Apple to Require More Explicit Action for Full Disk Access on Mac

Granting Full Disk Access on the Mac will require very explicit user action, under additional controls Apple plans to introduce. The company described the change in a developer update published Friday, October 2, calling the permission an extraordinary level of access.

Apple says it gives developers powerful APIs backed by controls designed to protect private data. That permission largely sidesteps those controls so backup apps can function properly. Some developers, the company says, are using it in ways that could put users at risk, exposing everything on a system - including files, mail, messages and even browsing history - without users' full knowledge and understanding. For communication apps, that exposure can also compromise the privacy of the people those users are communicating with.

Addressing this is critical, it says, as AI agents become increasingly capable and autonomous, which will substantially grow the risks tied to such broad access. Apple says it is committed to ensuring users clearly understand these risks before granting such access so they can make informed decisions about their data and privacy. What those steps will involve, or when they will take effect, was not detailed.