What KeptNote asks for
- Microphone: records you and anyone in the room
- Every recording
- Screen & System Audio Recording: records the sound of an online call
- Call mode only
- Calendars: shows your meetings on Home
- Optional
- Automation: lets KeptNote open a draft in Mail or add a note to Notes
- Only if you use those
- Notifications: reminders and quiet-meeting questions
- Optional
The second one has a confusing name. macOS puts the sound of other apps under Screen & System Audio Recording. KeptNote uses it for audio only. It does not save screen video, and the card in the app says so. If you only record meetings in the room, you never need it.
When KeptNote asks
You see the permission steps in the first start, on the step Let KeptNote record the meeting. If a permission is missing when you try to record, a sheet opens. It is titled Let KeptNote hear you for the microphone, or Let KeptNote hear the call for call audio.
Press Open Microphone Settings, or Open Screen & System Audio Settings. KeptNote takes you straight to the right page in System Settings.
Find the KeptNote row and turn its switch on.
Return to KeptNote. The sheet checks again by itself. When it says Permission is ready, press Continue to meeting.
Press Not now to close the sheet without recording.
Turn a permission on by hand
Open System Settings and choose Privacy & Security. Then open the page you need.
- Microphone: turn on KeptNote.
- Screen & System Audio Recording: turn on KeptNote. If KeptNote is not in the list, try to record a call once so that macOS asks.
- Calendars: turn on KeptNote. This is the only place to turn it back on once you said no.
- Automation: turn on KeptNote for Mail or Notes if you use Email draft or Send to Apple Notes.
macOS can ask you to quit and reopen an app after you change a screen recording permission. If call audio is still missing after you turned it on, quit KeptNote and open it again.
What the words in the first start mean
- Not allowed yet. KeptNote has not asked, or you have not answered.
- Ready and Ready for calls. The permission is on.
- Turned off in System Settings. You said no. Press Open Settings and turn it on.
- Restricted on this Mac. A rule on this Mac, for example from your employer, does not let apps use the microphone. Only the person who manages the Mac can change it.
- No microphone found. Connect a microphone, or check that your Mac has one.
- Only needed for calls. You can leave call audio off if you never record calls.
Speech recognition
macOS may also ask for permission to use speech recognition. KeptNote needs it only for the live transcript that you can open while recording. If you say no, the live transcript says KeptNote needs permission to use speech recognition for the live transcript. Your recording and the full transcript are not affected.