Permissions
What macOS lets Switchboard Engine do, and how to fix a grant that stopped working.
macOS makes an app ask before it watches your keyboard or clicks in other apps. The grants belong to Switchboard Engine, the helper that listens and runs macros, so it is the engine you turn on in System Settings.
What's here #
Engine says whether it is running, with Start Engine when it is not. Rows only show status while it runs.
Allow Switchboard has one row per permission:
Accessibility: click buttons, read windows, press menu items. Without it those steps fail.
Input Monitoring: hear hotkeys, typed triggers and gestures. Without it they do nothing.
Screen Recording: find things by their text or picture.
Automation: AppleScript and Shortcuts steps.
Notifications: alerts when a macro needs you or fails.
Microphone: dictation. Audio stays on this Mac.
Notification triggers add a Full Disk Access row; without it Switchboard reads banners only. The Macros row lists macros whose elements, menus or apps went missing.
Secure input shows On or Off. While On, hotkeys and typed triggers wait.
Tricks #
A switch that is on while nothing works usually means macOS has a stale record. Repair resets that one permission, restarts the engine, asks again and opens the System Settings page. If no prompt appears, turn the switch on there.
Check Again runs the health check now.
The app named under secure input is a hint; macOS can credit the wrong one.