Microphone and permissions
Allow Oudden to hear your voice, capture meeting audio, and paste dictated text. Troubleshoot access on Mac and Windows.
What each permission is for
Oudden asks for different permissions for different tasks. You can review them in the app’s settings → Privacy & Data → Permissions.
| Permission | When you need it |
|---|---|
| Microphone | Record your voice in a meeting or use voice input. Required to finish initial setup. |
| System Audio | Capture the other side of a call and sound playing on your computer. |
| Accessibility on Mac | Paste dictated text automatically into another app. |
Access to your microphone does not also grant access to other apps’ audio. These permissions do not connect your calendar; that has its own setup.
Microphone access
On Permissions during setup, select Grant Access next to Microphone and allow the system request. Later, use Privacy & Data in settings.
Connect your microphone and make sure its physical mute switch is off. For meeting recording, check the system input device: on Mac, the system microphone; on Windows, the default communications input, or the default input if a communications device is unavailable. Selecting a microphone for voice input in Oudden does not change this meeting setting.
Make a short test recording. A granted permission alone does not confirm that the intended microphone is connected or receiving sound.
Sound from other apps
On Mac, use Grant Access next to System Audio when that card is shown. If system settings open, allow Oudden’s audio capture and return to the app. Follow a request to reopen Oudden if one appears.
On Windows there is no equivalent macOS System Audio permission card. Do not look for that card to start a meeting. Play a short piece of speech, record it, stop recording, and check the transcript to test computer audio.
There is no selector for recording just one meeting app. Other sounds playing on your computer may also appear in the recording.
Accessibility for voice input
On Mac, Accessibility lets Oudden insert recognized text into the app you are using. Select Grant Access, enable Oudden in the system permission list, and return to Oudden.
You can finish initial setup without this permission. If you prefer, use manual copying and pasting, as described in Text insertion and clipboard. Windows does not have this macOS permission step.
Check permissions on macOS
Open System Settings → Privacy & Security and check the relevant item:
- Microphone: allow Oudden to use the microphone.
- Accessibility: allow Oudden if you want automatic text insertion.
- Screen & System Audio Recording: check Oudden’s audio access. The name and available audio options depend on your macOS version.
Return to Oudden after changing access. If the system asks you to quit and reopen the app, first finish or save your current work, then follow that prompt. For microphone selection, use System Settings → Sound → Input.
Apple describes microphone access and Accessibility permission in its Mac guide.
Check permissions on Windows
In Windows Settings, search for Microphone privacy settings. Enable microphone access and the option that lets desktop apps access the microphone. Oudden is a desktop app, so it may not have an individual switch in the app list.
Then open System → Sound, check the input device, and try a short recording. For an external headset, check its connection and mute control too. Microsoft’s microphone permission guide explains the system switches.
If access was denied
- The permission prompt does not return: change the permission in system settings; restarting the setup screen alone may not show it again.
- The access check failed: use the retry action in Oudden. A failed check is not the same as a confirmed denial.
- Your voice is missing: check microphone access, the system input device, and mute. See Meeting recording settings.
- Only your voice appears: check computer audio access and that the other side of the call is audible on the computer.
- Text is recognized but not inserted: check Accessibility on Mac and the text insertion settings.
- A work computer blocks changes: ask the person managing the computer to check its permission policy.
If it still fails, contact support with the operating system, Oudden version, and exact error. There is no need to send a private recording.
Related guides
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