How to Enable Access for Assistive Devices in OS X Mavericks

June 25, 2013 1:10 AM - by: Jim Tanous

After upgrading to the OS X 10.9 Mavericks Developer Preview, we proceeded to install one of our favorite everyday OS X apps: SizeUp. This neat little app, which we’ve used for years, allows you to quickly snap and position windows on your screen using keyboard shortcuts. SizeUp uses OS X’s GUI scripting control features to work its magic, and it requires you to “enable access for assistive devices” in System Preferences each time you install it on a new computer.

Assistive Devices

OS X Mountain Lion’s method to enable assistive devices.

After installing it on Mavericks, SizeUp gave us the familiar message about enabling assistive devices. No problem, we thought, as we opened System Preferences and headed over to the Accessibility Pane, where the option has lived for years. Unfortunately, the old check box for assistive devices was gone and none of the new options seemed applicable. Without the ability to grant SizeUp access to OS X’s underlying control functions, the app was useless!

Enable Assistive Devices OS X Mavericks

The function is missing from the Accessibility preferences in Mavericks.

Thankfully, after a bit of searching, we found that Apple had simply moved the option… to the Security Preference Pane. You’ll find it in System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Accessibility. Unlike previous versions of OS X, which used a universal checkbox in an “all or nothing” approach, the new functionality in Mavericks allows users to individually choose which apps can gain control of the system to perform their various scripted functions.

Enable Assistive Devices OS X Mavericks

In our case, we had to attempt to run SizeUp first, have it fail because control wasn’t enabled, and then we found that it appeared in the new Accessibility list in System Preferences. We clicked the padlock icon at the lower left corner of the window to authenticate as an administrative user, checked the box next to SizeUp, and then found that our favorite app was back up and running again.

This change not only applies to window management apps like SizeUp, but also to many other automation utilities and predefined AppleScripts. The change is definitely a positive one due to the new ability to grant control only to specific apps, but it’s yet another example of how longtime OS X users will need to take some time to acclimate to the new features in Apple’s latest operating system.

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  • James Vreeken

    Thanks! this helped me as I was trying to reinstall sizeup in mavericks

  • David Trotz

    Thank you!!!

  • Pingback: Find And Enable Access For Assistive Devices In Mavericks Beta [OS X Tips] | Apple Inc. Apple.com

  • Jeff Hearne

    Thanks!! This solved a Steam issue I was having.

  • gettingbored

    Strange, when I run an AppleScript that I cleared in the Privacy Accessability section, it will run the first time just fine, but running it again brings up the same original dialog where it says the app isn’t allowed to control my computer.

    I go to add it, and it’s already there. Anybody got any ideas on why that’s happening?

    • http://www.tekrevue.com/ TekRevue

      I haven’t seen that with any of the AppleScripts we’ve tested, but you might chalk it up to the “beta” status of the OS. Is there anything special about your script?

      • gettingbored

        No not particularly. I have a feeling it might have happened since I would build the script, and then Export it rather than just save it as an app, and override the pre-existing app. So maybe it was getting confused about which version to allow permissions.

        Either way, I simply adapted the AppleScript to run via the Terminal as a .command file, using the `osascript` command.

        This way I can just allow the Terminal access to Assistive Devices and not have to bother with registering each individual AppleScript I produce.

        • http://www.tekrevue.com/ TekRevue

          Nice workaround! I’m glad that it’s at least working for you, although I’m curious as to the definitive cause of the initial issue. Perhaps you can try again with the final Mavericks build? I’d be eager to hear how it goes!

          I’ll also keep throwing scripts at it on our end and report back if I hit any issues.

          • gettingbored

            Yeah I usually run a bunch of different scripts so I just figured I should minimize the amount of apps that I would have to allow access. It’s a tad tedious but I’ve gotten used to it.

            When the Gold Master comes out hopefully it’ll be a bit smoother.

            Right now there are some apps in the list of allowable to control my computer with names like “D0DCEEC8-AFD5…-5BA275E3760A” and I’m thinking those are trashed versions of the script I was exporting. There are a couple of them.

            Either way I’ll try it when the final is released.

  • http://www.danedeasy.com Dane Deasy

    Thanks!

  • Tall Pinetree

    Thanks for this, folks. QuicKeys, SpellCatcher, SteerMouse, and TypeIt4Me weren’t working until you pointed out this new setting. Many thanks.

  • bartmax

    THANK YOU!

  • http://www.ryankparker.com/ Ryan K. Parker

    so what should we do if the app we want to allow access to is not listed?

    • http://www.tekrevue.com/ TekRevue

      If you’ve tried to run the app at least once, it should be in that menu if it requires access. Which app is it? We can try it on our end.

  • pau1rw

    thanks….

  • Funsky

    For new locations of previous OSX version settings, I find searching the magnifier bar in System Preferences will help narrow down the potential locations.

  • Jan Stawarczyk

    Thank you!

  • http://bookwi.se/ Adam Shields

    Thanks