Camera, Microphone & Screen Recording Permissions for LockDown Browser on Mac

Last updated 2026-05-01 · LDBypass Editorial

Apple's TCC (Transparency, Consent, and Control) subsystem mediates every camera, microphone, screen-recording, and accessibility request on macOS. LockDown Browser requires Camera + Microphone (when Respondus Monitor is enabled), Screen & System Audio Recording, and sometimes Accessibility. macOS Sequoia 15.3+ added a 30-day re-confirmation prompt for Screen Recording that has caused fresh denial dialogs even on installations that worked the previous semester.

Permissions LDB requests on macOS

PermissionRequired whenWhat LDB does with itDedicated fix page
CameraRespondus Monitor enabledRecords webcam feed during examCamera fix
MicrophoneRespondus Monitor enabledRecords audio during examMicrophone fix
Screen RecordingAlways (kiosk-mode)Detects window switching, screenshots, app launchesScreen Recording fix
AccessibilitySome institutional configsEnforces extra UI restrictionsAccessibility fix
Full Disk AccessRare - specific DashboardsVerifies absence of forbidden filesFDA fix
Reset all permissionsWhen LDB behaves inconsistentlyRestores TCC state to first-launchReset procedure
Webcam spinning wheelSystem check stallsSymptom of denied/locked CameraSpinning wheel fix
Facial detection failingPre-exam ID stepSymptom of camera or lighting issueFacial detection fix

Why permissions reset between exams

Mac users frequently report that LDB worked perfectly for one exam, then a few weeks later refuses to launch with a webcam-detection failure or a "Screen Recording permission required" dialog. Three macOS-side causes account for almost all of these:

  1. macOS minor update reset. Updates from 14.5 → 14.6, 15.2 → 15.3, etc. occasionally reset some TCC entries - particularly Screen Recording, which Apple has tightened across recent releases.
  2. 30-day Screen Recording re-confirmation (Sequoia 15.3+). Apple added a periodic re-confirmation for the most invasive permission. If LDB hasn't launched in 30+ days, the next launch shows a fresh consent dialog.
  3. TCC database corruption. Rare but real - usually after an unclean shutdown during a macOS update. Symptom: the permission shows "Allowed" in System Settings but LDB still reports it as denied.

For each scenario, the dedicated entity pages below cover the reset procedure.

When the institution requires Accessibility or Full Disk Access

Most universities only require Camera + Microphone + Screen Recording. A small subset configure their Respondus Dashboard to additionally require Accessibility permission (which lets LDB monitor every keystroke and intercept system shortcuts) or, more rarely, Full Disk Access (which lets LDB read protected file system locations).

These broader permissions are a privacy concern many students rightly want to understand before granting. The privacy cluster covers what each permission actually allows the application to read or do, and what Respondus's privacy policy says about retention. If you are uncomfortable with the request, contacting your instructor before the exam is the right path.

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