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Tools that read your files ask permission first, and an unanswered request always defaults to deny.

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Quick Start

1

Pick an approval mode

Open Settings → Safety → Tool approval and choose ask, smart, or never.
2

Answer the card

When a tool call arrives, an approval card offers Allow, Always allow, or Deny.
3

Let silence deny

If you do nothing, the request is declined after the timeout — the default is 300 seconds.

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How It Works

Each approval carries a call_id, so a decision is bound to the specific tool call rather than to whichever prompt happens to be pending.
A malformed approval body defaults to deny, and an unanswered request defaults to deny at the timeout. Silence is never treated as consent.
The three buttons:
Setting approval_mode to never prompts a confirmation first: “Tools will read your files without asking. Continue?”

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Choosing a Mode

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Best Practices

The default ask mode surfaces every file read. Loosen to smart or never only once you trust the agent’s behaviour.
Always allow persists for the whole session per tool name. Use it for tools you re-run constantly, not one-offs.
The timeout declines unanswered requests. A shorter approval_timeout frees a stuck turn faster when you step away.

Settings Reference

Every Safety field and its default

Chat & Streaming

Where approval cards appear in a turn