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Permissions, and Why
What SearchOnMac can ask for, when it asks, and what it never touches.
3 min read · Updated September 2026
Nothing needed to start
Searching your files and apps needs no permission at all. Every other permission is optional: SearchOnMac asks only when you turn on the feature that needs it, and you can turn that feature off again in Settings.
Accessibility, for windows
SearchOnMac asks for Accessibility to read the titles of your open windows and switch to them — so you can jump straight to the Pages document or Safari window you had open. Browser tabs use Automation permission instead, asked for once per browser.
Important: Everything else keeps working if you say no. File search, opening apps and clipboard history don’t need Accessibility; only jumping to windows does.
Every permission
Here is everything SearchOnMac can ask for, and everything it never will:
| Permission | When it’s asked for | What it’s used for |
|---|---|---|
| Accessibility | Searching windows, activity | Reads window titles and switches to windows |
| Automation | Searching browser tabs | Reads open tab titles and addresses; switches tabs |
| Full Disk Access | Searching Mail | Reads sender, subject and date, never message text |
| Calendars | Calendar context | Finds files you used around a meeting |
| Screen Recording | “Remember visible content” (off by default) | Keeps on-screen text; the image is discarded |
| Microphone | Never | SearchOnMac never listens |
| Input Monitoring | Never | ⌥ Space is a standard system shortcut |
Related
Try it on your Mac.
Press ⌥ Space and type what you remember.