macOS Permission Not Properly Acquired Issue and Solution

Explaining the issue where unsigned apps on macOS 15.5 show permission dialogs every time but cannot retain permissions, and its solution.

Problem Overview

I encountered an issue with the built version of Voice Typer app where permission dialogs were not appearing at all.

The Issue

Normal Behavior (Expected)

On first launch only:

Microphone permission dialog should appear
Accessibility permission request should be displayed
User grants permissions, enabling voice recognition and text input

Actual Behavior (Problem)

In the unsigned built app:

Permission dialogs appear every time the app starts
Even after granting permission, they appear again on next launch
System Settings doesn't retain the permissions
As a result, users must grant permissions every time, making it impractical

Solution

To resolve this issue, you need to enroll in the Apple Developer Program and properly sign and notarize your application.

For unsigned macOS applications, permission dialogs will appear but permissions cannot be properly acquired due to security restrictions.

Important: This applies even to developers building apps solely for their own use. The permission issues after building will still occur.

Detailed Instructions

For detailed instructions on macOS signing and notarization for Electron apps, please refer to:

Key Points for Signing and Notarizing macOS Apps with Electron

Personal Reflection

To be honest, I wasn't certain that paying $99 per year would actually solve the problem. I doubted whether the permission dialogs not appearing might be caused by something else, and I spent countless hours reviewing code and checking build configurations.

However, after enrolling in the Apple Developer Program and implementing signing and notarization, the problem was resolved instantly. The relief I felt when the app started showing permission dialogs as expected and began working properly is something I still remember clearly.

Through this experience, here's what I want to share with fellow developers facing the same issue:

Signing and notarization are truly necessary
Most permission dialog issues will be resolved by this
The $99 investment is far more valuable than wasting countless hours

If you're facing the same problem, I strongly recommend enrolling in the Apple Developer Program without hesitation.

Also, since you'll need to pay $99 eventually to release your app, I recommend creating your account with some time to spare rather than waiting until just before release.

Summary

When distributing apps that require permissions on macOS, enrollment in the Apple Developer Program and proper signing/notarization are mandatory. Without these procedures, permission dialogs will not appear and the app will not function properly.