Disable admin authentication dialog in macOS for desired settings in eg. System Settings.

toggle_auth_right.sh

#!/bin/bash
# version 1.0, 2026 simonandersen
#set -x

# Run log stream --predicate 'subsystem = "com.apple.Authorization"' while attempting to
# do whatever operation requires admin authentication to figure out the name of the right
# required.
#
# Battery preferences in System Settings on Tahoe seem to be "system.preferences"
# Installing configuration profiles require "system.privilege.admin"
#

AUTHRIGHT="$1"

function CLEANUP() {
	if [[ -e "$WORKFILE" ]]
	then
		rm "$WORKFILE"
	fi
}
trap CLEANUP EXIT

if [[ "$(whoami)" != "root" ]]
then
	echo "Must be root"
	exit 1
fi

SUPPORTDIR="/Library/Application Support/toggle_auth_right"
if [[ ! -d "$SUPPORTDIR" ]]
then
    mkdir -p "$SUPPORTDIR" || exit 1
fi

if [[ -z "$AUTHRIGHT" ]]
then
	echo "Missing authorization right name"
	exit 1 
fi

WORKFILE="$(mktemp)"

security authorizationdb read "$AUTHRIGHT" > "$WORKFILE" 2>/dev/null

if [[ "$(stat -f%z "$WORKFILE")" -eq 0 ]]
then
	echo "$AUTHRIGHT not found"
	exit 1
fi

if [[ -e "$SUPPORTDIR/$AUTHRIGHT.original" ]]
then
	echo "Attempt to restore original $AUTHRIGHT"
	if security authorizationdb write "$AUTHRIGHT" < "$SUPPORTDIR/$AUTHRIGHT.original"
	then
		echo "Restore success"
		echo "Delete $SUPPORTDIR/$AUTHRIGHT.original"
		rm "$SUPPORTDIR/$AUTHRIGHT.original"
	else
		echo "Restore failed"
		echo "Failed to overwrite $AUTHRIGHT with contents of \"$SUPPORTDIR/$AUTHRIGHT.original\""
		exit 1
	fi
else
	currentsetting="$(/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Print :authenticate-user" "$WORKFILE")"
	if [[ "$currentsetting" == "true" ]]
	then
		cp "$WORKFILE" "$SUPPORTDIR/$AUTHRIGHT.original"
		/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set :authenticate-user NO" "$WORKFILE"
		/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set :group staff" "$WORKFILE"
		
		if security authorizationdb write "$AUTHRIGHT" < "$WORKFILE" 2>/dev/null
		then
			security authorizationdb read "$AUTHRIGHT" 2>/dev/null
			echo "Disabled authentication for $AUTHRIGHT"
		else
			echo "Could not write changes to $AUTHRIGHT"
			rm "$SUPPORTDIR/$AUTHRIGHT.original"
		fi
	else
		echo "User authentication is already not required."
	fi
fi

exit 0