Apple says AI agents are a growing reason to worry about Full Disk Access on the Mac, and it plans to add new controls around the permission. Full Disk Access lets an app read nearly everything on a Mac, from files and mail to messages and browsing history.
Apple explained the change in a short post on its developer news page today. The company says some developers already use Full Disk Access in ways that put users at risk, often without users fully understanding what they have handed over. Apple has not said which version of macOS will carry the new controls or when they will arrive.
People who want to give an app this level of access will still be able to. Apple says they will only be able to do it through a very explicit action.
Apple Says AI Agents Raise the Stakes for Full Disk Access
Full Disk Access was built so backup apps can copy everything on a Mac. Apple says it largely sidesteps the privacy controls that normally limit what an app can see. On macOS, those controls run through the Transparency, Consent, and Control system, which Apple has had to patch before.
An AI agent changes who is holding that access. A backup app copies files on a schedule. An agent decides its own steps, and it can read, summarize and act on anything it can reach. Apple says the risk grows as agents become more capable and autonomous.
Meta’s Muse AI agent already has a native Mac app with file and message access. A security researcher later showed that a locally running app could hijack Muse and its account, and Safari 27 now adds an MCP server for AI coding agents, so Apple is building for this kind of software too.
Apple names four things that a Mac with Full Disk Access can expose:
- Files stored anywhere on the Mac
- Messages
- Browsing history
Communication apps carry a second problem, since mail and messages include other people whose privacy depends on the choice the Mac owner makes.
You Can Review Which Apps Have Full Disk Access Right Now
Nothing needs to wait for Apple’s new controls. The permission exists because backup apps need to copy everything, including folders like Desktop, Documents and Downloads that macOS normally protects with separate prompts. The Full Disk Access list in System Settings shows every app that holds it today.
- Open System Settings on your Mac.
- Click Privacy & Security, then Full Disk Access.
- Review the list for apps you do not recognize or no longer use, since backup tools are the main reason the permission exists.
- Switch the toggle off for an app, or select it and click the minus button to remove it from the list.
macOS asks for your password or Touch ID before it lets you change the list.
Our Take
Apple is right to name AI agents here. They are the first kind of app many people will hand broad access to on purpose, and that makes the old “grant it and forget it” habit a bigger problem. A short developer post leaves a lot unanswered, so it’ll be interesting to see the prompt that people get when they grant Full Disk Access and whether it explains what an agent could do with everything it reads.
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