Binary executable requires Accessibility Permissions in Tahoe

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Created 1d

Replies 4

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I have a binary executable which needs to be given Accessibility Permissions so it can inject keypresses and mouse moves. This was always possible up to macOS 15 - when the first keypress arrived the Accessibility Permissions window would open and allow me to add the executable. However this no longer works in macOS 26: the window still opens, I navigate to the executable file and select it but it doesn't appear in the list. No error message appears.

I'm guessing that this may be due to some tightening of security in Tahoe but I need to figure out what to change with my executable to allow it to work.

Answered by DTS Engineer in 867964022

Are you seeing this on macOS 26.0? Or is it new in macOS 26.1?

If it’s new in 26.1, be aware that it has a serious bug in this space. See this thread for details.

Share and Enjoy
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Quinn “The Eskimo!” @ Developer Technical Support @ Apple
let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@" + "apple.com"

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Answer 1

DTS Engineer OP

Apple

1d

Recommended

Are you seeing this on macOS 26.0? Or is it new in macOS 26.1?

If it’s new in 26.1, be aware that it has a serious bug in this space. See this thread for details.

Share and Enjoy
—
Quinn “The Eskimo!” @ Developer Technical Support @ Apple
let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@" + "apple.com"

2

Answer 2

Hylus-Arbor OP

1d

This is on 26.1 More information: I updated my own Mac from 15.7 to 26.1. The accessibility settings for my app seem to have been carried over from 15.7 to 26.1. The difference being that the app is no longer listed in the accessibility window, even though the functionality remains. It is several customers who are having the problem, all with fresh installs of 26.1

Thanks for the link to the other thread. It seems to relate to Full Disk Access but maybe the Accessibility is compromised in the same way with 26.1. That might explain why I've had no customers complain about the bug with 26.0

I have tried to get my Mac into the same state to help with debug but even running the command line tool to remove the accessibility option from ALL apps still leaves my executable working!

1

Answer 3

DTS Engineer OP

Apple

13h

maybe the Accessibility is compromised in the same way with 26.1

Yes. This bug seems to affect a wide range of privileges controlled by System Settings > Privacy & Security. I haven’t explored the full list, but others have noticed that it also affects Screen & System Audio Recording, so it wouldn’t surprise me if it affected Accessibility as well.

I updated my own Mac from 15.7 to 26.1.

My recommendation is that you test this stuff in one or more VMs. That way you have direct control over what system software is installed, and you can revert to a known ‘clean’ snapshot between each test.

Share and Enjoy
—
Quinn “The Eskimo!” @ Developer Technical Support @ Apple
let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@" + "apple.com"

2

Answer 4

Hylus-Arbor OP

12h

Thanks Quinn. It certainly looks like this is the same bug (or feature) which the other threads are reporting. I'll do as you suggest and run 26.0 in a VM to see if that also has the same problem.

0