macOS 15 (Sequoia) Considerations
- Please note that as of this release, screen recording permissions are now required to be reviewed and set monthly.
Apple Security Update Implications
As of the release of macOS 10.15 (Catalina), all applications require individual user permission to access the Camera and Microphone (a Security and Privacy feature that has long been in effect for iOS), and for each user to manually set the permission to record the Desktop (Display).
Individual permissions mean that if you enable access to these inputs on a Classroom computer, permission is only granted for the specific user account you are currently logged in with. If someone else logs into that same classroom computer using another user account, they will also have to enable access because each user on a computer controls their own permissions.
As of the release of macOS 11.0 (Big Sur), all applications require a System Administrator to set permission to record the Desktop (Screen Recording). Administrators using Apple Mobile Device Management (MDM) can pre-allow standard users to approve screen recording for specified apps like Zoom and EchoVideo Capture.
As of the release of macOS 11.4 (Big Sur), users see an additional prompt to allow access to the Desktop (Screen Recording) due to changes Apple made to counter security issues regarding screen recording permissions. Administrators need to launch Universal Capture and accept the new prompt.
When upgrading to the release of macOS 15 (Sequoia), Administrators should note that prompts to allow access to the Desktop (Screen Recording) are now required monthly due to changes Apple made to counter security issues regarding screen recording permissions. Administrators will need to launch Universal Capture and accept the prompts regularly.
Being Prompted to Allow Access
Universal Capture: Classroom users who have not yet set permissions will be prompted when they log into the computer.
Universal Capture: Personal users who have not yet set permissions will be prompted once they launch the application.
- After Universal Capture: Classroom or Personal is installed, the Application will notify you that access needs to be enabled. Click Continue.
If you click Deny at this point, you will be notified that access is needed every time the application attempts to access the camera or microphone.
- Click OK to enable access to the camera.
If you choose to click Don't Allow at this point, you will need to manually update your System Preferences to record from a camera in the future.
- Click OK to enable access to the microphone.
If you choose to click Don't Allow at this point, you will need to manually update your System Preferences to record from a microphone in the future.
- Click Open System Preferences to manually enable access to the desktop.
If access has not yet been set or denied, you can still launch Universal Capture and see the desktop, camera, and microphone inputs as source options. When attempting to select a camera or microphone input in this state, the Application will notify you that access to the camera and mic needs to be enabled, and an access denied icon will be displayed.
Manually Allowing Access
- Click Continue from the application notification to launch System Preferences (or open System Preferences manually).
- Navigate to Security & Privacy > Privacy pane.
- Select Camera from the available options.
- Find EchoVideo Capture in the list of apps and click the checkbox.
- Repeat steps 3 and 4 for the Microphone and Screen Recording options.
After manually updating your camera and microphone access, the OS can take up to a minute to make these inputs available to the application.