Apple plans tighter Full Disk Access controls, citing AI agents
Apple says it will add controls to Full Disk Access on macOS because AI agents raise the risks. It has not said when the change will arrive or how it works.
On 2 October 2026, Apple said it will add controls to Full Disk Access, the macOS setting that gives an app broad reach across a Mac. In a post on its developer site, Apple said the setting largely sidesteps its usual privacy controls so that backup apps can work. It said some developers use the access in ways that could expose files, mail, messages and browsing history without users fully understanding. Apple said granting it should require "very explicit user action".
Apple gave no date and no details of how the controls will work. It named no apps or developers.
Why it matters
Apple tied the change directly to AI agents, saying the risks of this access will grow as agents become more capable and autonomous. An agent with Full Disk Access can read far more than the task in front of it needs, and it can also be misled by prompt injection, where hidden instructions in content steer its behaviour.
TechCrunch reported that the announcement came days after a journalist said Meta's Muse app on Mac had read his private messages without permission. Meta disputed that claim. TechCrunch later added a correction saying the change is about informed consent, not a new limit on permissions.
Not everyone reads the plan the same way. MacStories called the post vague and pointed out that many ordinary Mac apps also use this access, not just backup tools. It is not yet clear what will change for those apps.
What you can do
- Open System Settings, then Privacy & Security, then Full Disk Access, and read the list.
- Turn off anything you do not recognise or no longer use. Some apps may lose features, so turn access back on if you need it.
- Be careful with terminal apps. Commands and tools started from a terminal may inherit its access, including command line agents.
- Give new agents low-risk tasks first, and only the services they need. The Eclectic Light Company advises against granting Full Disk Access to agents like Muse until Apple has addressed the issue.
- If you manage Macs for a small team, write down which apps need this access and why.
Prycheck can list which AI apps on your Mac hold Full Disk Access and other permissions, if you would rather not check each setting by hand.
Sources
- Apple: Updates to Full Disk Access in macOS
- TechCrunch: Apple tightening Full Disk Access controls
- MacRumors: Full Disk Access changes
- MacStories: new Full Disk Access controls
- The Eclectic Light Company: Privacy, Full Disk Access and AI agents
Source: Apple Developer