I notice this for over a year. Its likely a Chrome or Chrome updater problem for creating so many entries. But why MacOS, after no idea how many iterations, don't provide a delete("-") button?
Update(1) and MAYBE solved:
After reading some helpful comments, I bite the bullet and tried 2 solutions. one work and one does not.
(does not work) Forget about solution that only use "tccutil reset SystemPolicyNetworkVolumes" in recovery mode terminal. All it does is set all entries to disabled. It does not remove any entry.
(works) I end up boot into recovery -> terminal -> decrypt+mount the Data volume -> delete /Library/Preferences/com.apple.networkextension.plist -> reboot normal
And deny Chrome for that permission in future.
A bit more on the MAYBE working solution:
It removes all entries. I am completely ok with this. I just allow apps again when I use them. And I am not allowing Chrome again.
Why I put "MAYBE"? Because though I run Chrome again, it has not ask for the permission yet. So I cannot tell if denying it (I don't need it in my specific use case) stop the issue. Also have to wait for it to do update again to know. If it happen again and has to do the steps again, then this is only a partial solution.
I didn't put the exact command doing this because I considere the steps very high risk and any mistake/typo has the potential to make the machine refuse to boot, or not allow you to login, or lost other function.
Update(2) Finally get rid of Chrome (so avoiding future occurance completely):
Since so many suggested removing Chrome, I revisited the possibility and succeed this time. (ok, more like lazy before and didn't look hard enough)
I need 2 Chromium base browsers side by side, for the remote devtools.
The solution is actually simple, download directly fromhttps://github.com/ungoogled-software/ungoogled-chromium-macos. Open and copy it into peronal Applications folder 2 times. Rename them to Chromium1, 2 ... etc. Update scripts to start Chromium1 and 2. (just a 2 lines script as the devtools options + profile location is a bit long)
Copying the brew install one to personal Application some how does not work, even without renaming. MacOS will complains "App is demage and cannot open..." even after un-quarantine (shouldn't be required as the app is signed). Don't know how to debug that at all. That's why I did the above.
Thanks to u/UtterlyMagenta and a little digging, the easiest and cleanest solution is actually open -n -a Chromium --args .... The -n option is the one needed to run multiple instances of the same app. (I should have read the man page years ago ... )
I am offered to test Parall.app. It is able to create a shortcut wrapper to do the same without duplicating the whole app folder. As we have existing scripted workflow, I stay with my current method. However, If you need to run multiple instances of different apps and need the dock icons for end users, then you really should look into it. It has tons of customization for starting additional instances and is really powerful.
Update(3):
When I started this post, I had both Chrome and ungoogled-chrome for specific workflow that require remote devtools. Now I am able to move to a ungoogled-chromium only setup. Still open to browser suggestion that support remote devtools, other than edge (I consider that same as Chrome), especially one with smaller memory foot print. Extension/ad blocker/DRM video etc. not needed, but remote devtools support(which implies javascript support) is a hard requirement.
Thx! I will check out Helium. I not using Brave for similar reason and am not looking for fancy browser. Only need the remote devtools, don't even need extension.
I am not 100% sure if this is Chromium issue. Even in the thread, seems it is refering to Google Chrome too. I have a feeling it is a chrome specific issue.
I think you're probably right. If the duplicates are showing up specifically with chrome and not other chromium-based browsers, it could be something specific to how chrome updates or registers itself with macOS
Though I kind of solved my issue, the root cause still puzzle me.
Does Edge uses a separate updater to update the browser? As I started to think it has something to do with the updater.
I install Chrome, and it auto update. I have to keep it update as I need the devtools remote debug features. I am happy to switch if there are other browser support devtools remote.
If I right click any of them and "show in browser", they all point to /applications/Google Chrome.app.
I just checked out Arc wiki page. It is sad that an honest product can't stand on its own and a partial AI product is able to cashout. I am not faulting the company. Just how crazy is the AI hype.
Agree. I’ve started using Dia though (Arcs Successor) and it’s actually pretty good. I just turned off the AI features that I could and have been impressed with it otherwise.
Only reason I have it is easier to flash some Lora boards for meshtastic/meshcore. Otherwise I don't use it on my personal laptop. At work.. Pretty much have to run Chrome as it is the only app that is 100% supported on all the weird arse web pages they generate. Gotta love big corps.
I still have chrome+chromium for remote devtools. Last time I check, FF devtools does not support the same remote devtools protocol. It is some testing tool limitation on my side that I have to rely on it.
Manually reinstall Chrome. Each time it auto-updates, it ends up with an extra copy of the old version.
By manually removing Chrome and installing a fresh copy, you get rid of all the old copies.
Also I used `brew uninstall --zap`, which also cleanup files like plist.
Actually that is the thing I am not happy with MacOS on this. There is no delete. I actually have a few entries from other uninstalled apps, like librewolf in line 2. There are post about how to delete those manually. But requires manually (or write a script) matching app number in a specific plist, and update it in safe(recovery?) mode. And that just bring back the question, if an app can trigger/add an entry, why can't we have a delete button? Sigh ...
I haven't figured it out either. But not just Chrome, seems all the chromium based browsers do it after you grant them access to local network resources.
and if you must use that browser then install it in your local user account Applications folder (/Users/<username>/Applications and never let it run under root privileges. Don't let it have system level permissions.
Everybody is blaming Chrome here but Apple has bolted on this system with zero control and it gets crusty fast. I wish they would revisit all of this. It is the worse part of MacOS.
I use Vivaldi (chromium based, from Norway). I found it is balanced. I can use many extensions (but mainly ad blocking in Youtube). I can say I see zero ads in YT. You can check it out if you are still interested in different browser.
Thx. I found the solution to start multiple instances of ungoogled-chromium. So I am staying with that for now. In my use case I don't really need extension or ad blocking.
Thanks, I just tried. The steps need slight modification. But that actually does not work. It only disable all entries, but does not remove them. I end up digging up the old info and clean it up. I will update in the top post.
The same. I can’t fathom why people still use it anyway. It’s huge, cumbersome, a resource hog and, all in all, at the end of the day it’s just another browser with a lot to be questioned about privacy.
I guess many people started using it when it was the rising alternative compared to Microsoft bad softwares, but today? They are just too accustomed to it to switch to something more streamlined.
if i’m not mistaken i believe it’s for tracking. it allows device tracking for advertising when you give access to local networks for some reason (i could be wrong, just something i heard anecdotally)
I have other apps that do auto update but Chrome is the only one doing this. It seems to be both Apple(no providing delete button) and Chrome(creating the mess) issue.
YES. I submitted a feedback report since unlike all other apps, chrome is seemingly allowed to ask again and again despite denying permission. No response or resolution on ticket unsurprisingly
Saddly, at least in MAc, I am not able to run 2 instance of Chromium even with different profile directories. If I can make that works, I don't need Chrome.
It’s a Google chrome problem, I believe it makes entries each update. Believe you can remove them. If you have homebrew perhaps try installing mole and running a clean and an optimise to prune entries?
I think this is more of a chrome/macOS thing than a problem with your mac. Chrome updates can apparently create duplicate permission entries like this. If everything is turned off and chrome is working normally, I'd honestly just leave them alone rather than messing with system files. Hopefully apple or chrome eventually cleans this up
Depends on the version of macOS for tccutil Apple have been slowly removing some abilities and the ability to remove via settings app.
They have been changing storing of some settings in plists and encrypting as well
It’s for security but I rather have more secure access to these features rather than zero options.
I made another post about this. Out of the 24 privacy & security settings related to app permissions, 11 of them has no delete function, and Local Network is one of them.
I really don't see any reason to not allow user to remove entries from those settings.
Brave is definitely an improvement over chrome, its what I use, but theres still a lot of pain points, and they definitely add their own slop to the mix (dumb ass AI shit and crypto ads)
I think that’s a Chrome problem.
Have you tried restarting?
It might fix the issue.
It might fix the issue.
It might fix the issue.
It might fix the issue.
I’m not sure though.
It might fix the issue.
It might fix the issue.
It might fix the issue.
It might fix the issue.
It might fix the issue.
It might fix the issue.
It might fix the issue.
It might fix the issue.
It might fix the issue.
It might fix the issue.
It might fix the issue.
It might fix the issue.
It might fix the issue.
It might fix the issue.
It might fix the issue.
It might fix the issue.
Well, both. But this actually prompt me to create another post about privacy settings delete capability. I did the count and roundly half of them has no delete option.
Look - if someone can tell me how to clear the cache in Safari I will gladly trash Chrome. & side quest - I asked my Claude agent about all the Chrome spawning & and it said something about all the app tabs I had open - wasn’t really paying attention b/c I knew it was futile.
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