Clear application privacy permissions

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Works with any MacWorks with any Mac running macOS/OS X on Intel or Apple Silicon.

• macOS onlyThis script improves your privacy on macOS
• Multiple actionsThis page belongs to a category, containing some changes with similar goal.
• Impact: Medium

  System Functionality / Data Loss Risk: Moderate

  This action improves privacy with minimal impact when you run the recommended script.

  This action improves privacy with some impact when you run the recommended script.
• Bash (Shell script)These changes use macOS system commands to update your settings.
• 24 scripts
• No subcategories
• Administrative (sudo) access requiredThis script requires privilege access to do the system changes
• Fully reversible

  You can fully restore this action (revert back to the original behavior) using this website.

  The restore/revert methods provided here can help you fix issues.

Overview

This category provides scripts to reset privacy permissions for a variety of applications on your device, helping you to re-establish control over your personal data. Each script targets a specific permission type – such as camera, microphone, contacts, or accessibility services – enabling you to revoke permissions that have previously been granted to applications.

By resetting these permissions, you not only enhance your privacy but also improve your device's security. After running these scripts, applications will require your explicit permission again to access these services or information. This means the next time an app attempts to use a service like your camera or access your contacts, you'll be prompted to grant or deny permission. It's a proactive step to ensure that your sensitive information or system services are accessed only with your current and informed consent.

Use with Caution

This script is only recommended if you understand its implications.

Some non-critical or features may no longer function correctly after running this script.

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Choose one of two ways to apply:

Download script

Download and run the script directly

• No app needed
• Offline usage
• Free
• Open-source

High

High — Advanced Privacy

• For advanced privacy-conscious users
• May affect some features

Read more about High and other protection levels

Apply protection

Undo protection

Maximum

Maximum — Strongest Possible Privacy (Military-Grade)

• Military-grade privacy protection
• Major system impact
• Consider having Time Machine backup.

Read more about Maximum and other protection levels

Apply protection

Undo protection

Help

How to apply "Clear application privacy permissions" using script

• ≈ 3 min to complete
• Tools: Web Browser
• Difficulty: Medium
• ≈ 6 instructions

1. 1

   Choose protection

   Choose one of the options with different impact levels:

   • High

     Some potentially impactful changes with moderate system impact.
   • Maximum

     Some impactful changes with high system impact.
2. 2

   Download

   Download the script file by clicking on the   Apply protection  button above.
3. 3

   Keep the file

   If warned by your browser, keep the file.
4. 4

   Open

   Open the downloaded file.
5. 5

   Exit

   Once it's done, press any key to exit the window.
6. 6

   Restart

   Restart your computer for all changes to take effect.

Apply with privacy.sexy

Guided, automated application with safety checks

• Recommended for most users
• Includes safety checks
• Shows the code
• Free
• Open-source
• Popular
• Offline/Online usage

Open privacy.sexy

Help

How to apply "Clear application privacy permissions" using privacy.sexy

• ≈ 3 min to complete
• Tools: privacy.sexy
• Difficulty: Simple
• ≈ 4 instructions

privacy.sexy is free and open-source application that lets securely apply this action easily with more advanced options.

1. 1

   Open or download

   Open or download the desktop application
2. 2

   Choose script

   1. Search for the category name: Clear application privacy permissions
   2. Check the category by clicking on the checkbox of the category.

   Applying High to limit the impact.

3. 3

   Run

   Click on ▶️ Run button at the bottom of the page.

   This button only appears on desktop version (recommended). On browser, use 💾 Save button.

Explore This Guide

• 24 Privacy settings

Choose what to protect based on your needs:

Click any option to learn more about what it does.

Each change can be applied and reversed individually.

Some settings and commands may require technical knowledge to apply correctly.

Clear "All" permissions

This script resets all permissions for applications. It revokes all previously granted permissions, enhancing privacy and security by ensuring no application has unauthorized access to system services or user data.

Clear "Camera" permissions

This script resets permissions for camera access. It ensures no application can access the system camera without explicit user permission, protecting against unauthorized surveillance and data breaches.

Clear "Microphone" permissions

This script resets permissions for microphone access. It revokes all granted access to the microphone, protecting against eavesdropping and unauthorized audio recording by applications.

Clear "Accessibility" permissions

This script resets permissions for accessibility features. It revokes application access to accessibility services, preventing misuse and ensuring these features are used only with user consent.

Clear "Screen Capture" permissions

This script resets permissions for screen capture. It ensures applications cannot capture screen content without user authorization, protecting sensitive information displayed on the screen.

Clear "Reminders" permissions

This script resets permissions for accessing reminders information managed by the Reminders app. It ensures applications cannot access or modify reminders data without explicit user permission, maintaining the privacy of personal reminders.

Clear "Photos" permissions

This script resets permissions for accessing the pictures managed by the Photos app. It revokes all permissions granted to applications, safeguarding personal photos and media from unauthorized access.

Clear "Calendar" permissions

This script resets permissions for accessing the calendar information managed by the Calendar app. It ensures that applications cannot access calendar data without user consent, protecting personal and sensitive calendar information.

Clear "Full Disk Access" permissions

This script resets permissions for full disk access. Full disk access allows the application access to all protected files, including system administration files. It revokes broad file access from applications, significantly reducing the risk of data exposure and enhancing overall system security.

Clear "Contacts" permissions

This script resets permissions for accessing contacts. The contact information managed by the Contacts app. It ensures that applications cannot access the user's contact list without explicit permission, maintaining the confidentiality of personal contacts.

Clear "Desktop Folder" permissions

This script resets permissions for accessing the Desktop folder. It revokes application access to files on the desktop, protecting personal and work-related documents from unauthorized access.

Clear "Documents Folder" permissions

This script resets permissions for accessing the Documents folder. It prevents applications from accessing files in this folder without user consent, safeguarding important and private documents.

Clear "Downloads Folder" permissions

This script resets permissions for accessing the Downloads folder. It ensures that applications cannot access downloaded files without user authorization, protecting downloaded content from misuse.

Clear "Apple Events" permissions

This script resets permissions for Apple Events. It revokes permissions for applications to send restricted Apple Events to other processes, enhancing privacy and security.

Clear "File Provider Presence" permissions

This script resets permissions for File Provider Presence. It revokes the ability of File Provider applications to know when the user is accessing their managed files, enhancing user privacy.

Clear "Listen Events" permissions

This script resets "ListenEvent" permissions. It revokes application access to listen to system events, preventing unauthorized monitoring of user interactions with the system.

Clear "Media Library" permissions

This script resets permissions for accessing the Media Library. It ensures that applications cannot access Apple Music, music and video activity, and the media library without user consent.

Clear "Post Event" permissions

This script resets permissions for sending "PostEvent". It prevents applications from using CoreGraphics APIs to send system events, safeguarding against potential misuse.

Clear "Speech Recognition" permissions

This script resets permissions for using Speech Recognition. It revokes application access to the speech recognition facility and sending speech data to Apple, protecting user privacy.

Clear "App Modification" permissions

This script resets permissions for modifying other apps. It prevents applications from updating or deleting other apps, maintaining system integrity and user control.

Clear "Application Data" permissions

This script resets permissions for accessing application data. It revokes application access to specific application data, enhancing privacy and data security.

Clear "Network Volumes" permissions

This script resets permissions for accessing files on network volumes. It ensures applications cannot access network files without user authorization.

Clear "Removable Volumes" permissions

This script resets permissions for accessing files on removable volumes. It protects data on external drives from unauthorized application access.

Clear "System Administration Files" permissions

This script resets permissions for accessing system administration files. It enhances system security by restricting application access to critical system files.

Similar Guides

Wider Goal

The guide below includes this guide to achieve a wider goal.

See other more general settings that includes this one as one of its actions.

These plans combine multiple privacy settings, including this one, for stronger protection.

This specification: privacy cleanup — lays out a systematic approach to how to lock down private information as part of sensitive data privacy protection on macOS...

— Privacy cleanup

Same Goal

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About the Creators

These people have authored this documentation and written its scripts:

• 

  undergroundwires

  • Certified security professional
  • 7+ years experience securing banks
  • Open-source developer since 2005
  • EU advisor, Public Speaker, Moderator
• Open-Source Contributors

  • Hundreds across the globe
  • Testers, reviewers, developers
  • Companies, military agencies
  • Community since 2017

About Us

Reviewed By

This guide has undergone comprehensive auditing and peer review:

• Expert review by undergroundwires

  • Verified technical accuracy and editorial standards
  • Assessed system impact and user privacy risks

• Public review by large community

  • Privacy enthusiasts and professionals peer-reviewed
  • Millions of end-users tested across different environments

History

We continually monitor our guides, their impact and all other privacy options. We update our guides when new information becomes available. On every update, we publicly store who made the change, what has been changed, why the change was made and when the change was made.

Review Change History Our Change Process