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Permissions

The macOS app needs two macOS permissions to function: Microphone (to capture your dictation) and Accessibility (to paste the result into other apps).

Microphone

Verba captures audio natively via cpal (no ffmpeg on macOS). The first time it tries to record, macOS shows the standard TCC microphone-access prompt, using the description declared in apps/macos/src-tauri/Info.plist:

"Verba needs microphone access to record dictation for transcription."

Without this permission: recording fails outright — there is no fallback, since dictation is impossible without audio.

If you previously denied the prompt, grant it manually: System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone, then enable Verba.

Accessibility

Pasting the cleaned transcript into the frontmost app is done via a synthetic ⌘V keystroke (clipboard write + a posted key event), which macOS only allows for processes trusted for Accessibility.

Verba checks this passively before every paste with the has_accessibility_permission command (wraps AXIsProcessTrusted() — a check that never triggers the system's own permission dialog on its own). If the permission is missing:

  1. Verba's window is shown with an onboarding message: "Verba needs Accessibility permission to paste into other apps. Grant it in System Settings, then press the hotkey again to dictate."
  2. An "Open System Settings" button calls the open_accessibility_settings command, which deep-links straight to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility (x-apple.systempreferences:com.apple.preference.security?Privacy_Accessibility).
  3. The transcript is also shown in the window so it isn't lost while you go grant the permission.
  4. Once Accessibility is granted, press the hotkey again — the next dictation pastes normally.

Without this permission: transcription still runs, but nothing is pasted anywhere. The transcript always stays visible in Verba's window as a fallback so you can copy it manually.

Summary

Permission Used for Without it
Microphone Recording your dictation Recording fails — no audio can be captured
Accessibility Synthetic ⌘V paste into the frontmost app Nothing gets pasted automatically; the transcript is shown in-app instead

Next Steps

  • Usage — the full hotkey and tray-menu flow
  • Configuration — language, glossary, expansions, templates