macOS screenshots not working right with Upwork app after recent update, macOS Mojave and Catalina

[andrewbenson90]

Since the last Upwork app update, maybe a week or so ago, the Upwork app is only capturing blank blue screens, or a blank blue macOS desktop, menu bar, and the upwork app window itself -- but nothing else.

The Upwork app prompted me to enable it for "Screen Recording" in system settings, which I did, but it still doesn't work.  

Obviously the clients dislike this.

I've rebooted, uninstalled and reinstalled Upwork, and tried on both my Catalina MBP and my Mojave iMac and the result is the same.

Anyone else seeing this?

Any ideas for how to fix?

Thanks!

Andrew

[AveryO]

Hi Marissa, 

I'll go ahead and share your concern with the Customer Support Team so that they can reach out to you and assist you further.

[jhonez]

I'm also having similar issues. I have enabled the tracker app in my accessibility but it is not showing up under screen recording.

[JoanneP]

Hi Jhoni-Rae,

Could you please try the steps shared here? If the issues persist, please let us know. Thank you!

[mikeclee]

I am having the same issue. Those steps are from 2019, the screen recording option is no longer in preferences. I am using macOS Catalina 10.15.4 (19E287).

[AveryO]

Hi Mike, and Nto, 

Please go to your Security & Privacy settings on your Mac, click on the Privacy tab, and click on the Screen Recording settings. Please click on the Upwork checkbox and let us know if the issue persists. 

[bun_max]

Screenshot not work.

Always request access, but it still granted.

[g_vasilevski]

Hi Max,

Please check the steps that shared in this post. If you`re still experiencing the same problem after this let me know here. Thank you.

[bun_max]

Hi Goran, I'm Check it. But in my case only reboot mac os helped.

Thanks!

[jain_yashasvi]

Hi I am having the same issue, there is no option to add Upwork in SCREEN RECORDING in MacOs Catalina. 

[g_vasilevski]

Hi Yashasvi,

Did you try the steps shared by Valeria here? If you`re still experiencing the same problems after this, let me know here. Thank you.

[jain_yashasvi]

Hi, Yes I did that, but when I downloaded from that link, the app does not
open in the first place.

[AleksandarD]

Hi Yashasvi,

Thanks for following up. One of our team members will reach out to you directly via a support ticket to assist you further.

Thank you.

[gracealtieri]

Hi Aleksander,

I still get notifications fromthis board as I had encountered the same issue for quite sometime when startingmy long term contract, I posted what I did and how I fixed it here: https://community.upwork.com/t5/Freelancers/MacOs-Catalina-Fix-for-Desktop-App-to-work-properly-with...

I see there are a LOT of people that are stillhaving the same issue, It was many of the steps upwork gave to me but it was also in several different areas of the software, if you want to review it maybenit will  helps someone!

[AleksandarD]

Hi Grace,

Thanks for sharing your solution to this problem. I merged your thread into this one so that other Community members can find it easily. Also, I removed your subscription from this thread so you shouldn't be receiving notifications anymore. 

Thank you.

[pamelamr15]

APP is not working at all! doesnt even appears on the privacy seetings, ive done every step in here and nopthing works! i need this to work now! my job asks for it, i can get my payment revoked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ljiljanapavkov]

Hi Alisa,

I had the same problem and these are the steps that helped me

1. open upwork time tracker and go to settings/camera and check 'take camera shots with screenshots while tracking'

2. run time tracker and first time app tries to make camera shot you will be asked if you want to allow upwork to use camera

3. allow it and once the shot is made upwork will show up in 'srcreen recording'

4. when you check it everything will be fine

5. turn of 'take camera shots with screenshots while tracking' in time tracker

I hope it will work for you too.

Regards,

Lili

[milatoo]

Hello, I have a problem with tracker app. I have installed it on Mac Catalina . Program offers me to input login data, but after that eror “an unknown error has occurred” . I can’t login at all. I have a contract with hourly payment and I don’t know how to prove time spended on project. Please help me

[JoanneP]

Hi Liudmyla,

Could you please try the steps shared by Valeria here? If the issue persists, please let us know so we can check further. Thank you. 

[slavakomarov]

Hi, i've problem with the desktop app taking blank screenshots.

macOS Catalina 10.15.4,    Desktop app  Version 5.4.1.10 (FE2006, dash-ba4adc5),

I"ve checked accessibility and screen recording permissions in the privacy settings but with no effect.

Other applications that require permissions work well, except Upwork Desktop App. 😞

Any help please?

[g_vasilevski]

Hi Slava,

Did you try the steps shared by Valeria here? If you`re still experiencing the same problems after this, let me know here. Thank you.

[slavakomarov]

Hi Goran,

I did try it. I tried it twice. No effect. 😞

[BojanS]

Hi Slava,

One of our team members will reach out to you directly via a support ticket to assist you with this issue.

Thank you for your patience. 

[tharitm]

Hello, 

I have the same problem with MacOS client as well. I tried the steps which were picked as the "Solution" and also rebooting it but still my screenshots come up as "Screenshots not captured, at the admin's request" 

[g_vasilevski]

Hi Tharindu,

Our team will reach out to you via ticket as well and will assist you further with the desktop app. Thank you.

[68613022]

Hi Goran,

I am experiencing a similar issue to others, and I followed the steps in Valeria's solution to no avail. My original issue was that the UpWork app took screenshots showing just my desktop (with icons) but totally ignoring any and all windows on both my monitors. I have the latest MacOS Catalina 10.15.5 and the latest UpWork app. The System Preferences steps worked fine and I have enabled UpWork's access in my Automation and Screen Recording sections.

However, when I take a screenshot in upwork, it makes the camera sound but never takes a screenshot. Essentially, nothing happens other than the camera sound. I have tried many times after restarting the app. All that happens when I use my screenshot shortcut is that the Messages window appears in UpWork—related, that window usually times out and loads my messages, but that is less important to me.

Could an agent please contact me to file a support ticket? At this point, I'm left manually tracking time without the hourly protection. 

Thanks,

Willie

[AleksandarD]

Hi Willie,

I shared your issue with the rest of our team and one of our agents will reach out to you directly via a support ticket to assist you further.

Thank you.

[0301062e]

Hello,

I'm having the same issue as well. Whenever the Upwork Desktop app takes a screenshots it's just of my desktop and the UpWork tracker. Please see attached screenshot and advise how I can fix this. Thank you!

**Edited for community guidelines**

[BojanS]

Hi Jessica,

Could you, please refer to this help article for troubleshooting tips and let us know if you still experience issues after applying them? 

Thank you!

[0301062e]

Thank you for this! I followed the instructions however, the Upwork icon does not show up as an option to check off in my Screen Recording tab. 

[AleksandarD]

Hi Jessica,

Thanks for following up. One of our team members will reach out to you directly via a support ticket to assist you further.

Thank you.

[gracealtieri]

Hey Jessica!

Are you on a MAC? I assume so because I think this is the same thread. Catalina brought extra security and permissions for us Mac users, and when I had the same problem I kept following Upwork's tccutil command but it was not removing Upwork so that I could reinstall (I think it got hung up during an update). I had to go into my terminal and reset EVERYTHING from accesibility to screen recording, it solved a lot of issues, but after the reset it took maybe an hour for me to get the prompt from Upwork asking to record my screen, that is when the icon pops up to check off. hopefully this makes sense. 

[paulgy]

I tried everything. And still can't give Screen recording permission to UpWork. What should I do?

[g_vasilevski]

Hi Pavlo,

Did you try the steps shared by Valeria here? If you`re still experiencing the same problems after this, let me know here. Thank you.

[paulgy]

Yes, I tried and it didn't help

[gracealtieri]

Hi Pavlo!

I just went through this- I made a post about it for anyone that may be experiencing the same thing: https://community.upwork.com/t5/Freelancers/MacOs-Catalina-Fix-for-Desktop-App-to-work-properly-with.... Let me know if you get to this link. 

In short: 

I had to do the tccutil reset  BUT not just for UpWork, I had to reset 'tccutil rest screen recording' tccutil reset accessibility' and 'tccutil reset full disk access'. I did this ALL after deleting the desktop app. This will esentially will -re-prompt the questions "would you allow adobe to record your screen', 'would you allow Upwork to record your screen..' etc. 

Then re download and install Upwork Desktop app. 

***Note- after the reset I had to work with the desktop app on for at least 30mins in order for the re-prompt

Let me know if the article makes sense- I tired to write it as detailed as possible and let me know if it works for you!!

Grace

[gracealtieri]

I am not sure if I am placing this in the appropriate area, I had sent requests a little over a month ago with the issue of the desktop app not taking screen shots of my work (which ever app I was in) . I contacted support and they had asked me to 'tccutil reset upwork' but my issue was not that I could see the app in my system preferences/screen record/ accessibility area, it was that I couldn't select it, I couldn't delte it and I couldnt rest the Upwork desktop app. because I had already given it permission to access my desktop in the past.

ANYWAY- I went into my terminal and individually reset the follwing in my privacy settings- 'tccutil reset screen record' 'tccutil reset accessibility' 'tccutil reset full disk access' this cleared everything, ! was then able to re-download the desktop app and reinstall. It did take up to an hour for the app to request access, along with my other Adobe apps that I had reset but the fix is good! I figured I would make a post so that maybe it would be easier for freelancers to find, I had a tough time sifting for the correct info that I found randomly on google after I had almost given up! Have a great day guys!

[pinkyperegrin]

Hi! I'm using a mac and the time tracker takes screenshot of my desktop but not the active window. How do I solve this issue? Please help.

[JoanneP]

Hi Pinky,

Could you please try the troubleshooting steps shared on this help article? If the issue persists, please follow the instruction on how to report a problem on the same help article so that they can investigate further. 

[jelleplevier]

Is this been resolved, I have the same problem, it keeps taking screenshots of my desktop screen without photoshop or Illustrator on it. very annoying. It seems like I'm not doing anything now

[g_vasilevski]

Hi Jelle,

Could you please share the operating system you`re using? Thank you.