Settings in the Mac app

catu's Settings window is where you choose how long to keep your history, where captures go, what is never recorded and how sharing works. This page walks through each page of it, top to bottom.

Open Settings#

1. Click the catu icon in the menu bar.
2. Click “Settings…” at the bottom of the menu, or press ⌘, while the menu is open.

Opening catu again from Applications, Launchpad or Spotlight while it is running also opens Settings. While Settings is open, catu shows in the Dock and in ⌘Tab like any other app.

The sidebar lists the pages: General, Capture, Dictation, Privacy, Sharing and Shortcuts. Click the catu logo and version number at the top to see About. Changes take effect straight away; there is no Save button.

General#

History#

• “Keep the last”: how many copies your history holds, from 10 items to 49 items. The default is 30 items. When it is full, the oldest unpinned item makes room for the new one.
• “Save history on this Mac”: off by default, so your history lasts only until catu quits. Switch it on to keep it across restarts. catu asks “Save history on this Mac?” first; click “Save History” to confirm. The saved history is encrypted, kept out of Spotlight and Time Machine, and never leaves this Mac.

When you switch saving off again, catu asks “Stop saving history?”. Click “Stop Saving” and the saved copy is deleted. Your current history stays until catu quits.

Startup#

• “Launch catu at login”: starts catu every time you log in to your Mac.
• “Show the Welcome Again…”: opens the welcome window, with its permission checks. See Install catu and give it permission.

Capture#

Screenshots#

• “Saved to” shows the folder every screenshot is saved in: ~/Pictures/catu screenshots.noindex. Click “Show in Finder” to open it. Each screenshot is copied to the clipboard first, then saved here. The “.noindex” ending keeps the folder out of Spotlight.

Recordings (⇧⌘3)#

• “Saved to” shows the folder recordings are saved in: ~/Movies/catu recordings.noindex. Click “Show in Finder” to open it.
• “Recordings go” chooses where a new recording goes:
  • “To this Mac”: saved in the folder above. You can share one later if you choose.
  • “To catu while recording”: uploaded as you record, so the share link is ready the moment you stop. A copy stays on your Mac too. This needs you to be signed in, and sharing is part of the Web app plan; see Plans and billing.

The recording bar has the same switch, so you can change it for each recording. You choose the camera, microphone and system audio on the recording bar each time, and catu remembers your last choice. Recordings stop at 10 minutes. See Record your screen.

Screen text (⇧⌘5) languages#

Tick the languages you copy text in, for Copy Text from Screen. English and Spanish are ticked to begin with. At least one must stay ticked; catu says “Keep at least one language” if you try to untick the last. See Copy text from the screen.

Dictation#

The top of this page shows how dictation works: hold ⌥Space and talk, or press it twice for hands-free. It then checks the two things dictation needs, live. Each step shows a tick and “Done” when it is finished. When both are done, it says “Dictation is ready. Hold ⌥Space and talk.”

1. “Allow the microphone”: catu listens only while you hold ⌥Space, or after you press it twice. Click “Continue”.
2. “Turn on Apple Intelligence”: tidies what you say on this Mac. Click “Open Apple Intelligence” and switch it on. It may take a few minutes to get ready.

Two more cards set how your text comes out:

• “Style”: Formal (full punctuation, for email and documents) or Casual (light punctuation, like a chat message). This is the style for apps you haven't picked one in. Apps where you pressed 1 or 2 while dictating are listed under it; click “Forget” to send one back to this style.
• “Words to know”: names and terms for dictation to listen for and spell your way. Separate them with commas or put one on each line. “Also learn names from your clipboard history” adds names you copy more than once.

The dictation shortcut is set on the Shortcuts page. While this page is open, the Settings window stays in front and moves to the side of your screen, so you can see it next to System Settings. The Dictation page appears only on macOS 26 and later. More in Dictation.

Privacy#

• “Private mode”: while it is on, nothing you copy is recorded. You can also press ⌥⇧⌘P or Option-click the menu-bar icon. It turns off when catu restarts.

Never record copies from#

A list of apps whose copies catu never keeps. Password managers are on it to begin with, including 1Password, Bitwarden, KeePassXC, Strongbox, Enpass, Dashlane, Passwords and Keychain Access.

• Click “Add App…” and choose one or more apps to add them.
• Click “Remove” next to an app to take it off.
• Click “Restore Defaults” to go back to the original list.

Text that looks like a key, such as an API key, token or private key, is skipped from every app. It still pastes normally; it just isn't kept in your history. See Clipboard history.

Sharing#

Share links are part of the Web app plan. You buy the Web app plan on catu.app, never in the app. See Plans and billing.

Account#

• When you aren't signed in, click “Sign in with Apple…” to sign in.
• When you are, it shows “Signed in as” with your account, and a “Sign Out” button.

New links#

• “Screenshot links stop working after”: 7 days, 30 days (the default), 90 days or Never.
• “Recording links stop working after”: the same choices. The default is Never, so recordings keep working in documentation.

These apply to new links. You can change any link's expiry later in your Library. Links open at catu.app, and anyone who has a link can open it. See Passwords, expiry and downloads.

Shortcuts#

Every global shortcut, and the place to change them. Click a shortcut and press the new keys. Esc keeps the old one; Delete removes it. If macOS or another app already uses those keys, catu says so: pick others, or free them in System Settings › Keyboard › Keyboard Shortcuts. The full list, with the keys inside each tool, is in Keyboard shortcuts.

About#

Click the catu logo at the top of the sidebar to see the version number and a link to catu.app. Quote the version when you contact support.

Website, Support and Request a Feature#

The three links at the bottom of the sidebar open in your browser:

• “Visit Website”: catu.app.
• “Support”: the support page, to ask for help.
• “Request a Feature”: the same page, ready for your idea.

If something doesn't work#

• The Settings window is hidden behind other windows: click the catu icon and choose “Settings…” again, or switch to catu with ⌘Tab while Settings is open.
• “Launch catu at login” switches itself off, or says “Could not change Launch at Login”: check System Settings › General › Login Items & Extensions and allow catu there.
• There is no Dictation page: your Mac is on a version of macOS before 26. Dictation needs macOS 26.
• “To catu while recording” switches back to “To this Mac”: you need to be signed in. Sign in on the Sharing page, then choose it again.