Permissions
Grant only the operating-system access needed for Nock's microphone, shortcuts, text insertion, and screen actions.
Open Settings → Permissions to see which access Nock can use on this computer. Permissions are requested for particular features; granting one does not grant the others.
Mac permissions
Section titled “Mac permissions”| Permission | What it enables | Needed for |
|---|---|---|
| Microphone | Captures speech. | Dictation and spoken agent requests |
| Input Monitoring | Detects configured voice shortcuts while another app is active. | Global Dictation Mode and Agent Mode shortcuts |
| Accessibility | Lets Nock insert dictated text and use supported accessibility-based desktop actions. | Paste-based dictation insertion, selected text, and supported computer use |
| Screen Recording | Captures screen context for visual requests and computer use. | Asking about the screen or using supported pointing and desktop actions |
| Speech Recognition | Gives access to Apple’s speech recognizer. | Apple’s local recognizer, when selected |
The microphone helper may appear separately as Nock Speech in macOS privacy settings. Local Nock-model dictation and Apple recognition do not use the same permission set.
Windows permission
Section titled “Windows permission”Nock’s Settings → Permissions shows the Windows microphone privacy state. Use Open Windows Settings if access is blocked, then enable microphone access for desktop apps and return to Nock. Windows does not use the Mac’s Accessibility, Input Monitoring, Screen Recording, or Apple Speech Recognition grants.
Grant or refresh access
Section titled “Grant or refresh access”- Open Settings → Permissions and find the row for the feature that failed.
- Choose Grant or Open System Settings / Open Windows Settings, as shown.
- Change only the relevant operating-system privacy control.
- Return to Nock and wait for the status to refresh. If the operating system asks you to restart Nock, save your work and reopen it.
- Test the affected feature with a short, non-sensitive action.
On Mac, the keyboard listener may need both Input Monitoring and Accessibility. If a permission is denied already, the operating system may require opening its settings rather than showing another prompt. A different app copy or signature can also have a separate permission entry; verify which installed copy you opened.
If macOS asks to allow screen capture
Section titled “If macOS asks to allow screen capture”When Nock captures the screen without Apple’s window picker—for example, when you circle something, ask Nock to look at the screen, or use computer control—macOS may show “Nock” is requesting to bypass the system private window picker and directly access your screen and audio. This is a macOS privacy prompt, separate from Nock’s approval cards. Choose Allow to let that capture proceed. If you decline, macOS may show the prompt again on a later capture. The Screen Recording permission in System Settings is still a separate requirement; Autopilot cannot answer Apple’s prompt for you.
Match the grant to the symptom
Section titled “Match the grant to the symptom”- Shortcut not detected: check Input Monitoring and the configured shortcut.
- Recording starts without words: check Microphone, the active input device, and local dictation.
- Correct caption but no insertion: check Accessibility on Mac and focus the destination field.
- Missing screen context: check Screen Recording on Mac and the screen action’s own setting.
Changing Screen Recording will not fix recognition; changing Microphone will not repair a text paste. See dictation troubleshooting and voice troubleshooting.