Maccy permissions explained (Accessibility & Full Disk)

Accessibility — the one permission Maccy uses

macOS gates the ability to simulate keystrokes behind Accessibility. Maccy uses it for one purpose: to press paste in the app you are using when you choose an item from your history. Grant it in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility.

It is not used to watch your screen, read other apps, or log your activity — and because Maccy is open source, you can verify that in the code. If you decline, Maccy still works: it copies the item to the clipboard and you press ⌘ V yourself.

Does Maccy need Full Disk Access?

No. Maccy stores its history in its own application-support folder and does not require Full Disk Access to function. If something prompts you for it, you can decline — normal clipboard operation does not depend on it. (If you ever add an app to an ignore list or work with sandboxed apps, the standard Accessibility grant still covers Maccy’s needs.)

Why permissions get reset

Major macOS updates sometimes disable previously granted permissions. If Maccy stops pasting after an update, re-grant Accessibility — this is the most common post-update issue. Full fix: Maccy not working after a macOS update.

How to grant or revoke

1. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility.
2. Toggle Maccy on to grant, off to revoke.
3. If it behaves oddly, remove Maccy with the minus button and re-add it with the plus button, then relaunch.

Permissions and your privacy

Minimal permissions are part of why Maccy rates well on privacy: one permission, used for one obvious purpose, in fully auditable code. See the full security review and why it is among the most secure clipboard managers.

The two permission requests from Maccy

Maccy may ask for two types of permission. Here is exactly what each one does, why it is needed, and whether you can decline it.

Accessibility permission — required for pasting

What it does: Accessibility permission allows Maccy to send keyboard events to other apps. Specifically, it lets Maccy press Cmd+V on your behalf when you select an item in the history window.

Why it is required: Without Accessibility permission, Maccy can capture your clipboard history but cannot paste items back — pressing Return in the history window would do nothing.

What it does NOT allow: Maccy cannot read the screen content of other apps, cannot see what you type, and cannot access any data beyond what you explicitly paste. Accessibility permission in macOS is scoped — Maccy uses only the “send keystrokes” capability.

How to grant it: System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility → toggle Maccy on.

Can you decline it? You can decline it, but Maccy will only capture history — you would need to manually Cmd+V after copying from Maccy’s window. Most users want the full paste experience.

Full Disk Access — NOT required

Maccy does not require Full Disk Access. If macOS prompts you for Full Disk Access for Maccy, decline it. Maccy does not need to read files on your disk — it only monitors the clipboard. A legitimate Maccy install will never need this permission.

If you see a prompt for Full Disk Access, verify you downloaded Maccy from maccymanager.com/download or github.com/p0deje/Maccy. A modified version asking for excess permissions would be a red flag.

Network access — not requested

Maccy does not request network permissions because it makes zero network connections during normal operation. Clipboard history stays on your device. The only network activity is optional iCloud sync, which uses macOS’s built-in iCloud infrastructure, not Maccy’s own network code.

Security audit perspective

Maccy is open source. The permission handling code is publicly visible at github.com/p0deje/Maccy and can be audited by any security researcher or enterprise IT team before deployment. For organisations that perform software security reviews, this is one of Maccy’s major advantages over closed-source clipboard managers.