Grok Bot runs commands on your Mac only after you turn on local commands and approve them, and your Mac stays separate from the bot's cloud computer.
All Grok Bot questions: https://www.soundminds.ai/faq.
Last updated Oct 13, 2026
Asked on X: https://x.com/william40152988/status/2109347603871584323
Grok Bot can use your Mac, with limits. It runs commands on your Mac only after you turn on local commands and approve them, and your Mac stays separate from the bot's cloud computer.
The docs put it this way: "A Bot only runs commands on your local computer when that capability is enabled and you approve it under your local-computer policy." The troubleshooting page also says: "Cloud-computer work and local-computer work use different permissions."
Step 1: In Grok Bot, open Settings > General > Bot > Execution on Local Computer.
Step 2: Choose Ask every time, Always allow, or Never allow. The default is Ask every time.
Once your account has a registered computer, the local-computer setting moves to Settings > Computer > Computers, where each computer has its own.
Step 3: The first time the bot asks to run a command on your Mac, the chat shows "Allow Grok Bot and all Bots to run commands on your local computer?" I'd start with Allow once, the careful way to try local commands. Always allow and Never apply to every Bot.
The docs advise: "Keep local access disabled unless the task specifically requires files or commands on the computer in front of you." The local-computer settings don't stop the bot from using its cloud computer, and the docs don't say if the bot can drive your Mac's screen.
When cloud tasks don't finish, the docs don't name a cause, but they have a checklist for when a Bot appears stuck.
Step 4: Open the bot's cloud computer and see whether the bot is waiting on a page.
Step 5: Look for a question, approval, login, CAPTCHA, or secret request.
Step 6: If the approach is wrong, send a short redirect, or send "Stop now" to end the task. The same page says a computer-use task already running on a Bot's screen may need to finish or be redirected before another can start.
If local work is refused, the troubleshooting page says to review your local-computer policy.
If a task still stalls after these steps, note what the bot's screen showed when it stopped.
We collected these first-hand reports from X. They are not official and we couldn't verify them.
These are workarounds people found, not documented fixes, and connection reliability is still improving. We'd start by updating the app, keeping the computer awake, and keeping the app window open.
xAI docs, Computer and apps: https://docs.x.ai/grok-bot/computer-and-apps#your-local-computer-is-separate
A Bot only runs commands on your local computer when that capability is enabled and you approve it under your local-computer policy.
The Grok Bot cloud computer is separate from the Mac or Windows computer in front of you.
xAI docs, Approvals, security, and privacy: https://docs.x.ai/grok-bot/approvals-security-and-privacy#control-access-to-your-local-computer
In Settings → General → Bot → Execution on Local Computer, choose Ask every time, Always allow, or Never allow.
The default is Ask every time.
Once your account has registered computers, the choice moves to Settings → Computer → Computers, where each computer has its own Execution on this computer setting.
The first time a Bot asks to run a command on your computer, the conversation shows Allow Grok Bot and all Bots to run commands on your local computer? with Always allow, Allow once, Never, and Deny once (Esc).
Always allow and Never set Execution on Local Computer for every Bot, and you can change the setting later in Settings.
These settings do not prevent the Bot from using its cloud computer.
xAI docs, Troubleshooting: https://docs.x.ai/grok-bot/troubleshooting#local-computer-work-is-refused
Cloud-computer work and local-computer work use different permissions.
Open Settings → General → Bot → Execution on Local Computer (or the computer's row under Settings → Computer → Computers) and review the policy.
Keep local access disabled unless the task specifically requires files or commands on the computer in front of you.
xAI docs, Troubleshooting: https://docs.x.ai/grok-bot/troubleshooting#a-bot-appears-stuck
Open the computer to see whether the Bot is waiting on a page.
Look for a question, approval, login, CAPTCHA, or secret request.
Send a short redirect if the current approach is wrong.
Send a direct “Stop now” message if the work should end.
A computer-use task already active on that Bot's screen may need to finish or be redirected before another one can start.
See how I set up Grok Bot: https://www.soundminds.ai/setup.