5 Easy Ways to Stop “Your Screen Is being Observed” Message

Download Article

Quickly shut off screen access on your Mac with this step-by-step guide

Co-authored by Luigi Oppido and Rain Kengly

Last Updated: April 17, 2023

Download Article

Turning off Screen Share

|

Turning off Screen Recording

|

Turning off AirPlay

|

Changing Security & Privacy Settings

|

Troubleshooting

|

Expert Interview

|

Expert Q&A

Do you see the notification "Your screen is being observed" on your Mac computer? You might find this message on your lock screen or in the menu bar. This doesn't necessarily mean someone has hacked into your device. You could receive this notification for plenty of reasons, such as forgetting to end a screen recording, enabling AirPlay, or making changes to your Security & Privacy settings. This wikiHow will show you how to troubleshoot "Your screen is being observed" error on your Mac OS Ventura, Monterey, and earlier.

Things You Should Know

Turn off Screen Share in "System Settings" → "General" → deselect "Sharing".
Turn off an active screen recording with "Command" + "Control" + "Esc".
Change screen access in "System Settings" → "General" → "Privacy & Security" → "Accessibility". Deselect all apps with access.^{[1]
X
Expert Source

Luigi Oppido
Computer & Tech Specialist

Expert Interview}

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Turning off Screen Share

Download Article

Screen Sharing allows remote viewing and control of your computer from another computer.^{[2]
X
Research source}
If you have Monterey or earlier, this will be System Preferences.

Advertisement
3
Click General. You can find this in the left panel.
- On Monterey on earlier, you can find the Sharing icon towards the bottom of the System Preferences window.
This will be on the right panel. A new window will open.
5
Deselect "Screen Sharing". You should see Screen Sharing: Off.
- If you still see Your screen is being observed, continue to the next method.

Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

Turning off Screen Recording

Download Article

1
Press ⌘ Command+Control+Esc. This is the shortcut to stop an active screen recording.^{[3]
X
Research source}
- You can also click the Stop button in the menu bar if there's an active screen recording.
- If you still see Your screen is being observed, continue to the next method.

Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

Turning off AirPlay

Download Article

AirPlay allows you to mirror your Mac on another device.^{[4]
X
Research source}
If you have Monterey or earlier, this will be System Preferences.
You may need to scroll to find this option.
4
Click Off. This will be in the drop-down menu next to AirPlay Display.
- If you still see Your screen is being observed, continue to the next method.

Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

Changing Security & Privacy Settings

Download Article

1
Click the Apple menu. Some apps may have access to your screen.
- Use this method to disable screen access from third-party apps.
If you have Monterey or earlier, this will be System Preferences.
3
Click General. You can find this in the left panel.
- On Monterey on earlier, you can find the Security & Privacy icon in the System Preferences window.
On Monterey or earlier, click the Privacy tab.
^{[5]
X
Expert Source

Luigi Oppido
Computer & Tech Specialist

Expert Interview} You may need to scroll to find this.
6
Deselect all apps.^{[6]
X
Expert Source

Luigi Oppido
Computer & Tech Specialist

Expert Interview} You'll see a list of apps with control access to your computer. Uncheck the box next to the app to revoke permission.
- If you're unable to deselect the apps, make sure the lock icon in bottom-left corner is unlocked.

Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

Troubleshooting

Download Article

1
Restart your Mac. Your new settings may need a restart to apply.
- Click the Apple menu, then "Restart...".
2
Update your Mac. Software updates keeps your computer and programs working properly.
- Click the Apple menu, then "App Store". You'll see any pending updates in the "Updates" tab.
Uninstall third-party apps. With most third-party apps, there are security risks if you're unfamiliar with the developer. If you downloaded any risky programs, it's best to uninstall them immediately.
4
Scan your Mac for malware. If your Mac is infected by malware, this could mean another party has access to your computer and files. If your scan finds malware, you'll need to take the steps to remove them.
- Once the malware is removed, be sure to avoid getting viruses in the future.

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question

How can Pegasus spyware be removed from your phone?

Luigi Oppido
Computer & Tech Specialist
Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over two years.

Luigi Oppido

Computer & Tech Specialist

Expert Answer

Download Malwarebytes for Android and run the program—see if it finds the spyware and gets rid of it. If that doesn't remove it, download an antivirus program like AVG and run that as well. If for some reason that option doesn't work, back up your phone and factory reset it.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 0 Helpful 0