Allow Blink on a Mac

macOS does not let any app see or control the screen until the person at the Mac allows it. Blink needs two permissions, and only the person at the Mac can grant them: no technician or Blink setting can do it for them.

Permission in System Settings	What it allows
Screen & System Audio Recording (Screen Recording)	The technician sees the screen and hears the Mac’s sound.
Accessibility	The technician uses the mouse and keyboard.

Older macOS versions

The names above are the ones current macOS uses. On older versions the first list is called Screen Recording, and on macOS 12 the settings app is called System Preferences (Security & Privacy › Privacy).

Without Screen Recording, the technician sees nothing (see also Fix a black screen or missing video). Without Accessibility, the technician can watch but not control.

Grant the permissions

When the support tool starts and a permission is missing, Blink opens a window titled Blink remote support that says Your technician needs permission to see your screen. It lists both permissions and updates by itself as they are granted.

1. In the Blink window, select Open Settings next to Screen & System Audio Recording. System Settings opens at that list.
2. Turn Blink on.
3. Screen Recording only takes effect once Blink starts again. Either Blink says Screen Recording is allowed. Blink restarts to start sharing. and shows a Restart Blink button, or it says to click Quit & Reopen when macOS asks. Do whichever it shows.
4. Back in the Blink window, select Open Settings next to Accessibility and turn Blink on.
5. The window says All set. Your technician can now help you. and closes on its own a few seconds later.

If the customer closed the window, the technician can show it again on the customer’s screen with Ask the customer again (or Ask again) in the viewer.

The technician’s viewer shows which permissions are still missing, so you can talk the customer through the step they are on.

The switch is on but it still says not allowed

This happens when an older copy of Blink is still in the list: macOS ties the permission to that copy, not the one running now.

1. In System Settings › Privacy & Security, open the list that still says not allowed (Screen & System Audio Recording or Accessibility).
2. Select Blink and remove it with the − button.
3. Open Blink again and allow it when asked.

Blink shows the same tip at the bottom of its permission window.

If macOS will not open Blink

If macOS says it cannot open the app, go to System Settings › Privacy & Security, scroll to the message about Blink and choose Open Anyway. See Run the support tool.

Ending the session

Blink shows in the menu bar while the session is live. Choose End session there to stop. The permissions stay granted in System Settings; the customer can turn them off there at any time.