Apple has announced that it will introduce new controls around Full Disk Access (in Italian “Accesso completo al disco”), the macOS permission that lets an app read practically everything stored on the Mac. The stated reason is AI agents: the more capable and autonomous they become, the riskier it is to give them such broad access.
For now the company has not explained in detail how the setting will change, nor given a date. The principle, however, is clear: anyone who genuinely wants to grant this level of access will have to do so through a very explicit action, not the usual click on “Allow”.
Why Apple is stepping in now
Full Disk Access exists for programs such as backup software, which need to see the entire disk in order to work. Granting it to an app means giving it the ability to read files, messages, emails and browsing history, in effect bypassing the protections that macOS normally applies app by app.
According to Apple, some developers use this permission in ways that can put users at risk, exposing the entire contents of the computer without the person granting it really understanding the scope.
The announcement follows two episodes that made a stir. A journalist claimed that Meta’s Muse app, on Mac, read their private messages; Meta disputes this account. In addition, OpenAI fixed a vulnerability in its Mac app that, in theory, would have allowed an attacker to steal sensitive data or push the agent into running unauthorised commands.
Why AI agents change the picture
A traditional app with disk access generally does one specific thing. An AI agent is different: it interprets what it reads, decides what to do, takes actions and can pass information from one tool to another. A permission granted for a trivial task can therefore turn into a far broader one than the user had in mind.
There is also an aspect that is often forgotten. Messages and emails aren’t only ours: they also contain other people’s conversations. Apple says so explicitly: giving full access to a communication app can compromise the privacy of the people we write to as well.
What changes in practice
For the moment, little that is visible. Apple spoke of “additional controls” without listing them, so we don’t know whether heavier confirmation prompts, more granular permissions or limits by data category are coming. There is no timeline either, nor any indication of which version of macOS will bring them.
In the meantime, it makes sense to check by hand. On a Mac, in System Settings, under Privacy & Security, there is a list of the apps that have already been given full disk access. Anyone who has installed AI assistants, automation tools or third-party apps in recent months would do well to check what appears there and remove whatever isn’t needed.
Who it matters to
- People who use AI agents on the Mac: assistants that work in the background, automation apps, developer tools. They are the first that need to ask for such a broad permission.
- People who develop macOS apps: asking for everything at installation may no longer be enough. Explaining clearly which data is needed and why will become part of the user experience.
- People who use the Mac for work: documents and conversations of clients and colleagues pass through a company computer, and an over-broad permission has consequences that go beyond the individual user.
What we think
It strikes us as a sensible move and, to tell the truth, a few years overdue: Full Disk Access has always been one of the most powerful permissions and one of the easiest to grant without thinking. AI agents have simply made an existing problem obvious.
The risk, though, is that it all boils down to one more window to click through. If the new controls are just another warning to accept, little changes. They would work better if they pushed developers towards targeted permissions, for a single folder or a single type of data, leaving full access for the cases where it is really needed.
There is also a balance to be struck: many legitimate apps, from backups to antivirus software, need to see the entire disk, and they mustn’t become impossible to install. Until Apple publishes the details, it remains a statement of intent; the substance will only be seen with the first macOS beta that includes the changes.
Written by the SpazioiTech newsroom with the help of AI tools, from facts verified across at least two independent outlets, and checked before publication. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
Translated from the Italian original. Read in Italian
