Troubleshooting: messages, permissions and undo

When Mainspring can't do something, it says so in an orange banner across the top of the window, whichever screen you're on. Here's what the common messages mean and what to do.

The warning banner

It appears at the top of the window — just below the trial strip, if you're on the trial — with a short explanation and a Dismiss button. It also clears by itself the next time an action succeeds.

Common messages

“Mainspring needs Accessibility permission to move your windows…”

From Tidy windows, or a recipe or scene that includes it. Open System Settings › Privacy & Security › Accessibility, turn on Mainspring, and try again. Nothing was changed.

“Safari keeps these settings in its own private folder…” (or TextEdit)

Grant Full Disk Access — see the Allow… button.

A message containing “User canceled.”

A power setting or the lock-screen message needed your administrator password and the prompt was cancelled. Nothing changed. Try again — or reinstall Mainspring so its helper is in place and you won't be asked.

“Mainspring doesn't have a record of what these settings were before this recipe was applied…”

Mainspring won't guess when reverting an old recipe. Switch its power-ups off individually, or use Reset to macOS defaults — see Apply and revert a recipe.

“Couldn't lock input for Clean Mode. Please try again.”

See Clean Mode — usually the Accessibility permission.

“Keep it to 120 characters or fewer.” or “Quotes, backslashes, backticks and $ aren't allowed.”

The lock-screen message rules.

Permissions some features need

Undo anything

• A recipe — Revert restores your previous values.
• A power-up — switch it off to return to macOS's standard setting.
• Everything at once — open On now and work down the list.
• Tools with their own cards — each has its own off switch, Reset, Clear or ×.

Changes stay in place if you quit or delete Mainspring, so undo anything you don't want to keep before you remove the app.

A change didn't show up

• Some power-ups only take effect after you log out and back in — the power-up reference marks which.
• Some apps read a setting only when they start. Quit the app and open it again.
• If the Dock, Finder or menu bar still hasn't caught up, log out and back in.

Still stuck?

Email hello@trymainspring.com — the address is also at the bottom of Mainspring's sidebar. Tell us your Mac, your macOS version and what the banner said.