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Treadle

Why Treadle asks for Accessibility, Screen Recording and Automation

Updated October 1, 2026

Treadle needs three macOS permissions — Accessibility, Screen Recording and Automation — each granted in System Settings under Privacy & Security with Treadle switched on. Every permission unlocks a group of actions; without one, only the actions that depend on it stop working, and Diagnostics names which to grant.

Accessibility

Treadle uses Accessibility to press keys and move windows for you. This covers opening Spotlight, locking the screen, arranging windows, and typing a snippet.

Without it, those buttons do nothing and show no error.

After you grant Accessibility, the engine restarts so the change takes effect. That is normal. (See concepts for what the engine is.)

Screen Recording

Treadle needs Screen Recording to take screenshots. macOS counts capturing the screen as recording it, even for a single still image.

Without it, screenshots come out black or empty.

Automation

Treadle needs Automation to tell other apps what to do, such as play or pause Music, quit an app, or empty the Trash.

macOS asks the first time Treadle controls each app. If you decline, that app's actions will not work until you allow it.

If a button still does nothing

A silent, do-nothing button is almost always a missing permission. Open the menu-bar popover and check Diagnostics, which names the missing permission and the fix. See A button does nothing when I press it.

Questions & answers

What happens if I skip a permission?
The actions that need it won't work, and Diagnostics tells you which permission is missing. Everything else keeps working, and you can grant it later.
Is any of this sent anywhere?
No. The permissions let the Mac app act on your Mac locally. Nothing you do in Treadle leaves your network.

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