Explain This support
Most setup snags are a macOS permission or setting. The answers below cover them. Still stuck? Send us a message.
Requirements
- macOS 26 or later.
- Explain and Ask need a Mac with Apple Intelligence turned on (Apple silicon). Copy, Extract and Translate work without it.
- Permissions: Screen Recording to read the region you drag, and Accessibility (optional) to read selected text.
Also see the privacy policy and the Explain This page.
Frequently asked questions
The menu-bar icon is missing
Your menu bar is full, macOS is hiding extra icons behind the camera notch, or a menu-bar manager app is hiding it. Click Explain This in the Dock to open its panel. To move the icon, hold ⌘ and drag it.
⇧⌘E shows a window picker instead of freezing the screen
Allow Explain This under System Settings › Privacy & Security › Screen & System Audio Recording, then quit and reopen it.
⌥⌘E reads my clipboard, not my selection
Allow Explain This under System Settings › Privacy & Security › Accessibility, then reopen it.
Explain or Ask says Apple Intelligence is off
Turn on Apple Intelligence in System Settings › Apple Intelligence & Siri. It needs a Mac that supports Apple Intelligence, and the model downloads once. Copy, Extract and Translate work without it.
Translate asks to download a language
Apple downloads each language once. After that, translation into that language works offline.
Can I trust the explanations?
They come from Apple's on-device model and are usually right about what a message means, but check important details. For logs, the app shows the exact lines it relied on.
How do I change the shortcuts?
Open Settings (the gear icon) › Shortcuts.
How do I restore my purchase on another Mac?
Open Settings › Purchase › Restore Purchase, signed in with the same Apple ID you bought it with.
How do I get a refund?
Apple handles refunds for App Store purchases. Request one at reportaproblem.apple.com.
Does anything I capture leave my Mac?
No. The text is read and explained on your Mac, and the app has no network access. See the privacy policy.