Permissions Selv asks for

Selv only asks for a permission when it needs it, and every one of these can be skipped during setup and changed later in System Settings › Privacy & Security.

Screen Recording

Unlocks screenshots for on-device text search (OCR) and recording system audio from meetings. Every so often macOS re-confirms this permission — when it asks, choose Continue To Allow to keep Selv recording.

Microphone

Allows audio capture and local transcription of conversations. Recordings and transcripts are separate: audio can remain available for playback until its retention limit is reached or you delete it. Working audio buffers are temporarily unencrypted; see Privacy and Audio & dictation for the current handling and controls.

Full Disk Access

Allows Selv to read selected local sources that macOS otherwise restricts, including Apple Notes. You choose the sources to connect in Settings › Data Sources. Imported context is stored locally; optional cloud models and connected AI tools can receive context you choose to share.

If a prompt doesn't appear

macOS shows its own permission window — it can appear anywhere on screen, not necessarily where you'd expect. If nothing appears after a minute, open System Settings directly and grant it from there; see Capture isn't working — fixing permissions if it still won't take.