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Getting Started

Windows Permissions for Pluely: Microphone & Antivirus

Windows has a much lighter permission model than macOS for a desktop app like Pluely v1. The one setting you should check is microphone access. Beyond that, screenshots and system-audio capture generally work without any special grant — the more common friction on Windows comes from antivirus software or SmartScreen flagging a new installer, not from a formal permission dialog.

Microphone privacy setting

What it's for: Microphone access is required for Listen mode (transcribing your voice) and push-to-talk.

Where to check it: Open Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone. Make sure:

  • Microphone access is turned on at the top of the page.
  • Let apps access your microphone is turned on.
  • Further down, under the list of apps, Let desktop apps access your microphone is turned on — this is the one that specifically covers Pluely, since it's a traditional desktop application rather than a Microsoft Store app.

If any of these three toggles is off, Pluely can be granted everything it needs and still hear nothing.

Symptom if missing: Listen mode starts and shows no waveform movement for your voice, and your side of a conversation never appears in the transcript. Push-to-talk does nothing when held.

First-run prompt: The first time Pluely actually tries to use the microphone, Windows may show its own permission prompt for the app. Choose Allow — this writes the same setting that Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone shows.

Screenshots and system audio

Unlike macOS, Windows generally does not gate screen capture or system-audio capture behind a dedicated privacy toggle for desktop apps. Screenshot capture (full screen or region select) in Ask mode, and hearing the other side of a call in Listen mode, typically work out of the box on Windows without any extra setting to flip.

If a screenshot ever fails on Windows, it's more often a driver/display issue (for example, an unusual multi-monitor or scaling configuration) than a permissions issue — see Troubleshooting.

Antivirus and SmartScreen prompts

Because Pluely is a lightweight installer from outside the Microsoft Store, Windows' built-in protections sometimes flag it purely for being new and less common, not because anything is actually wrong:

  • SmartScreen may show "Windows protected your PC" when you run the installer. Click More info, then Run anyway to proceed.
  • Antivirus software (built-in Windows Defender or third-party) may quarantine the installer or flag it during a scan. If this happens, restore the file from quarantine and add an exception for the Pluely installer or install folder.
  • Corporate or managed machines with stricter policies may block the installer outright — in that case, ask your IT administrator to allow-list Pluely.

None of this reflects a problem with Pluely itself; it's the normal caution Windows applies to any newly downloaded executable that isn't yet widely recognized.

How to allow Pluely fully

  1. Run the installer; if SmartScreen appears, choose More info → Run anyway.
  2. If your antivirus flags the download, restore it from quarantine and add an exception, then reinstall if needed.
  3. Open Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone and confirm all three microphone toggles above are on.
  4. Launch Pluely and try Listen mode once — if Windows prompts for microphone access, choose Allow.

Last updated 2026-07-10 · pluely.com