Installation

Installation Guide

This guide will help you install Clipboard Recast on your macOS system.

Note

The distribution method for Clipboard Recast is currently being finalized. The app is available for installation via DMG file, with additional distribution options (Mac App Store, Homebrew) being evaluated.

System Requirements

Before installing, ensure your system meets these requirements:

• macOS 13.0 (Ventura) or later
• An API key from one of the supported AI providers

Installing via DMG

Step 1: Download the DMG

Download the latest Clipboard Recast DMG file from the releases page.

Step 2: Open the DMG

1. Locate the downloaded .dmg file in your Downloads folder
2. Double-click the DMG file to mount it
3. A new window will open showing the Clipboard Recast application

Step 3: Install the Application

1. Drag the Clipboard Recast icon to the Applications folder
2. Wait for the copy to complete
3. Eject the DMG by clicking the eject button in Finder

Step 4: First Launch

Because Clipboard Recast is distributed outside the Mac App Store and is not yet notarized by Apple, macOS Gatekeeper will block it on first launch. There are two ways to get past this.

Option A — Terminal (recommended, works every time):

Open Terminal and run:

xattr -cr /Applications/ClipboardRecast.app

Then double-click the app normally. It will open without any warning.

Option B — Right-click workaround:

1. Open your Applications folder
2. Right-click (or Control-click) on Clipboard Recast and select Open
3. Click Open in the security dialog that appears

If you see “can’t be opened” with no Open option

On macOS Ventura and Sonoma, Apple tightened Gatekeeper so the right-click workaround may not appear for unsigned apps. If right-clicking → Open doesn’t work, use the Terminal command in Option A above — it reliably removes the quarantine flag that macOS attaches to downloaded files.

Step 5: Grant Permissions

When you first launch Clipboard Recast, you’ll need to grant it certain permissions:

1. Accessibility Access: Required for the global hotkey (Cmd+Shift+A)

   • Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility
   • Enable Clipboard Recast in the list

2. Clipboard Access: Required to monitor and transform clipboard content

   • The app will request this permission on first use
   • Click “Allow” when prompted

Verifying Installation

After installation, you should see the Clipboard Recast icon in your menu bar (top-right corner of your screen). The icon looks like a clipboard.

Next Steps

Now that Clipboard Recast is installed, proceed to First-Time Setup to configure your AI provider and start using the app.

Uninstalling

To uninstall Clipboard Recast:

1. Quit the app from the menu bar icon
2. Move Clipboard Recast from Applications to Trash
3. (Optional) Remove stored preferences:

   defaults delete com.clipboardrecast.app

Troubleshooting Installation

App doesn’t open / “can’t be opened” error

This is a macOS Gatekeeper block. Run this in Terminal to fix it:

xattr -cr /Applications/ClipboardRecast.app

Then try launching the app again. See Step 4 above for full details.

Icon doesn’t appear in menu bar

• Check Activity Monitor to confirm the app is running
• Try quitting and relaunching the app
• Check System Settings > General > Login Items

For more help, see the Troubleshooting section.