Permissions
PastePal needs a few system permissions to work correctly. Each one covers a different part of how the app interacts with macOS.
Accessibility
PastePal uses Accessibility permission to send a paste signal to the active app when you select a clip. Without it, PastePal can copy to your clipboard but cannot trigger the paste action automatically.
To grant it:
- Open System Settings
- Go to Privacy & Security > Accessibility
- Enable PastePal, or click + to add it from the Applications folder
Screen Recording
Screen Recording permission is required for the Capture Text feature, which lets you draw a region on screen to extract text from any visible content. PastePal only captures when you explicitly trigger the action; it does not record your screen continuously.
To grant it:
- Open System Settings
- Go to Privacy & Security > Screen Recording
- Enable PastePal
Pasteboard (macOS 15.4 and later)
Starting with macOS 15.4, the system restricts which apps can access the pasteboard without prompting. If PastePal is not allowed, macOS will show a permission popup each time it reads the clipboard, which interrupts normal use.
To allow seamless access:
- Open System Settings
- Go to Privacy & Security > Paste from Other Apps
- Set PastePal to Allow
This setting only applies to macOS Sequoia 15.4 and later.