Apple to Tighten Mac Full Disk Access Controls as AI Agents Spark Privacy Concerns

Apple plans to tighten the controls around Full Disk Access on Mac computers, the powerful permission that lets an application read nearly everything stored on a machine — from system files and emails to messages and browsing history. The move comes after a wave of AI agent apps raised concerns about how much private data third-party software can reach.

In a statement reported by Bloomberg on October 3, Apple said some developers are using Full Disk Access "in ways that could put users at risk, exposing everything on their systems without users' full knowledge and understanding." The company warned that the risks "will grow substantially" as AI agents become more capable and autonomous.

The announcement follows complaints around AI agents like Meta's Muse, which has surpassed five million downloads. Users have said the agent can carry out complex tasks, such as cancelling unused subscriptions, while accessing messages they believed were private.

Full Disk Access was originally designed for backup and system utilities — software that legitimately needs to reach across an entire drive. Agentic apps repurpose the same permission to do complicated work on a user's behalf, often with limited or no direct supervision.

OpenAI's ChatGPT Mac app introduced an opt-in feature in August that can read, summarize, write and send text messages for users. That feature requires Full Disk Access to obtain information from Apple's Messages application. OpenAI said earlier this week that more than 35 million people now use its agent products, ChatGPT Work and Codex, up from 10 million in July. Meta's Muse also reached the top of app store download charts last month after its launch.

Apple also flagged a second-order problem: for communication apps, broad disk access "can also compromise the privacy of the people users are communicating with," not just the person who granted the permission.

Apple will introduce more explicit prompts so that users must take "very explicit user action" before an application can obtain Full Disk Access. The prompts will spell out exactly what level of access is being requested, so people understand the implications before making a decision about their own data and privacy.

"We are committed to ensuring users clearly understand these risks before granting such access, so they can make informed decisions about their own data and privacy," the company said.

Apple did not name any particular application or developer in its announcement, and it gave no release date for the changes. But the direction is clear: as AI agents act with less supervision, the era of handing them the keys to the entire disk with a single click is coming to an end.