Troubleshooting

Transcription works but text is not inserted#

If you see streaming text in the notch indicator but nothing appears in your target app, the issue is almost always a missing or stale Accessibility permission. TypeWhisper needs two separate permissions: Microphone (for recording) and Accessibility (for inserting text). Many users only grant Microphone and miss the second one.

Another sign of this issue is that your history stays empty - history entries are only saved after text insertion succeeds.

How to fix#

1. Open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility
2. If TypeWhisper is listed, remove it (click the minus button)
3. Restart TypeWhisper - it will re-prompt for permission

If that doesn't work, the TCC database entry may be stale. Reset it via Terminal:

tccutil reset Accessibility com.typewhisper.mac

Then restart TypeWhisper and grant Accessibility permission when prompted.

Microphone permission not working#

If TypeWhisper can't start recording, check System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone and make sure TypeWhisper is listed and enabled.

On macOS 26 (Tahoe) and later, the Microphone permission dialog only appears once. If you denied it the first time, you need to enable it manually in System Settings. If toggling doesn't help, reset it:

tccutil reset Microphone com.typewhisper.mac

Permissions broken after reinstall#

macOS ties permissions to the app's code signature. After reinstalling or updating TypeWhisper, old permission entries can become stale - the toggle appears enabled but the permission doesn't actually work.

Fix: Remove TypeWhisper from both the Accessibility and Microphone lists in System Settings, restart the app, and re-grant both permissions.

Setup wizard keeps appearing#

The setup wizard appears automatically when Microphone permission is not granted. Once you grant both Microphone and Accessibility permissions and complete the wizard, it won't appear again.

Live Transcript window stays on screen#

If the floating transcript window can be moved between screens, it is probably the Live Transcript plugin window rather than the built-in dictation indicator. The plugin has its own panel and settings.

How to fix#

1. Open Settings > Live Transcript
2. To stop it appearing automatically, disable Auto-open on recording
3. To hide or show it manually, assign a Toggle Shortcut

No audio input detected#

If TypeWhisper shows "No audio input available", make sure your microphone is connected and selected. Go to Settings > Dictation and pick the correct Input Device under Microphone. If using an external microphone, check that it's recognized in System Settings > Sound > Input.

A setting is locked by your organization#

Your IT department set it through a configuration profile, and it shows “Managed by your organization.” Settings > Advanced > Managed Settings lists the managed values on this Mac and any policy problems. Only your IT department can change the value; you can't change it in TypeWhisper.