Apple Tightens macOS Full Disk Access Controls for AI Agents

Apple Inc. will add controls that require more explicit user action before Mac apps receive Full Disk Access, according to TechCrunch. Apple says increasingly capable desktop AI agents have raised the risks associated with this permission.

Full Disk Access lets an app read files, mail, messages and browsing history. Apple says some developers use the permission in ways that can expose data without users fully understanding the access they granted.

The change follows reports about AI apps accessing sensitive information on Macs, including a disputed claim involving Meta Platforms, Inc.'s Muse app. Apple describes the new controls as a consent change rather than a new limit on what approved apps can access.