System permissions
Nexo Whisper needs 4 macOS permissions to work. Here we explain what each one is for and how to grant it.
All permissions are required
Without these permissions, the app can't record audio or paste text. If any is not granted, the app will alert you with a red banner on the home screen.
The 4 permissions
1. Microphone
For: recording your voice when you press the shortcut.
How to grant:
- Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone.
- Enable the Nexo Whisper toggle.
If you haven't opened the app yet, macOS will automatically request the permission the first time you try to record.
2. Accessibility
For: pasting the transcribed text into the active app (simulates ⌘V or pastes directly with accessibility APIs).
How to grant:
- Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility.
- Click the
+button and add Nexo Whisper, or enable the toggle if it already appears in the list.
Without this permission, text won't paste
If the Accessibility permission is not granted, the app can transcribe but the text will never appear in the app you're writing in. It's the most important permission.
3. Input Monitoring
For: detecting the global keyboard shortcut even when the app is not in focus. Without this, the Fn shortcut (or whichever you configure) won't work.
How to grant:
- Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Input Monitoring.
- Enable the Nexo Whisper toggle.
macOS may ask you to restart the app after granting this permission.
4. Screen Recording
For: capturing visible text on screen to use as context in AI enhancement (optional feature). Without this permission, AI enhancement works but without visual context.
How to grant:
- Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Screen Recording.
- Enable the Nexo Whisper toggle.
Screen Recording is optional
If you don't use AI enhancement or prefer not to grant this permission, the app works perfectly. It only affects the "screen context" feature.
Verify everything is working
Open Nexo Whisper. If all permissions are granted, you'll see the main screen without any warning banners.
If any is missing, the app will show you exactly which one and a button to go directly to the corresponding section in System Settings.
Common issues
"The shortcut doesn't work" → Probably missing Input Monitoring permission. See Troubleshooting.
"Text doesn't paste" → Check the Accessibility permission. It's the culprit in 90% of cases.
"App doesn't detect microphone" → Check Microphone in Privacy & Security, and also that the input device is correctly configured in Audio input.