Questions, answered
Is it really free?
Yes. Neatype is free to download and use — no account and no subscription.
Does my text get sent to the cloud?
No. The model runs locally on your Mac (127.0.0.1) and your text is processed on-device. Optional anonymous telemetry can be turned off entirely in Settings.
Which apps does it work in?
Any Mac app where you can select text — Mail, Slack, Notes, Safari, Chrome and more. For Electron and Chromium apps it falls back to a paste action automatically.
What do I need to install?
Nothing manual. On first launch Neatype downloads a local model runtime and model (about 3 GB) and starts it for you. Grant Accessibility once so it can read and replace your selection — and, on first launch, Automation access so corrections also work in Chrome and other Chromium/Electron apps.
What are the requirements?
macOS 13 Ventura or later, Apple Silicon or Intel, and about 3 GB of free disk for the runtime and model.
Why does macOS warn me on first launch?
Because Neatype is distributed outside the App Store and isn't notarized, macOS blocks the very first launch. Try to open it, then go to System Settings → Privacy & Security and click “Open Anyway” next to the Neatype message — confirm once and it launches normally from then on. (On older macOS you can right-click the app and choose Open.) The sure-fire alternative is to run xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /Applications/Neatype.app in Terminal.
Which languages are supported?
The app's interface is available in 13 languages (the same ones this site is in) and follows your system language by default — set it explicitly in Settings → General → Language. Grammar works in whichever language you wrote in, and translation is two-way between your native and target language set in Settings → Model.
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Setup & first launch
How big is the download, and how long does setup take?
The app itself is small. On first launch it downloads a local runtime (about 133 MB) and the model (about 2.5 GB) in the background — a few minutes once, on a normal connection. After that it starts in seconds.
Where does Neatype keep the model?
In ~/Library/Application Support/Neatype. Remove that folder to delete the runtime and model; they re-download on next launch.
Do I need to relaunch after granting Accessibility?
No. Granting Accessibility takes effect right away — Neatype picks up the new permission live and restarts itself if macOS requires it.
Why does Neatype ask for Automation access?
On first launch macOS asks for Automation access so Neatype can control System Events — that's what makes corrections work in Chrome and other Chromium/Electron apps. Grant both Accessibility and Automation in System Settings → Privacy & Security; their status is shown in Settings → General.
I already run Ollama — will Neatype download its own?
No. If a local Ollama server is already running, Neatype reuses it instead of downloading its own runtime.
Privacy & data
What exactly does telemetry send?
Anonymized metadata about a correction — mode, language codes, text length, edit distance, model, latency and success — with no user ID and no IP. By default it also includes the corrected text to improve quality. See the Privacy page for the full list.
How do I turn telemetry off?
Open Settings → General and switch it off — Neatype then sends nothing at all.
Do you store the text I correct?
Only if telemetry is on: the corrected text is sent by default to improve quality, and you can disable it. The model itself never needs to send your text anywhere — it runs locally.
Using Neatype
What are the hotkeys?
⌥⌘F fixes spelling and grammar, ⌥⌘T translates. You can also run either from the menu bar's Correct Selection.
It pasted instead of replacing — is that normal?
In Electron and Chromium apps Neatype can't write text directly, so it falls back to a paste and then restores your clipboard.
A correction came out wrong — what can I do?
Press ⌘Z to undo, or select the text and try again. A small local model can occasionally misread a heavily garbled word.
How do I choose the translate languages?
In Settings → Model, set your native and target language. Translation is two-way and picks the direction automatically.
Install, updates & performance
Does Neatype update itself?
Yes. On launch and once a day Neatype checks neatype.com/version.json; if a newer version is listed it offers to download the new .dmg and relaunch. You can also pick Check for Updates… from the menu bar. For safety, an update installs only when it's signed by the same identity.
How do I uninstall it?
Quit Neatype, move the app to the Trash, and remove ~/Library/Application Support/Neatype to delete the runtime and model.
Will it slow down my Mac?
The model only runs while it's correcting, and the local server shuts down when you quit Neatype. About 8 GB of RAM is recommended for smooth local inference.
Does Neatype start automatically when I log in?
Yes. On first run Neatype enables launch at login, so it's there in your menu bar as soon as you sign in. You can turn it off in Settings → General → Startup.
More about Neatype
Type with confidence, in every app
Free, local, and private. Download Neatype and fix or translate text anywhere on your Mac.
macOS 13 Ventura or later · Apple Silicon & Intel · ~3 GB for the local model