Approvals
Default, auto-approval, and bypass-approval. What each level still stops.
Every risky tool call can wait for you. Spirit has three approval levels. Desktop shows them as Default Approval, Auto Approval, and Bypass Approval. The CLI uses /approval or -a.
| Level | Id | Behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Default Approval | default | You approve file edits, shell, and other high-risk tools yourself. |
| Auto Approval | auto-approval | A lightweight model reviews high-risk calls. You are not prompted unless that review (or a hook) asks. |
| Bypass Approval | bypass-approval | High-risk tools run without the approval prompt. |
What bypass does not skip
bypass-approval still stops for:
- ask_questions
- Extension flows that need questions
- A hook that returns
askonpreToolUse
Auto-approval also cannot override a hook ask.
When to use which
Stay on default until you have seen the agent make a few good edits. Use auto-approval when you want speed but still want a second check. Use bypass only on a throwaway branch or a task you are watching.
Headless spirit -p fails if a call needs approval. Pass -a auto-approval or -a bypass-approval, or use the TUI.