What permissions Mac notch apps ask for, and how to review them
At a glance
| App | Price | Requirements | Good fit for |
|---|---|---|---|
| NotchStar | $4 once, up to 3 Macs, 7 day trial | macOS 14 or later | Asks for four permissions: Calendars, Reminders, Camera and Automation. Each is requested the first time the tool that needs it is used. |
| Droppy | $9.99 once | macOS 14 or later | Its permissions page lists eleven, each tied to a feature and each requested only when that feature is on. |
| Atoll | Not stated | macOS 14 or later | The README says: Accessibility, Camera, Calendar, Screen Recording, Music, as needed. |
| Brow | Free, Pro $4.99 a month or $49 a year | macOS 14 or later | Its privacy policy names Accessibility, Screen Recording, Microphone and Automation. |
| NotchNook | Pro $19 once or $3 a month | Not stated on this page | Its FAQ says it asks for a few permissions only for the features that need them, and names Calendar and camera as examples. |
| Boring Notch | Free | macOS 14 or later | The README lists no permissions. Release notes mention Accessibility for notification mirroring. |
| Notchi | Free | macOS 15 or later | The README lists no macOS permissions and says a keychain prompt appears for usage stats. |
Prices and availability were checked on 5 November 2026. Verify the linked product page before buying.
A notch app needs only the permissions its tools need, and most pages list them differently or not at all. NotchStar asks for four: Calendars, Reminders, Camera and Automation. Droppy lists eleven, Atoll five and Brow four, each tied to features. This guide sets out what each app says it needs, with “not stated” wherever its page is silent, then explains what each permission allows and how to revoke it. Everything about other apps comes from their own pages, read on 5 November 2026.
The matrix
“Stated” means the app’s own page names the permission. “Not stated” means the page I read does not name it, which is not the same as no.
| App | Accessibility | Screen Recording | Calendars | Reminders | Camera | Automation | Full Disk | Notifications | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NotchStar | No | No | Stated | Stated | Stated | Stated | No | No | No |
| Droppy | Stated | Stated | Stated | Stated | Stated | Stated | Stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Atoll | Stated | Stated | Stated | Not stated | Stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Brow | Stated | Stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| NotchNook | Not stated | Not stated | Named | Not stated | Named | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Boring Notch | Release notes only | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Notchi | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Vibe Notch, Tuneful, NotchPop, NotchBox | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Notes on the cells:
- NotchStar. The four permissions are the full list, per the NotchStar safety guide. Calendar and Reminders power the Calendar tool, Camera powers the Mirror, and Automation lets Home and Now Playing control Music and Spotify.
- Droppy. Its permissions page also lists System Audio Recording, Input Monitoring, Microphone, Bluetooth and Contacts. It says each is requested only when a feature that needs it is switched on, and that Full Disk Access is “needed by a few features that read outside the sandbox’s reach.” Notifications and Location do not appear on the page.
- Atoll. Its README says “Permissions as needed: Accessibility, Camera, Calendar, Screen Recording, Music.”
- Brow. Its privacy policy names Accessibility for global hotkeys, window management and text transformations, Screen Recording for screenshots and recordings, Microphone for dictation only, and Automation for app launching and system commands. Calendars, Camera, Full Disk Access, Notifications and Location do not appear.
- NotchNook. Its FAQ says the app asks for a few permissions, only for the features that need them, and that anything you skip leaves that feature off.
- Boring Notch. The README lists none. Its release notes for 2.8 release candidate 0 say notification mirroring checks Accessibility authorization.
- Notchi. The README lists no macOS permission, but says a keychain prompt appears, used for API usage stats, and you can choose Always Allow.
- The others. Their pages and listings, including the Mac App Store listings for Tuneful and NotchBox, do not list permissions. Tuneful’s release notes mention improved permission handling for Apple Music and Spotify without naming the permissions.
What each permission allows
- Accessibility. Lets an app work with your Mac’s interface and receive global shortcuts. Droppy says it uses it to place its overlay and read recorded shortcuts. This is a broad permission, so ask why a notch app needs it.
- Screen Recording. Lets an app read what is on your screen. Droppy says it uses it to blend with your wallpaper and for capture features, and Brow says it uses it for screenshots and recordings.
- Calendars and Reminders. Let an app read your events and tasks. NotchStar reads them through macOS and does not copy or upload them.
- Camera. Lets an app use the camera. NotchStar’s Mirror shows a live preview while its tab is open and records nothing.
- Automation. Lets an app send commands to another app, such as pausing Music or Spotify. macOS asks per target app.
- Full Disk Access. Lets an app read folders macOS protects. It gives broad read access, and Droppy marks it as needed by only a few features.
- Notifications and Location. None of the apps above state needing either.
How to review or revoke permissions
Apple’s pages tell you where. Open the Apple menu, choose System Settings, click Privacy & Security in the sidebar (you may need to scroll), then pick a category. Apple’s page on accessibility access says to turn permission on or off for any app in the list, and its page on Screen & System Audio Recording gives the same pattern. Apple’s privacy settings page says apps ask the first time they want to use something and that you can adjust access later. It names Files & Folders, Location, Camera and Microphone as examples.
These three pages show macOS 27, Tahoe 26 and Sequoia 15 in their version selector, and the accessibility and screen recording pages list older versions as well. The text does not say which version it describes, and menu wording changes between versions. If your Mac shows different labels, look for the category named in the permission prompt.
Review in three steps:
- Open each category and read the app list.
- Switch off any app whose tool you no longer use.
- Open the app and confirm the tool asks again when you next use it, or stays off.
For a wider check on an app you are unsure about, use the privacy checklist and read the safest notch apps comparison. To see what data the same apps say they collect, read apps that collect no data.
Sources
All read on 5 November 2026.
- NotchStar: Is NotchStar safe.
- Droppy permissions, Atoll README, Brow privacy policy and NotchNook FAQ.
- Boring Notch README, Boring Notch releases, Notchi README and Vibe Notch README.
- Tuneful, Tuneful on the Mac App Store, NotchBox on the Mac App Store and NotchPop.
- Apple: Control access to your privacy settings, Allow accessibility apps to access your Mac and Control access to screen and system audio recording.
