Granting macOS Permissions
Pulse asks for up to three macOS permissions, depending on which capture mode you use. This guide explains each one and how to grant it.
What Each Permission Does
Permission | Purpose | Required in Full mode | Required in Metrics-only mode |
|---|---|---|---|
Accessibility | Read the active app name; allow input hooks | ✓ | ✓ |
Input Monitoring | Count mouse movement, clicks, and keystrokes (no content) | ✓ | ✓ |
Screen Recording | Capture screenshots | ✓ | not used |
If you only want to log activity without screenshots, switch to Metrics-only mode in Settings → Recording; Pulse will not request Screen Recording permission in that case.
If a required permission is missing when you press Record, Pulse refuses to start the session and shows which permission is needed. No partial recording happens.
Granting Permissions
When you press Record for the first time, macOS prompts you for each permission. You can also pre-grant them from Settings → System inside Pulse, which lists every permission and opens the matching System Settings pane on click.
Accessibility
macOS shows a prompt requesting Accessibility access.
Click Open System Settings.
System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility.
Toggle Pulse to ON.
Input Monitoring
macOS shows: "Pulse would like to receive keystrokes from any application."
Click Open System Settings.
System Settings → Privacy & Security → Input Monitoring.
Toggle Pulse to ON.
macOS shows this prompt the first time Pulse calls the system input API. The prompt must appear from the main app process; if you do not see it, restart Pulse and press Record again.
Screen Recording (Full mode only)
macOS shows: "Pulse would like to record this computer's screen."
Click Open System Settings.
System Settings → Privacy & Security → Screen Recording.
Toggle Pulse to ON.
macOS asks you to quit and reopen Pulse for the change to take effect.
Click Quit & Reopen.
Verify Permissions
Inside Pulse, open Settings → System. The permissions section near the top of the tab lists each permission with a status badge and a Request button:
Granted — permission is set; no action needed
Not granted — permission is missing or revoked; click Request to open the matching System Settings pane
What Pulse Does NOT Do
Record the text of your keystrokes — only the count is stored
Send screenshots, app names, activity counts, or any recording data to a server — all of it stays on your Mac
Capture window titles, URLs, document names, clipboard contents, or microphone input
Run capture in the background when you have not pressed Record
Troubleshooting
If a permission stays red after you toggled it ON:
Quit Pulse completely (⌘Q from the Pulse menu, or right-click the tray icon → Quit).
Re-open Pulse from Applications.
Press Record again.
If the prompt loops or the toggle keeps resetting, see Fixing macOS Permission Errors.