# Settings reference

Open Settings from the notch's **Settings** tab or **Settings…** in the menu-bar menu. If you show Nock in the Dock, its Dock entry also opens the settings view. It remembers the last section you used.

This reference describes controls present in the mapped launch candidate. Platform, account access, and release availability can affect what your build exposes; see [Nock overview](/nock/overview).

## Find a section

| Section     | Use it for                                                                           |
| ----------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Home        | See current shortcuts and available walkthroughs.                                    |
| General     | Change voice keys, languages, startup, visibility, and audio behavior.               |
| Dictation   | Set polishing, custom words, replacements, and composer mic visibility.              |
| Insights    | Review locally recorded speaking and dictation statistics.                           |
| Appearance  | Set Auto, Light, or Dark and supported surface finishes.                             |
| Agent       | Choose voice and actions, conversation preferences, and supported agent features.    |
| Providers   | Review supported model/provider connections.                                         |
| Usage       | Review displayed account usage or locally counted activity.                          |
| Apps        | Review available connected-app and created-app surfaces.                             |
| Permissions | Inspect macOS access needed for recording, shortcuts, insertion, and screen context. |
| About       | Check the app version, available update status, and replay the introduction or tour. |

## Changes take effect as you make them

Most preference switches save immediately; there is no overall Save Settings step. A specific dialog, such as shortcut editing, can have its own confirmation button. Finish that dialog before testing its result.

Change one setting at a time when diagnosing a problem. For example, if dictation starts but text does not land, changing the voice, theme, and language together will make it harder to isolate the cause. Use [dictation troubleshooting](/nock/dictation-troubleshooting) to choose the relevant control.

## Navigate with the keyboard

The Settings section rail supports Up and Down arrows, with Home and End to move to its ends. Select the section rail first, then move among its tabs. Use Tab to continue into controls in the selected section. Individual dialogs may use their own keyboard behavior.

If a shortcut editor is open, global voice shortcuts are temporarily paused to let you record the new combination. Finish or cancel the editor before expecting dictation to start.

## Preferences, permissions, and access are different

A setting can express what you want Nock to do without granting macOS permission to do it. Likewise, enabling a feature does not create provider access or change your account entitlement. If a control appears enabled but the action fails, read the displayed message and check the relevant permission or access page.

Prefer the interface to editing preference files by hand. Nock keeps preferences in memory while running; an external file edit may be overwritten by the next setting change. There is no need to delete your settings to troubleshoot a single control.

For focused guides, see [General](/nock/general-settings), [Appearance](/nock/appearance), [Voice](/nock/voice-settings), and [Permissions](/nock/permissions).