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Permissions

Required permissions for Yap on macOS

Yap requires specific system permissions to function. This guide explains what permissions are needed and how to grant them.

Required Permissions (macOS)

Microphone Access

Why needed: To record your voice for transcription.

How to enable:

  1. Open System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS)
  2. Go to Privacy & Security → Microphone
  3. Find Yap in the list
  4. Toggle it ON

If Yap isn’t listed, try starting a recording — macOS will prompt you to grant access.

Accessibility Access

Why needed: For global hotkey detection and auto-paste functionality. This allows Yap to:

  • Detect when you press the hotkey, even when the app isn’t focused
  • Simulate keyboard shortcuts to paste transcribed text

How to enable:

  1. Open System Settings
  2. Go to Privacy & Security → Accessibility
  3. Click the + button (you may need to unlock with your password)
  4. Navigate to Applications and select Yap
  5. Ensure the checkbox next to Yap is checked

Note: If you move the app or update it, you may need to re-grant Accessibility access.

Troubleshooting Permissions

“Yap would like to access the microphone”

Click Allow when you see this dialog. If you accidentally clicked “Don’t Allow”:

  1. Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone
  2. Toggle Yap ON

Hotkey Not Working

If the global hotkey isn’t responding:

  1. Check Accessibility permissions are granted
  2. Try removing and re-adding Yap from the Accessibility list
  3. Restart Yap
  4. If issues persist, restart your Mac

Auto-Paste Not Working

The auto-paste feature requires Accessibility access:

  1. Verify Accessibility is enabled in System Settings
  2. Make sure the target application accepts paste commands
  3. Try disabling and re-enabling auto-paste in Settings

Windows & Linux

Windows

Windows typically doesn’t require special permissions. If microphone access is blocked:

  1. Go to Settings → Privacy → Microphone
  2. Enable “Allow apps to access your microphone”
  3. Ensure Yap is allowed

Linux

Linux permissions depend on your desktop environment:

  • Microphone: Usually handled by PulseAudio/PipeWire — ensure the app has access
  • Hotkeys: May require additional setup depending on your display server (X11 vs Wayland)

For Wayland users, global hotkeys may have limitations. Consider using X11 for full functionality.