Audio Permissions
QuickContract needs two permissions to record: System Audio and Microphone.
macOS requires explicit user consent before any app can access audio input or tap system audio output. QuickContract will prompt you for both permissions on first launch, but you can also grant them manually at any time through System Settings.
QuickContract uses the AudioHardwareTapping API to capture system audio, not screen capture. You do not need to enable Screen Recording in your privacy settings. This also means QuickContract never has access to your screen contents — only audio.
Required permissions
QuickContract uses two separate audio streams, each requiring its own permission:
- System Audio Recording — Allows QuickContract to tap the audio output from meeting apps (Zoom, Teams, etc.) so it can hear the other participants. This uses the
AudioHardwareTappingAPI available on macOS 14.2 and later. - Microphone — Allows QuickContract to capture your voice through the built-in or connected microphone via CoreAudio HAL. This stream is labeled "me" in the transcript.
Granting System Audio Recording permission
Open System Settings
Click the Apple menu and select System Settings, or press Cmd + Space and search for "System Settings".
Navigate to Privacy & Security
In the sidebar, click Privacy & Security. Scroll down to find System Audio Recording in the list.
Enable QuickContract
Find QuickContract in the list of apps and toggle it on. If QuickContract doesn't appear, try launching the app first — it registers itself when it runs for the first time. You may need to authenticate with your macOS password or Touch ID.
Granting Microphone permission
Open Privacy & Security settings
In System Settings > Privacy & Security, click Microphone.
Enable QuickContract
Toggle QuickContract on. macOS may prompt you to restart QuickContract for the change to take effect.
What happens if a permission is denied
If Microphone access is denied, QuickContract will still capture system audio (the other participants), but your voice will not appear in the transcript. The app displays a warning banner when this happens, prompting you to grant microphone access for full dual-stream recording.
If System Audio Recording is denied, QuickContract cannot capture the other participants' audio. Recording is blocked, and the app will prompt you to enable the permission before proceeding.
The AudioHardwareTapping API that QuickContract uses for system audio capture was introduced in macOS 14.2 (Sonoma). If you're running an older version, you'll need to update macOS before meeting recording will work. Check your version in Apple menu > About This Mac.