AirPlay to transmit media on a secondary device like Apple TV or speakers, you might encounter an error message that says “Your Screen is Being Observed” on your Mac.

Fortunately, you can quickly resolve this by simply turning off the AirPlay function. Doing so will cease the transmission of your Mac’s screen to other devices.

Here’s how to deactivate AirPlay:

  1. Click the Apple icon at the top-left of the screen and select System Settings.
Open System Settings from the Apple Menu
Open System Settings from the Apple Menu. Screenshot: Ojash Yadav/Gotechtor
  1. Click General and select Sharing.
  1. Find AirPlay Receiver in the services list and toggle it off.

6. Scan and Remove Malware

Sometimes the “Your Screen is Being Observed” error can be caused by malware too. In such cases, it’s important to take action and scan your system to identify and eliminate any malicious software.

Fortunately, Sophos, Malwarebytes, and Avast offer various antivirus solutions designed specifically for Macs that can help you achieve this goal.

Here’s how you can use these tools to protect your Mac from malware:

  1. Select an antivirus tool of your preference and download it to your Mac.
  2. Launch the tool and follow the on-screen instructions to initiate a full system scan.
  3. If the tool detects a malware, it will guide you through the removal process.
  4. Once you’ve removed the malware, restart your Mac to finalize the procedure.

7. Updating the Operating System

If you have an older version of the Mac operating system, it’s possible that an update could fix the “Your Screen is Being Observed” error.

To check for and install updates for your Mac, follow these steps:

  1. Select the Apple menu and click System Settings.
Open System Settings from the Apple Menu
Open System Settings from the Apple Menu. Screenshot: Ojash Yadav/Gotechtor
  1. Click General and select Software Update.
  1. If any updates are available, follow the prompts to install them.
Install software updates
Install software updates. Screenshot: Ojash Yadav/Gotechtor

8. Check for Updates to Third-Party Software

If you’re using any third-party software on your Mac, it’s possible that an outdated version of the software could be causing the “Your Screen is Being Observed” error.

To fix this, you’ll want to check for updates to your third-party software and install any available updates.

Here’s how to do this:

  1. Open the App Store on your Mac.
  1. Navigate to the Updates tab.
Navigate to the Updates tab
Navigate to the Updates tab. Screenshot: Ojash Yadav/Gotechtor
  1. If any updates are available for your third-party software, you’ll see them listed here. Click the Update button next to each app that has an update available.
Update outdated apps
Update outdated apps. Screenshot: Ojash Yadav/Gotechtor

If you don’t see any updates for your third-party software, the software may be up to date. In this case, you’ll want to try the next troubleshooting method.

9. Check Your Login Items

Login items in your Mac are apps linked directly to your device. Starting up or logging into your Mac will automatically start these apps too.

But, if you accidentally forgot to turn off this automatic feature, chances are these apps in the background are causing the “Your Screen is Being Observed” issue. 

Let’s see how to remove any potential login items from your Mac to fix the error. 

  1. Open the Apple menu and click System Settings.
Open System Settings from the Apple Menu
Open System Settings from the Apple Menu. Screenshot: Ojash Yadav/Gotechtor
  1. Select General in the left sidebar and scroll down the right sidebar to find Login Items and click it.
  1. You will see a list of all the Login Items previously selected. Select the app you want to remove that may be responsible for screen recording. Click the minus button at the end of the apps list to remove login access.
Remove unwanted apps
Remove unwanted apps. Screenshot: Ojash Yadav/Gotechtor
  1. Select the Apple menu and click Restart.
Restart macOS From the Apple Menu
Restart macOS From the Apple Menu. Screenshot: Ojash Yadav/Gotechtor
  1. Once your Mac turns on again, check if you’ve resolved the issue. If not, go back to the Login Items and remove all the apps linked to your device.

10. Check for the Controlling App

Third-party apps are often responsible for controlling your Mac’s screen, resulting in the “Your Screen is Being Observed” error. Here’s how to fix that:

  1. Open the Apple menu > System Settings.
Open System Settings from the Apple Menu
Open System Settings from the Apple Menu. Screenshot: Ojash Yadav/Gotechtor
  1. Navigate to Privacy & Security.
  1. Scroll down the right sidebar and click Accessibility. Here, you will see the apps controlling your Mac screen.
  1. Select the app and click the minus button to stop it from controlling the screen.
Disable unwanted apps
Disable unwanted apps. Screenshot: Ojash Yadav/Gotechtor

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I tell if my Mac is being monitored?

Look for the following signs to determine if someone is remotely accessing your Mac:
1. A message saying “Your Screen is Being Observed” or “Remote Control in Progress”
2. Unusual cursor movements or clicks
3. The appearance of newly opened applications or unfamiliar changes in settings
4. The presence of remote access software such as TeamViewer or Remote Desktop
5. An increase in network activity or internet bandwidth usage

Is it possible for someone to spy on me through my Mac?

Yes, if your Mac has been hacked, an attacker can potentially gain remote access to your device and use your webcam to spy on you. To prevent this, it’s important to regularly check your Mac for signs of hacking and use a webcam cover.

How can I tell if my Mac has been hacked?

To determine if your Mac has been hacked, follow these steps:
1. Run a malware scan using reputable antivirus software
2. Check the list of authorized devices and software in your Mac’s System Preferences
3. Review your login and system logs for any unusual activity
4. Monitor your network traffic using tools such as Little Snitch or GlassWire

Wrap-Up: Get Rid of “Your Screen Is Being Observed” on Mac

Fixing the “Your Screen is Being Observed” error on your Mac is pretty easy and can be solved using the following methods.

  1. Restart your Mac
  2. Disable Sharing Settings
  3. Disable Screen Recording in QuickTime Player
  4. Disable Screen Recording Permission of Third-Party Apps
  5. Disable AirPlay
  6. Scan and Remove Malware
  7. Updating the Operating System
  8. Check for Updates to Third-Party Software
  9. Check Your Login Items
  10. Check for the Controlling App

In most cases, just restarting your Mac or removing malware does the trick. And if that doesn’t help, you can always make an Apple Store appointment at a Genius Bar, and a certified expert will be more than happy to help you.

I hope this assisted you in fixing the “Your Screen is Being Observed” error on your Mac. If you fixed the problem with any other solution, please share it in the comments section.

Writer, Apple

Ojash started his tech journalism journey six years ago. Fueled by his passion for technology (and coffee), he writes guides that help people solve problems with their computers and smartphones. He specializes in writing about Apple products but also knows a lot about other tech products. You can also see some of his work on other media publications like MakeUseOf and MacBookJournal.

Ojash Yadav

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