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Screensavers not working in Catalina

T

Torquemada

macrumors member
Original poster
May 8, 2011
49
16
United Kingdom
I have a problem with my screensavers working in Catalina. The Apple ones work ok, but nothing else I downloaded works. If I go into preferences I can click on preview and they run ok, but they don't work when the screensaver activates, I just get a blank screen.

Does anyone else have this problem, or know how to fix it? I've tried reinstalling the screensavers, but this doesn't seem to help.
 
Torquemada said:
I have a problem with my screensavers working in Catalina. The Apple ones work ok, but nothing else I downloaded works. If I go into preferences I can click on preview and they run ok, but they don't work when the screensaver activates, I just get a blank screen.

Does anyone else have this problem, or know how to fix it? I've tried reinstalling the screensavers, but this doesn't seem to help.
Click to expand...

What screensavers? I'm running Fliqio and Aerial without issue.
 
I have a similar problem. After the update, the screen doesn't turn off automatically after the time I set, so it won't go in sleep mode automatically anymore and it shows the screensaver arter 15 mins instead. Any help?
 
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It appears that if I select one of my additional screensavers it works, but if I choose the random option only the Apple screensavers work. I also can't seem to add any folders to the "SaveHollywood" screen saver. Does anyone else have the same issue, or is it just me. Either way, it looks like a bug to me.
 
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My screensaver issue since upgrading to Catalina is an odd one. The screensaver works fine when I preview it from within System Preferences but when it comes on normally (after 5 mins) it's a tiny screensaver down in the bottom left corner of the screen. It happens with both LotsaWater and Brooklyn screensavers. Has anyone experienced this before?
Screen Shot 2019-10-16 at 6.51.59 am.jpg
 
I'm also having a screensaver problem. Before loading Catalina, I used the Desktop & Screensaver that is in System Preferences. It was the Photo Wall that shows your photo album and it worked fine. With Catalina, I'm able to get it to work when I set it up but when it kicks in after the selected time, I get a blank screen with "No Photos" displayed in the middle.
 
Torquemada said:
I have a problem with my screensavers working in Catalina. The Apple ones work ok, but nothing else I downloaded works. If I go into preferences I can click on preview and they run ok, but they don't work when the screensaver activates, I just get a blank screen.

Does anyone else have this problem, or know how to fix it? I've tried reinstalling the screensavers, but this doesn't seem to help.
Click to expand...
If the developer cannot be identified/verified by GateKeeper it will not work on Catalina. I had the same problem with one of my old favourites and I can see no solution. Playing the screensaver in the data volume on Preview is one thing but SIP will not allow it into the OS volume.
 
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Rodan52 said:
If the developer cannot be identified/verified by GateKeeper it will not work on Catalina. I had the same problem with one of my old favourites and I can see no solution. Playing the screensaver in the data volume on Preview is one thing but SIP will not allow it into the OS volume.
Click to expand...

That's quite disappointing really. Hopefully some of the ones I used to use will be updated then, but I suppose I'll have to wait and see. Mind you, it's odd that they work when the random function isn't used.
 
I spoke to Apple Support on Twitter, and they pretty much washed their hands of this problem and said it was for the app owners to update the screensavers.

This is very disappointing, they all worked perfectly fine before the upgrade. The phrase "It just works" doesn't seem to be try any more.
 
But I don't use an app, I use the Apple supplied screensaver function that's provided in the Preferences...it's called Photo Wall that displays your Photos. There is obviously a problem with Catalina since it has boogered up the Photo Wall function that worked fine until I updated to Catalina.
 
Desktop Aquarium from Useless Productions is for sale in the App store, but doesn't work on Catalina. I think the developer lost interest.
 
I have a different issue with Catalina screensavers. No matter what screensaver I select, when the screensaver activates it plays Flurry. Screensaver Preferences shows my selected screensaver correctly in the Preview window, but when it activates all I get is Flurry. Any suggestions?
 
Princeton1 said:
I have a different issue with Catalina screensavers. No matter what screensaver I select, when the screensaver activates it plays Flurry. Screensaver Preferences shows my selected screensaver correctly in the Preview window, but when it activates all I get is Flurry. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

If you create a new user account, restart the computer and login to the new user account, does the screen saver issue still happen?
 
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Strangely enough the Aquarium screensaver is still offered for sale in the Apple Store even though it won't work in Catalina. Irresponsible of Apple at best.
 
Torquemada said:
I spoke to Apple Support on Twitter, and they pretty much washed their hands of this problem and said it was for the app owners to update the screensavers.

This is very disappointing, they all worked perfectly fine before the upgrade. The phrase "It just works" doesn't seem to be try any more.
Click to expand...

In case you still have this problem, an update to Xscreensaver fixed this: https://www.jwz.org/xscreensaver/changelog.html
 
Andrew O said:
Strangely enough the Aquarium screensaver is still offered for sale in the Apple Store even though it won't work in Catalina. Irresponsible of Apple at best.
Click to expand...

Things fall through the cracks even with Apple. I reported that both the free and paid versions were listed as comparable with Catalina when they are not. Probably will be taken care of now.
 
Torquemada said:
I spoke to Apple Support on Twitter, and they pretty much washed their hands of this problem and said it was for the app owners to update the screensavers.

This is very disappointing, they all worked perfectly fine before the upgrade. The phrase "It just works" doesn't seem to be try any more.
Click to expand...

Well, TBH, it is an app... Apple does not support for third party apps.
 
Taz Mangus said:
Things fall through the cracks even with Apple. I reported that both the free and paid versions were listed as comparable with Catalina when they are not. Probably will be taken care of now.
Click to expand...

Apple responded back that it was up to the developer to update the compatibility.
 
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