Enter screenshot mode explicitly
In Actions → Screenshot OCR → gear, configure a two- or three-key combination. Use that shortcut, the menu-bar Screenshot OCR command, or the widget action, then drag a region containing text. The old hold-key gesture is removed; configure the new shortcut when upgrading.
OCR does not keep a global mouse interceptor active while waiting for you to start. Normal dragging in other apps should not enter screenshot mode.
Balanced or More Accurate
Balanced favors quick recognition. More Accurate gives macOS Live Text additional time to recover formatting such as punctuation, list markers, and table-like columns, with a bounded fallback. It cannot guarantee perfect formatting: small type, low contrast, and complex layouts still need review. Recognition stays on your Mac.
Review, edit, or copy
Choose a result popup or Copy to Clipboard in the action settings. In the popup, correct recognized text before copying or playing it. Optional playback uses local macOS speech voices. No online recognition service is needed.
Leave screenshot mode
Press Escape or right-click to cancel. Disabling Screenshot OCR on the Actions page, or pausing ActionClip, cancels capture and disables OCR listening immediately; no restart is required.
If capture is blocked
Use Open Settings in the error card and allow ActionClip under macOS Privacy & Security → Screen Recording (wording varies by macOS). macOS may require quitting and reopening ActionClip. Accessibility is also needed for ActionClip's selected-text workflows. If recognition is empty, retry with a larger, clearer region.