xScope Screen Recording Permission Problems

Some customers have reported issues with the screen recording permissions in Catalina - somehow Apple's software isn't recording the permission correctly (we don't have any control over how that's done, for security reasons). The following steps have helped folks set things right:

Reset Security Preferences

Our first suggestion is to reset to the security preferences for xScope. To do this, first delete xScope from your Applications folder and empty the trash. Then open a Terminal window and enter these commands:

tccutil reset ScreenCapture com.iconfactory.mac.xScope

tccutil reset ScreenCapture com.iconfactory.xScope

Press enter after each command to run it. You may see a message about "No such bundle identifier" for one of the commands. After running the commands restart your Mac and download xScope again. After you re-install and launch, you'll hopefully see xScope prompt for permission and show up in System Preferences.

Yes, this is a pain and we hate that you have to go through it. Apple's security changes in Catalina have been a nightmare for everyone.

Enable System Integrity Protection

If you have system integrity protection (SIP) disabled, the screen capture settings are not persisted. You can check csrutil status to see if it's enabled or disabled.

To re-enable the protection, follow these steps

  • Turn off your Mac (Apple Menu > Shut Down…).
  • Hold down Command-R and press the Power button. Keep holding Command-R until the Apple logo appears.
  • Wait for macOS to boot into the Utilities window.
  • Choose Utilities > Terminal.
  • Enter csrutil enable
  • Enter reboot