“BetterTouchTool” is requesting to bypass the system private window picker and directly access your screen and audio.

Configuration Help & General Discussion
1

All the sudden without even interacting with my MacBook I got this message (message was received after few seconds after I stopped touching the touchpad/keyboard - cannot remember what keys I've pressed or if I did something with the touchpad):

“BetterTouchTool” is requesting to bypass the system private window picker and directly access your screen and audio.

image
image532×666 68.4 KB

I've checked at the last item in "Recently Used" was a trigger (from "Automations, Named & Other Triggers") which should show a specific floating menu after a certain time, however I'm pretty sure this is not the reason for this message since this is working flawlessly + this certain time was not reached (around 40 min left). I however think this is already allowed:

image
image1982×996 256 KB

In the log I see:

2025/03/19 19:28:40:147|LAUNCH|DIDLaunch END frontmostApp: com.apple.UserNotificationCenter, touchpadMode 0, windowSnappingDisabled 0, singleFingerScrollingDisabled 0, mmScrollingUsed 0, tpScrollingUsed 0, tpPinchUsed 0, tpRotateUsed 0|

This UserNotificationCenter is the name of the message's window, that's why I'm sharing it.

Additionally I think continuously (even before the above message) I have "BetterTouchTool is capturing your screen." in the Menubar:

image
image628×252 48.9 KB

I've checked few topics related to this, but I'm not clear when this message will be shown - only when a trigger is triggered, right?
All the items under the "Notch Bar" are disabled.
I do not have any pinned windows.

BTT version: 5.271 (2025031204)
macOS version: 15.3.2 (24D81)

2

mh a few features that can cause this:

  • pin window to float on top
  • window switcher action
  • notch bar (maybe disable completely in the settings)
  • screen capturing
  • menubar status item management functions

In general the system asks monthly for that permission, but I think the message should lookk a bit different Apple’s macOS engineers running out of places to put new permission dialogs… – Eternal Storms Software | Blog

3

Andreas, I've added additional information in my initial post, maybe while you were replying. Not sure if you have saw it.

4

I‘d suspect the Notch Bar feature is still active. I‘d disable it in the settings. Even with disabled items BTT will load the base-bar which might cause this.

(the log you posted and UserNotificationCenter should not be relevant)

5

I've disabled the "Notch Bar" in the Settings so no more "BetterTouchTool is capturing your screen." for now.

About the message ""BetterTouchTool" is requesting to bypass the system private window picker and directly access your screen and audio." - this is interesting, this would mean that soon I should receive similar messages for the other apps which are listed under "Screen & System Audio Recording", right?

6

In my experience the behavior on macOS Sequoia is not very consistent. For example in your case BTT already had screen recording permissions, thus the message should have been different. The whole implementation of these screen recording indicators and notifications is really weird.

7

I had to delete BTT after a glitch, but I reinstalled it now. And this window keeps popping up everytime when i open laptop's lid.
I hit allow and it's back again the next time.
I removed BTT from Screen record perms list and added it back again. Didn't work. I reinstalled it twice; didn't work.

Here's the Preset of all BTT settings and shortcuts/gestures etc -
BTT Preset 2025.bttpreset (100.3 KB)

I'm using BTT 5.115 (The last update I got T_T). It was working perfectly previously though.

8

for tcc issues it’s often easiest to reset the system database with this terminal command: (make sure to quit BTT first):

sudo tccutil reset All com.hegenberg.BetterTouchTool