ZELLAInstalling Zella & Granting Permissions
Quick answer: Move Zella.app to Applications and launch it — it appears as a menu-bar icon (no Dock window). The first time you use each feature, macOS prompts for Screen Recording, Camera, Microphone, and Speech Recognition; click Allow on each. If screen recording fails after you grant it, quit and relaunch once (the permission only applies to a fresh launch). All processing stays on your Mac.
On this page: install · the four permissions · fix permissions · symptoms · devices · low light · relaunch · FAQ
How to install and launch Zella
- Move Zella.app to your Applications folder.
- Double-click to launch. Zella runs as a menu-bar app — look for the Zella icon in the top-right menu bar (no Dock window).
- Click the icon to open the Setup panel.
“Quitting” means choosing Quit from its menu, not closing a window. Closing the Setup panel just hides it.
What permissions does Zella need?
The first time you use each capability, macOS shows a system prompt — click Allow / OK:
| Permission | When it’s asked | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Screen Recording | First screen recording | To capture your display |
| Camera | First camera preview/recording | For the webcam bubble / camera mode |
| Microphone | First recording with mic on | Narration + system-audio mixing |
| Speech Recognition | First transcribe (Captions / Remove Fillers) | On-device captions and filler removal |
All processing for these stays on your Mac — nothing is uploaded.
Important macOS quirk: Screen Recording permission only takes effect for a freshly launched app. If you grant it mid-session and recording still fails, quit Zella and relaunch once.
How to check or fix permissions
- Open System Settings → Privacy & Security.
- Visit each of: Screen Recording, Camera, Microphone, Speech Recognition.
- Make sure Zella is present and its toggle is on.
- If you just turned one on, quit and relaunch Zella.
Symptom-to-cause cheat sheet
| Symptom | Cause |
|---|---|
| Black video, audio fine | Screen Recording off (or granted mid-session → relaunch) |
| Video fine, no sound | Microphone off, or wrong input device |
| Camera bubble black | Camera off, or the room is dark |
| Captions produce nothing | Speech Recognition off, or no spoken audio |
How to choose your mic and camera
- Microphone / system audio: toggle Mic in the Setup panel. System audio mixes automatically.
- Camera device: Studio → Camera shows the active camera (built-in, Continuity, or USB).
- Speakers/headphones: Zella records your mic and system audio; it doesn’t change your output device. Wear headphones when testing sync so the mic doesn’t pick up your speakers.
Why is my camera choppy in low light?
Webcams lower their frame rate automatically in dim rooms (longer exposure per frame). If a camera preview looks choppy or a camera-only recording feels like ~1 fps, it’s almost always the room being dark, not a bug. Add light and the frame rate climbs back. Audio and sync stay correct.
How to relaunch cleanly
If Zella ever feels stuck:
- Choose Quit from the Zella menu (or right-click the menu-bar icon).
- Relaunch from Applications.
Zella autosaves and recovers in-progress recordings, so a relaunch is safe — you’ll be offered any unfinished recording to recover (chapter 22).
Permissions FAQ
Why is my Zella screen recording black? Screen Recording permission is off or was granted mid-session. Enable it in Privacy & Security and relaunch Zella.
Why is there no audio in my recording? Microphone permission is off or the wrong input is selected. Check Privacy & Security → Microphone.
Where is the Zella window? I only see a menu-bar icon. Zella is a menu-bar app — click the icon to open the Setup panel; the editor opens after you record.
Is my data private? Yes — recording, transcription, and editing happen on-device. Nothing is uploaded.
Captions aren’t generating — why? Grant Speech Recognition and make sure the clip has spoken audio.
Pro tips & gotchas
- All three permissions live in System Settings → Privacy & Security — Screen Recording, Microphone, and Camera.
- After granting Screen Recording, fully quit and reopen Zella — macOS only applies that permission on next launch.
- If a fresh build re-prompts for Screen Recording even though you granted it before, that’s a code-signature change — just grant it once more.
- Confirm the camera and mic are live in the Setup panel preview before a long take, so you don’t record the wrong device.
Related: Getting started → · Recording basics → · Troubleshooting →