Apple to tighten full disk access on Mac over rising AI agent risks
Apple says it will introduce stricter controls on macOS's full disk access permission, warning that increasingly capable AI agents substantially raise the risks tied to this level of system access.
Apple has announced plans to impose new limits on "Full Disk Access" on Mac, as first reported by TechCrunch. In a Friday update, the company said apps will soon require "very explicit user action" before being granted this sweeping level of system access.
Full Disk Access is a macOS permission that gives an app visibility into nearly an entire system, including files, mail, messages, and browsing history. Apple notes the feature primarily exists to let backup apps function properly, but in doing so it largely bypasses the privacy controls otherwise available to users.
The company acknowledged that some developers are using this access in ways that could put users at risk, exposing extensive personal data without users fully understanding what they've granted. Apple added that as AI agents become more capable and autonomous, the risks tied to this kind of access will grow substantially.
The announcement follows a recent case in which a journalist found that Meta's Muse AI chatbot appeared to know the contents of his messages, despite never having explicitly granted it access on his iPhone or Mac. Meta spokesperson Andy Stone disputed the characterization, saying access to Messages is "entirely opt-in" and that users must enable both Full Disk Access and a separate Messages connector before Muse can read message content.
Apple has not specified a timeline for rolling out the new restrictions, and the company did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Verge.
