Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about HandsOff
Installation & Setup
macOS 13 Ventura or newer, Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3) or Intel Mac, 4 GB RAM minimum (8 GB recommended for local mode), 2 GB free disk space for local model.
HandsOff will request permissions automatically on first launch. If you declined them, go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone/Accessibility and enable HandsOff.
Check Accessibility permissions in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility. Make sure HandsOff is enabled.
Go to Settings → Recognition Engine → Local whisper.cpp → Download Model. The download is ~1.5 GB.
Usage
Yes, HandsOff uses a global hotkey and works in any application where you can type.
Yes, several combinations are available in Settings → Hotkeys.
Settings → Recognition Language → select from list of 50+ languages.
Yes, in local mode (whisper.cpp). Audio never leaves your Mac.
Privacy & Security
Technically yes, but we don't recommend it (history might save). Better to disable history for such cases.
Yes, Settings → History → Clear History button.
Yes, if VPN doesn't block api.openai.com. Local mode works without internet.
Technical Issues
Force quit (Cmd+Option+Esc), restart. If issue persists, contact support with logs.
Automatically via Mac App Store or manually if direct distribution.
~/Library/Application Support/HandsOff/logs/