§ Direct insertion
Direct insertion
Dettivo types the polished transcript into whichever app has focus, using macOS Accessibility. Secure fields are detected and refused. Clipboard fallback runs when insertion is blocked, with a five-second undo window.
Who this is for
Anyone configuring Dettivo for a new app, debugging a "text not appearing" issue, or evaluating how Dettivo behaves in password fields and sandboxed apps.
How insertion works
When dictation finishes, Dettivo first checks the frontmost app, identifies the focused element via Accessibility, and confirms it is a text-acceptable surface. It then synthesizes keystrokes to type the transcript.
For longer transcripts, Dettivo uses a safe-paste flow: snapshot the clipboard, write the transcript, paste, restore the clipboard. The five-second undo window applies — press ⌘Z within that window and the inserted text is removed cleanly.
If Accessibility cannot reach the focused element (sandboxed app, secure field, web view that refuses), Dettivo falls back to clipboard. The transcript is on your pasteboard; paste it manually.
Apps with known insertion behavior
Native macOS apps
Mail, Notes, Messages, Safari, TextEdit, Pages, Numbers, Keynote: direct insertion.
Electron apps
Slack, Discord, Notion, Linear, Cursor, VS Code, Zed: direct insertion supported; some flows use clipboard.
Browsers
Most form fields accept direct insertion. Some web text editors (Google Docs canvas mode) require clipboard fallback.
IDEs
VS Code, Cursor, Zed, JetBrains: direct insertion preserved. Enhanced applies code-aware post-processing.
Frontmost guard + no-op rule
Dettivo snapshots which app you were dictating into. If the frontmost app changed during the dictation session, Dettivo issues a warning instead of typing — better to drop the transcript than insert it into the wrong window. The transcript remains in History and Quick Access so you can replay or paste manually.
Launching April 2026
Be first on the launch list.
Dettivo opens for new purchases in April 2026. One-time license, three Macs, lifetime updates.