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TeamViewer: macOS Client Setup

What

FileWave's TeamViewer integration requires endpoint prerequisites on each supported platform.  Majority of these have been left  untouched, but may be altered, allowing slightly more work (if desired) but much greater control.

When/Why

TeamViewer is used to remotely control your clients, providing access to a device for troubleshooting or assisting a user. TeamViewer for macOS differs from other OSs since it requires a few privacy permissions before allowing TeamViewer to be installed.

How

Prerequisites for macOS client devices must be met in order for TeamViewer to work seamlessly:

The below describes installing the TeamViewer Host application. The full TeamViewer application is only necessary for computers wanting to remote into other computers. The Host application is only allowed to accept connections and not initiate them; highly recommended.

(During an attempt to prompt a device for control, users will be prompted to either install or launch a local copy of Teamviewer.  Only the TeamViewer Host version can be launched if pre-installed.)

FileWave Client (14.7+)

Remember to always use the client updater Fileset to update FileWave clients.  Do NOT push the FileWave client PKG to upgrade macOS clients.

The most recent FileWave client is always included on the FileWave download pages: Downloads

TCC Profile for TeamViewer Host - Accessibility and Full Admin Access

Both profiles enable 2 of the 3 permissions TeamViewer Host requires. The 3rd, Screen Recording, is a privacy setting that can not be allowed by anyone other than a local user.  Standard Users do not have permissions to allow Screen Recording by default.  This option to allow a non-Admin to enable Screen Sharing is available in one of the provided Profiles.

Screen Sharing is a service deemed by Apple as user privacy.  Hence, users must locally enable Screen Sharing on macOS.

Once allowed, if left enabled, subsequent TeamViewer sessions to that device my be actioned, without user prompting.

Both Profiles have the following settings:

image.png

However, one of them allows Screen Recording to be enabled by a non-Admin user:

image.png

Each profile contains two payloads: Privacy Settings & Custom Settings

Privacy Settings

Permissions to allow TeamViewer access rights.

TCC Profile for TeamViewer Host:

TCC Profile for TeamViewer Host with Standard User Screen Recording Allowance 11+:

Custom Settings

Example additional configuration.

The included example settings include:

  • Security_Adminrights -- Lock TeamViewer options for Administrator rights
  • Security_PasswordStrength -- Password disabled, ensuring access is only via FileWave

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TeamViewer Host Fileset

The included Filesets are examples which utilise a settings file set to instal the software silently.  

Choose an embedded TeamViewer Fileset: 

Note that only one of the below is required, but more than one version may be offered in case an older version is needed.

 

TeamViewer Host Instal macOS 15.57.3.fileset.zip

 

TeamViewer Host Install macOS 15.52.3.fileset.zip

Latest version can be downloaded from TeamViewer directly, however, the public downloadable DMG has an application that instals the software and does not allow for the configuration presented at the time of installation; upgrades should occur automatically as indicated below

Fileset Contents:

macOS TeamViewer Host Fileset Contents

Installer and Installer Options:

The choices.xml file is configured to instal the .pkg silently.  However, the user will be prompted with notifications, since Apple allow users to choose if apps are allowed to control the screen or not.

image.png

Requirement Script:

Where software is already installed and services are active, Privacy Settings Profiles installed subsequently require the service of that software to be restarted.  This Fileset example includes a Requirement Script that checks for profile installation before activating TeamViewer, preventing the need to restart the TeamViewer Host service.

The 'check_tv_profile.sh' script is designed to recognise one of the two provided Profiles and, once installed, allow activation of the Fileset.  If Profiles with a different Profile ID are used instead of those supplied, the script settings will require alteration.

  • Double click the Fileset
  • Select the 'check_tv_profile.sh' (located in a numbered subfolder in /var/scripts/)
  • Choose Get Info > Executable view

The Launch Arguments show the two possible Payload IDs.  Add in the correct Fileset Profile ID if not using the provided ones.

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The two profiles may be uploaded simultaneously. The Fileset Requirement Script is able to identify either profile.

Activation Script:

The script in this case is installing the PKG.  Note the script allows the specifying of the 'choices.xml' file when ran.

#!/bin/zsh
installer -applyChoiceChangesXML /usr/local/etc/TeamViewer/choices.xml -pkg "/usr/local/etc/TeamViewer/Install TeamViewerHost.pkg" -target /
exit 0
Post-Uninstallation Script:

The 'mac_teamviewer_uninstaller.sh' script uninstalls TeamViewer if an association or deployment no longer exists.

Updates

The software should auto update to latest version.  The PKG is not publicly accessible.  For this reason, FileWave will aim to update the provided Fileset every so often, to include the latest version, but if not yet updated to the latest version, the client should auto update the installed version where the Fileset is still using an older version.

Don't forget to upgrade the full TeamViewer version on the Admin device.

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