Wondering why Upwork screen capture is not working on your computer?
Upwork allows clients and freelancers to negotiate what type of project they would use on their transactions. Fixed-price contracts are projects with a fixed price and would not change regardless of the time it takes to complete the work.
On the other hand, hourly contracts bill clients depending on the time rendered by freelancers. It requires Upwork’s desktop app where freelancers track their progress through screenshots and records the time needed to complete the project.
However, if you are reading this right now, the Upwork screen capture is probably not working on your computer.
This can be a big problem since clients use the screenshots to review the work you’ve done and might refuse to pay if screen captures are not available.
To help you out, we’ve decided to make a guide on what you should do if the Upwork screen capture is not working.
Let’s dive right in!
1. Check Upwork’s Servers.
Whenever there is something wrong with Upwork or any online platform, we recommend checking its servers’ status first. Online platforms rely on their servers to deliver services to their users, and if it goes down, you can expect problems to occur.
Thankfully, Upwork has a dedicated status page where they give updates about their servers and services’ current status.
However, if the website is not accessible, you can also use third-party sites like Downdetector to check Upwork’s servers and the issues it has encountered for the past 24 hours.
2. Turn Off VPN.
VPN or virtual private networks are applications installed on your computer to provide security on your network and to filter the data going out of your device. It also changes your IP address randomly to hide your true identity while browsing online.
However, this process can affect your network’s performance and could make it difficult for your computer to communicate with Upwork’s servers.
If the Upwork screen capture is not working, try to disable your VPN and see if the problem goes away.
On the other hand, you can also try using other VPNs like PureVPN. Unlike other VPNs, it keeps your network stable while providing security to your device.
3. Reinstall the Desktop App.
Upwork’s installation files may have gotten corrupted due to an error during use or a failed update. Whatever the case is, we suggest that you just delete the Upwork app from your computer and reinstall a working copy.
On Windows, you can uninstall the Upwork app by doing the following:
- Press the Windows key on your keyboard to access the Start Menu and search for Control Panel.
- After that, launch the Control Panel and click on Uninstall a Program under the Programs tab.
- Now, find Upwork from the list of programs installed on your computer.
- Lastly, click Upwork and hit the Uninstall button. Follow the on-screen prompts to remove the app from your computer.
For macOS, check out the guide below to uninstall Upwork:
- First, open the Finder on your Mac computer.
- Now, find Upwork from the Applications tab.
- Finally, drag Upwork’s app icon to the Trash to delete it.
If you are on a Linux device, follow the steps below to remove the Upwork app from your computer:
- First, open the Ubuntu Software Center on your computer.
- After that, click on the Installed tab.
- Lastly, find Upwork and hit the Remove button. Follow the on-screen prompts to delete Upwork on your Linux device.
After deleting the Upwork app, go to Upwork’s official website and download the desktop app again.
4. Clear Upwork’s Cache.
The Upwork desktop app uses temporary data called caches to improve its performance. However, app caches can accumulate over time or get corrupted and cause many problems to your computer and its applications.
To fix this, check out the guide below to clear Upwork’s cache:
- First, open the Upwork app on your computer.
- Now, click on the Gear icon and open Settings.
- After that, click on Advanced and scroll down to the bottom of the page.
- Finally, click on Clear Cache and Restart.
Once done, try using the time tracker again and see if the screen capture is now working.
5. Review Your Permissions (macOS).
On macOS, you need to grant permission to the Upwork app first before it can start capturing photos of your screen. If the Upwork screen capture is not working, try to review your permissions and ensure that Upwork is allowed to take screenshots.
Follow the steps below to review your permissions:
- First, click on the Apple logo at the top left corner of your screen and open System Preferences.
- After that, click on Security and Privacy and open the Privacy tab.
- Now, go to Screen Recording and find Upwork from the list.
- Finally, make sure that the checkbox beside Upwork is marked checked.
However, if the screen capture is still not working, you might need to perform a few commands using the Terminal. Proceed to the steps below to guide you on the process:
- First, open Finder on your Mac and go to Applications.
- Now, click on the Utilities folder and open the Terminal.
- On the Terminal, enter the following code and hit Enter.
tccutil reset All com.upwork.Upwork
- Finally, go back to System Preferences > Security and Privacy > Privacy > Screen Recording and allow Upwork to take screenshots.
Once done, restart the Upwork app and try to use the time tracker again.
6. Run Malwarebytes.
Problems occurring on your computer and its applications could be due to a virus or malware infiltration. To verify this, try running a full system scan using Malwarebytes to detect and remove malware and other viruses from your computer.
Malwarebytes is compatible with most operating systems, including Windows, Android, iOS, and Chromebooks.
7. Turn Off Other Applications.
Unnecessary background applications can eat up your system resources and affect the performance of programs you are using. To make sure that Upwork has enough resources to use, try to close down unused applications on your computer.
For Windows users, see the steps below to close unnecessary applications:
- First, open the Task Manager on your computer.
- After that, browse the list of applications running on your system and identify the ones you are not using.
- Lastly, click on the application and hit the End Task button.
If you are using a macOS computer, check out the guide below to close down unused applications:
- On your Mac, open the Finder and go to the Applications folder.
- Now, click on Utilities and open the Activity Monitor.
- Finally, identify the programs you are not using and close them.
Once done, go back to Upwork and see if the screen capture feature is now working.
8. Check Your Network Connection.
Network-related issues could also be the reason why Upwork screen capture is not working. Since Upwork is an online platform, it needs a stable internet connection to communicate with its servers.
Try to run a speed test using Fast.com to verify if the problem is really with your network.
If the test result shows that your internet connection is running slow, try to restart your router. Locate the power cable of your router and unplug it for about 10 seconds. Once done, plug back in the power cable to restart your router.
After restarting your route, re-run the test to see if your connection is now working correctly. However, if you continue to experience your network connection issues, we recommend contacting your ISP and letting them handle the situation.
9. Try Using Fiverr.
Having a hard time managing hourly contracts on Upwork? Get fixed-price contracts using Fiverr.
If you haven’t used Fiverr, you are missing a lot in your freelancing career. Fiverr is the best online marketplace to offer digital services like web development, article writing, virtual assistance, and more!
On Fiverr, you can meet hundreds of clients and potentially earn thousands of dollars. They have a secure payment channel that holds your client’s budget and releases them to you once you’ve delivered the project.
You can also use Fiverr to hire other freelancers on the platform to help you with your ongoing projects.
10. Report the Problem to Upwork.
If the desktop app is still not working, we suggest that you ask professionals’ help and visit Upwork’s support page.
You can ask the community about the issue or contact Upwork’s customer service to ask for an immediate solution on the website. When asking for help, make sure to elaborate on the issue you are experiencing and include your account details and a screenshot of the problem if possible.
This brings us to the end of our guide. If you know other ways to address this specific issue on the Upwork desktop app, please share them in the comment section below. We’d be glad to give anyone credit for the solution once this article gets updated.
If this guide helped you, please share it. 🙂
What about screen capture troubleshooting for Chromebook OS?