# Troubleshooting

Most issues come down to permissions, sign-in, or an unsupported field. Here are
the common ones and how to fix them.

## Where to find BlinkWrite

BlinkWrite runs from the **menu bar**, not in the Dock. There's no main window
to look for.

![Where to find BlinkWrite on macOS: the menu bar runs along the top of the screen. BlinkWrite's eye icon is highlighted on the right, among the status icons.](/docs/images/menu-bar-guide.svg)

The menu bar is the strip at the **very top of your screen**. On the **left**:
the Apple menu and app menus. On the **right**: status icons (Wi-Fi, battery,
the clock, and others). **BlinkWrite** is the small eye icon
![BlinkWrite eye icon](/docs/images/blinkwrite-icon.svg) on the right (highlighted
above). Click it to open the menu.

## Suggestions aren't appearing

Work through these in order:

1. **Is BlinkWrite paused?** Click **BlinkWrite's eye icon** in the menu bar
   (top right of your screen) and check the menu. If you see **Pause** as an
   option, BlinkWrite is running. If you see **Resume** instead, it's paused.
   Click **Resume** to turn it back on.
2. **Are both permissions granted?** Open **System Settings →
   Privacy & Security** and confirm BlinkWrite is turned on under both
   **Accessibility** and **Screen Recording**. Both are required. Without them,
   BlinkWrite can't read context.
3. **Are you signed in with an active trial or subscription?** Click
   **BlinkWrite's eye icon** in the menu bar to check. The assistant is off if
   there's no active plan. See [Billing & plans](/docs/billing-and-plans).
4. **Give it a moment.** Completions and corrections appear when you *pause*
   typing; proactive drafts appear a moment after you focus an empty reply box.

## Rephrasing isn't triggering

Rephrasing is a **double-tap of Tab**: press Tab twice in quick succession. If
only a single accept happens, try tapping the two presses a little faster. Make
sure there's text in the field to rephrase. See
[how rephrasing works](/docs/suggestions#4-rephrasing).

## The rephrase mode shortcuts do nothing

**Shift + 1** through **Shift + 5** select modes only while the rephrase dialog
is open. Double-tap **Tab** in your paragraph first. Then click a mode or use
its shortcut. The modes are **Shorten**, **Improve**, **Formal**, **Friendly**,
and **Custom**, in that order.

## The rephrase dialog shows a checkmark instead of Tab

The preview matches the text in your app. BlinkWrite keeps the phrase visible
in the inactive text color and shows a checkmark because there is no change to apply.
You can try another mode or enter Custom instructions.

## Custom instructions do not submit

Click **Custom** below the result to open the instruction field beneath the modes.
The field needs instructions before you can submit it. The limit is
**1,000 characters**. Enter a shorter instruction, then press **Enter** or click
the arrow button. The cursor stays in the field so you can revise the instructions.

## A suggestion accepted when I only meant to indent / move focus

A single **Tab** accepts the suggestion that's currently showing. If no
suggestion is visible, Tab behaves normally. Press **Esc** first to dismiss a
suggestion, then Tab will act as usual.

## Proactive drafts aren't showing in a conversation

Proactive drafts appear when the reply box is **empty** and there's a message
waiting for your response. BlinkWrite intentionally holds back when a reply
doesn't make sense, for example when the last message was sent by you, or the
message isn't directed at you.

## I want to turn BlinkWrite off temporarily

Click **BlinkWrite's eye icon** in the menu bar (top right of your screen) and
choose **Pause**. Choose **Resume** to turn it back on. See
[Controls & shortcuts](/docs/controls-and-shortcuts).

## Still stuck?

Reach out to support with your macOS version, the app you were using, and a
description of what happened.