Apple plans to add controls around Full Disk Access in macOS, warning that increasingly capable and autonomous AI agents make the permission more risky. In an October 2 developer announcement, the company said granting this level of access will require “very explicit user action.”

Full Disk Access largely bypasses protections around private data so that backup applications can function properly, Apple explained. It can expose files, mail, messages and browsing history. Apple said some developers are using the permission in ways users may not fully understand, and warned that access to communications can also affect the privacy of other participants.

A planned change, not a shipped restriction

Apple did not specify a release date, affected macOS version or detailed design for the additional controls. Its announcement describes a future change, not an already available security update. It also leaves room for users who genuinely want to grant broad access to continue doing so.

TechCrunch reported the announcement alongside recent concerns about desktop agents accessing private data. Those disputes are separate from Apple's confirmed policy direction; the developer notice does not identify a particular application or establish wrongdoing by one.

For desktop-agent developers, the practical signal is that broad filesystem permission is receiving closer scrutiny. Apple's stated goal is to make the scope and risks clearer before users authorize access. Whether that produces new prompts, additional settings or other restrictions remains unspecified.