Programmatically determine if "enable access for assistive devices" is checked in Cocoa app

Question

Cocoa apps using the NSAccessibility API require "enable access for assistive devices" to be checked in the Universal Access pref pane. I've seen many apps pop a warning if this is disabled when they run. How do I programmatically check if this is enabled so I can show a warning in my app?

Croatian

Once you are able to detect that the setting has been turned on, how do you begin using the Assistive Access? Is an app restart required? – Southwestward

Asked that question here, looks like you do need a restart: #9133345 – Southwestward

Answer 1

I think you're looking for AXAPIEnabled().

extern Boolean AXAPIEnabled ();  

Quoting the docs:

Returns whether the accessibility API is enabled.

Returns TRUE if the accessibility API is currently enabled, otherwise FALSE.

Assistive applications will not work if the accessibility API is not enabled or if the calling process is not a trusted accessibility client. Users can enable the accessibility API by checking "Enable access for assistive devices" in Universal Access Preferences.

Lendlease

You should also read the AXIsProcessTrusted / AXMakeProcessTrusted discussion. You'll learn that you should also check for AXIsProcessTrusted(). – Ennead

AXAPIEnabled() has been deprecated in OS X 10.9 Mavericks – Halfbaked

Yes, for this functionality in 10.9, see this question and its most highly rated answer. – Lendlease

Answer 2

In OS X 10.9 Mavericks, AXAPIEnabled() has been deprecated.

AXIsProcessTrustedWithOptions can be used instead:

NSDictionary *options = @{(id)kAXTrustedCheckOptionPrompt: @YES};
BOOL accessibilityEnabled = AXIsProcessTrustedWithOptions((CFDictionaryRef)options);

If you pass in YES for kAXTrustedCheckOptionPrompt, the system will show the user a helpful little dialog with a link to System Preferences:

"YourApp.app would like to control this computer using accessibility features."

Halfbaked