## https://sprecho.ai/help/getting-started/grant-microphone-and-accessibility-permissions — Grant microphone and Accessibility permissions

> What Sprecho asks for on macOS and Windows, why the Accessibility permission is what actually types your text, and why a restart is needed after granting it.

*Updated: 2026-08-23* *Plans: free, pro, enterprise*

Sprecho asks for the smallest set of permissions that lets it do its one job:
hear you, then write what you said into whatever app you are using. On macOS
that is two permissions. On Windows it is one.

This article explains what each one does, where to grant it, and the single step
people miss.

### What Sprecho asks for on macOS

macOS splits the job in two, and dictation needs both halves.

#### Microphone

This is what records your voice. macOS shows its standard dialog the first time
Sprecho tries to listen — click **Allow**.

If you dismissed it, open **System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone**
and switch Sprecho on.

Without it, nothing is recorded at all: the recording bar appears but no audio
level moves.

#### Accessibility

This is what lets Sprecho **type the finished text into the app you are working
in**. On macOS, Accessibility is the permission that governs one app sending
keystrokes and text to another — it is the same permission every text expander,
clipboard manager and window manager needs.

macOS never grants it from a dialog alone. Open **System Settings → Privacy &
Security → Accessibility**, click the **+** button, add Sprecho from
Applications, and make sure its toggle is on.

Without it, dictation still records and transcribes, but nothing appears in your
document.

> Restart Sprecho after granting Accessibility. macOS only hands this permission
> to a freshly launched process, so the running app cannot pick it up
> mid-session. Quit Sprecho completely and open it again — this is the single
> most common reason "I granted it and it still does not work".

### What Sprecho asks for on Windows

Windows asks for the microphone and nothing else.

If you missed the prompt, open **Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone**,
turn on **Microphone access**, and check that **Let desktop apps access your
microphone** is on as well. That second switch is separate, and turning on only
the first one is a common cause of silent recordings.

There is no Accessibility equivalent on Windows. Text insertion works through
the normal Windows input path, so nothing extra needs to be approved.

### Where to check what has been granted

The Sprecho onboarding shows both permissions with a green check when they are
in place, and offers a **Restart Now** button once you have granted them. You
can return to that screen any time from the app if you are unsure.

### Symptom table

| What you see | What it usually is |
|---|---|
| Recording bar appears, no audio level | Microphone permission is off, or the wrong input device is selected |
| Recording works, no text appears | Accessibility is off (macOS), or Sprecho was not restarted after granting it |
| It worked yesterday, not today | A macOS update reset the Accessibility entry — remove Sprecho from the list and add it again |
| Text lands in the wrong window | The target app lost focus while you were speaking. Click into it first |
| Windows records but nothing arrives in a remote session | Switch **Settings → General → Paste keystroke** to Shift+Insert or Automatic |

### Privacy: what these permissions do not do

The microphone is opened only while you hold the dictation key and released when
you let go. Accessibility is used to place text at your cursor and to read the
name of the app you are dictating into, so formatting can match an email versus
a chat message.

Speech recognition and formatting run on Sprecho's servers in Germany, so the
app needs to be online while you dictate. What is kept afterwards is entirely
under your control — see
[What Sprecho stores and where](/help/privacy-and-security/what-sprecho-stores-and-where).

Next: [Your first dictation](/help/getting-started/your-first-dictation).

### FAQ

#### Why does Sprecho need the Accessibility permission on macOS?
Accessibility is the macOS permission that lets one app send text and keystrokes to another. Without it Sprecho can still record and transcribe, but it cannot write the finished text into your document.

#### Do I have to restart Sprecho after granting Accessibility?
Yes. macOS hands the Accessibility permission to a process only when it launches, so an app that is already running cannot pick it up mid-session. Quit Sprecho and open it again.

#### Does Sprecho need an Accessibility permission on Windows?
No. Windows only asks for microphone access. The Accessibility permission is a macOS concept and is not requested or needed on Windows.

#### Can Sprecho read my screen with these permissions?
No. The microphone permission records audio only while you hold the dictation key, and the Accessibility permission is used to place text at your cursor. Neither is used to capture your screen.