Device Access
Your apps may need access to hardware connected to a Mac: a camera for a photo, the microphone to record a voice note, the location for maps. Glaze apps can do this, and because they are real Mac apps, every such request goes through the same permission system that protects you across the whole system.
What Apps Can Access
Because Glaze apps are real Mac apps, they can request anything macOS keeps behind a permission prompt. That spans hardware access like the camera, microphone, and screen, your location, and personal data such as Contacts, Calendar, Reminders, and Photos.
How Permission Prompts Work
You are always asked for permission access by macOS before the app gets access. The first time an app tries to use the camera, microphone, or another protected feature, macOS itself shows a permission prompt. The request comes from the operating system, not from inside the app, so you can trust what it says.
You grant or deny right there. Grant it and the feature works from then on. Because the choice is remembered, you are not asked again every time.
When a Permission Is Denied
Denying a permission does not break the app. A well-made Glaze app degrades gracefully: the feature that needed access is unavailable, and the app should explain that and keep working otherwise. If access to a specific permission is required, your app should explain why and direct users to System Settings -> Privacy & Security to grant permission.
Privacy Expectations
A few principles hold for every Glaze app:
- You consent first: No protected feature is used until you have allowed it through the system prompt.
- Data stays local where it can: Glaze apps are local-first, so what the camera captures or the microphone records stays on your machine unless the app has a clear reason to send it elsewhere.
- Access should be justified: An app should only ask for what it genuinely needs, and the reason should be obvious from what the app does.