Permissions

What Wasper needs and why

Wasper requires two macOS permissions for core dictation: Microphone and Accessibility. Optional features can ask for macOS Notifications, and the Chrome extension has its own browser-controlled permissions for tab recording and video-link transcription. Here's exactly what each one does and when it's used.

Microphone

  • Why: Records your voice for transcription.
  • What: Audio is processed locally on your Mac and never leaves it unless you explicitly enable Cloud Transcription in Settings.
  • When: Only while you hold the recording hotkey or during a live recording session. The microphone is not accessed at any other time.

Accessibility

  • Why: Lets Wasper paste transcribed text into the active app, read selected text for AI Rewrite, and keep your global recording hotkey available.
  • What: Uses macOS Accessibility APIs for app control. The keyboard listener starts only after Microphone and Accessibility are granted; if macOS does not allow low-level keyboard monitoring, Wasper falls back to the normal global hotkey path.
  • When: Hotkey listening stays available so recording works from any app. Selected-text reading and paste only run during AI Rewrite or at the end of a transcription.

Notifications (optional)

  • Why: Notifies you when a long video-link transcription finishes or fails, or when a closed browser tab recording has been saved to History.
  • What: Sends standard macOS notifications from the Wasper app. Notification text contains only the job status and, when available, the source title or error summary.
  • When: Only after you turn on Background notifications in Wasper. This permission is optional and normal dictation works without it.

Chrome Extension

  • Why: Records the current browser tab, optionally includes microphone audio after Chrome permission is granted, and sends supported video links to the Wasper app running on your Mac.
  • What: Uses Chrome permissions for the active tab, tab capture, local extension storage, downloads, and the local Wasper connection. It does not give Wasper access to your full browsing history.
  • When: Only when you start a browser tab recording or send a supported video link from the extension. Normal Wasper dictation works without it.

The extension is installed through Chrome, while transcription still happens locally in Wasper unless you explicitly choose cloud transcription in the app.

  1. Install the latest Wasper app and keep it running.
  2. Install the Wasper Chrome extension from the official Chrome Web Store listing when it becomes available.
  3. Pin the Wasper extension in Chrome, then open YouTube or another browser tab.
  4. If Chrome asks to open Wasper, allow it so the extension can start the local transcription service.

See the dedicated Chrome extension page for the full setup notes.

What We Don't Request

Wasper does not request or use access to your:

  • Contacts
  • Calendar
  • Location
  • Camera
  • Files or Documents
  • Browsing history

Questions

If you have questions about how Wasper uses permissions, contact us at support@wasper.app.