Grant Microphone and Screen Recording permissions on Mac
Enable the macOS permissions Observer needs to work correctly.
Observer runs locally on your Mac. These permissions are required — without them, transcription and screen-aware answers cannot work.
Microphone
Used to build the live meeting transcript from audio Observer receives through system audio capture.
If denied: Answer, Recap, and Power Mode will not have transcript context.
Screen Recording & System Audio Recording
Used to capture your screen for Assist, Screen + text, Power Mode, and screen analysis, and to access meeting audio for transcription.
If denied: Screen-based actions fail and transcript quality may be affected.
First launch
Observer prompts for both permissions when you open it the first time. Accept them before joining a meeting.
Enable later in System Settings
1. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security.
2. Allow Observer under Microphone.
3. Allow Observer under Screen & System Audio Recording.
4. Quit and reopen Observer.
Troubleshooting
If Observer still cannot capture audio or screen after granting permissions, restart your Mac once. Some macOS versions require a restart before screen capture takes effect.