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docs(faq): state macOS permission footprint (Accessibility only, no Full Disk Access) #193

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ErikBjare merged 1 commit into from
Oct 6, 2026
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docs(faq): state macOS permission footprint (Accessibility only, no Full Disk Access) #193

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15 changes: 15 additions & 0 deletions src/faq.rst
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Expand Up @@ -88,6 +88,21 @@ After saving the file, restart ActivityWatch or ``aw-watcher-afk`` for the chang
If idle or locked-screen time is still counted as active time, first check that ``aw-watcher-afk`` is running and that the Timeline view shows an ``afk`` period while you are away.
See :doc:`configuration` for the related ``aw-watcher-afk`` options.

.. _macos-permissions:

What macOS permissions does ActivityWatch need?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The core install asks for as little as possible:

- **Accessibility**: required by ``aw-watcher-window`` to read the active window's title. macOS prompts for it on first run; grant it in *System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility*.
- **Screen Recording**: not used. The window watcher does not capture your screen.
- **Full Disk Access**: not used by ActivityWatch or any of its bundled watchers.

The one exception is the optional, separately installed `aw-import-screentime <https://github.com/ActivityWatch/aw-import-screentime>`_ importer, which reads Apple's Screen Time data store and therefore needs Full Disk Access for the terminal or app that runs it.
Apple has said that future macOS versions will only grant Full Disk Access with "very explicit user action", so expect an extra confirmation step there.
You can revoke the permission again at any time in *System Settings → Privacy & Security → Full Disk Access*.

Why is the active window logged as "unknown" when using Wayland?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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