Apple Tightens macOS Full Disk Access Controls as AI Agent Risks Grow

Apple says it will introduce additional controls around macOS “Full Disk Access,” a setting originally designed to let tools like backup apps function properly. The company says increasingly capable AI agents raise the risks tied to granting apps this level of access. The change is focused on making sure users understand when an app can reach sensitive data across their Mac.

Full Disk Access can give an app permission to access files, mail, messages, and browsing history. Desktop-based AI agents may need broader system access to act on a user’s behalf, but that same access can expose personal content if users do not fully understand what they are approving. Apple said some developers are using Full Disk Access in ways that could put users at risk by exposing everything on their systems without full user knowledge and understanding.

The move follows a report from Inc. columnist Jason Aten claiming Meta’s Muse app on Mac knew the content of his private messages, a claim Meta disputed. TechCrunch also cited a Wired report saying a flaw in ChatGPT’s Mac app could have allowed hackers to access sensitive data. Together, the reports underscore why permissions that once seemed routine for utility software are being reevaluated in the AI agent era.

Apple says future access to this “extraordinary level” of permission should require “very explicit user action.” For users, the practical takeaway is to treat Full Disk Access as a high-risk permission and review which apps have it enabled. For developers, Apple’s message is clear: broad access needs stronger justification, clearer consent, and better user understanding.