Summary
Apple says it will add controls requiring users to take explicit action before granting apps Full Disk Access in macOS. The company cites the permission’s reach into private data and growing risks from more capable AI agents.
Apple said on October 2, 2026, that it will introduce additional controls for Full Disk Access in macOS. Under the planned change, users will need to take “very explicit” action before granting an app this level of access. Apple says the change is intended to help users understand the privacy risks before making that choice.
Why Full Disk Access carries unusual risk
Full Disk Access allows an app to reach data that macOS otherwise protects. Apple says the permission largely sidesteps those controls so backup apps can function properly. But its broad reach can include files, mail, messages and browsing history.
Apple says some developers use the permission in ways that could expose this information without users fully understanding what they have allowed. For communication apps, the company also warns that access to stored conversations can affect the privacy of the people users communicate with.
Apple connects the change to AI agents
The company says the risks could grow as AI agents become more capable and autonomous. An agent with broad access to a Mac could have a wider path to private information than an app with more limited permissions. That is Apple’s rationale for making the grant decision more deliberate; the announcement does not describe specific incidents involving AI agents.
Apple describes the controls as forthcoming. Its announcement does not give a rollout date or explain how the new user-action flow will work.