Install & permissions

Sealshot is a privacy-first screenshot and screen-recording app for macOS. Everything — capture, recording, text recognition, redaction, AI metadata, search — runs on your Mac. Nothing you capture is uploaded, there’s no account, and there’s no telemetry.

Requirements

Sealshot runs on macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later, on both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs (universal binary).

Everything core works the same on both: capture, recording, the editor, OCR and search, and Smart Redaction’s built-in detectors. Two extras need newer hardware — the enhanced redaction model requires an Apple Silicon Mac, and the Apple Intelligence features (generated summaries, smart search, Thorough scan) require macOS 26 on an Apple Intelligence-capable Mac. On Intel, Sealshot automatically uses its built-in on-device processing instead. See Which Macs run what.

Install

1. Download the latest .dmg from seal-shot.com.
2. Open the .dmg and drag Sealshot into your Applications folder.
3. Launch Sealshot from Applications.

Drag Sealshot into Applications to install.

Direct downloads are signed and notarized by Apple, so they launch without Gatekeeper warnings, and they update themselves automatically via Sparkle.

Sealshot starts with a 14-day free trial — no account needed. After it, everything you’ve already captured stays fully viewable, editable, and exportable; a license is only needed for new captures. See Settings → License.

Grant Screen Recording permission

The first time you capture, macOS asks for Screen Recording permission — every screenshot app needs it. Sealshot uses it only while you’re taking a capture, and the pixels never leave your Mac.

If you missed the prompt, enable it manually in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Screen Recording, then relaunch Sealshot.

Turn on Sealshot under Screen Recording, then relaunch.

Two more permissions, only if you use them

Scrolling capture’s automatic mode needs Accessibility permission so Sealshot can scroll the page for you, and recording your voice needs Microphone permission. You’ll be prompted the first time you use each.

Settings → Permissions shows the live status of all three, each with a button straight to the right System Settings pane.

Next: the parts of Sealshot.