Permissions

drifty checks the desktop permissions needed to see focus and drift patterns. Everything it reads is processed for your own timeline.

macOS Accessibility

Accessibility is required to complete setup and capture window titles. App-level tracking can continue later if access is turned off, but the timeline then knows the app, not the window.

To grant access:

1. Open System Settings.
2. Go to Privacy & Security.
3. Open Accessibility.
4. Enable drifty.

If Accessibility is denied after setup:

• tracking still works at the app level
• window titles stay empty
• classification has less context to work with

During development, the process may be launched from Terminal, so Terminal itself may need Accessibility access.

Windows

Windows does not use the macOS Accessibility permission flow. drifty captures foreground app and available window context through Windows APIs. If context is missing, restart drifty and check Tracking issues rather than looking for a macOS-style permission toggle.

Notifications

Notifications are optional, and tracking does not depend on them. They carry the day review, the system notifications you turn on next to drift alerts, and setup alerts.

On Mac, macOS asks once before drifty can send notifications: the first time drifty sends one, or when you choose Allow notifications in Settings → General → Permissions. That row also shows whether notifications are on for drifty. Windows allows drifty’s notifications by default. To turn them off or change their style, use System Settings → Notifications on Mac or Settings → System → Notifications on Windows; the Permissions row opens that page for you.

Safari history

Safari history import is a Mac-only option and needs Full Disk Access. It can fill in recent browser context from the last 48 hours. Live tracking does not require it.

Screen recording (optional)

Screen recording is off unless you turn it on. It is the last row of Settings → General → Permissions and of the setup’s permission step. On Mac, Allow asks macOS for Screen Recording; once it is allowed, drifty saves the screen of supported apps (TextEdit and Preview on Mac, Notepad on Windows) so you can click an activity and see that screen again. Windows has no such permission, so the row offers Turn on.

Saved screens stay on your computer and are deleted after 24 hours. You can view or delete them in Settings → Privacy & Data, and they are not sent to AI. While recording is on, a Screen recording indicator sits at the top of the window; turn it off there or from the same Permissions row.

What drifty does not ask for

Unless you turn on screen recording, drifty does not save screenshots or screen images. Foreground audio activity, when used, is a local on/off probe of the frontmost app. It does not tap the microphone, record system audio, or read audio content.