Gradient Editor>Pick Gradient -- reference image windows vanish?

[mistfall]

I'm trying to use Substance Designer's Gradient Editor node "Pick Gradient" (iMac running OS 11.5.2),  to select a range of colors on a reference image. so I click Pick Gradient and attempt to drag my mouse over my reference image. 

When the cursor exits the Substance Designer window, however, all other windows vanish, leaving my desktop background image as the only image available.

Am I using this tool incorrectly?  How does one use this to select a range of colors from a reference image if windows running other applications do not remain active the cursor leaves the Ds window?

Is there some way of importing images into Ds to use as reference?

[Luca Giarrizzo · Accepted solution]

Hello @mistfall,

This issue is likely caused by Substance 3D Designer not having permissions to record the screen. This permission needs to be granted by macOS, which is done in the System Preferences as instructed here.

Let me know if this solved the issue.

Best regards.

[Luca Giarrizzo]

Additionally, PureRef is a great tool for asssembling and using reference!