Apple to tighten macOS Full Disk Access controls over AI agent risks
In short
Apple said it will add new controls to the “Full Disk Access” permission on macOS, saying AI agents have increased the risk of granting apps wide access to files, mail, messages and browsing history. The company gave no date and no details for the change. The announcement followed a disputed report that Meta’s Muse app knew the contents of a journalist’s private messages.
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Apple said it will introduce additional controls for the “Full Disk Access” setting on macOS, saying that increasingly capable AI agents have raised the risks of granting the permission. In a post on its developer website, the company said some developers are using the setting “in ways that could put users at risk, exposing everything on their systems — including files, mail, messages, and even browsing history — without users’ full knowledge and understanding.” [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Apple said Full Disk Access “largely sidesteps” its privacy controls and was meant to let backup apps function properly on the Mac. The company said users who “genuinely wish to grant an app this extraordinary level of access” should be able to do so only with “very explicit user action,” adding that “as AI agents become increasingly capable and autonomous, the risks associated with this level of access will grow substantially.” Apple did not say when the new controls will be implemented, and 9to5Mac reported the company shared no specifics about them. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
The announcement followed a report by Inc. columnist Jason Aten, who said Meta’s Muse app knew the contents of his private messages even though he had not given the AI agent permission. TechCrunch described it as a claim Meta disputed. Meta spokesperson Andy Stone pushed back on the report, saying access to Messages is “entirely opt-in” and that a user must “enable both Full Disk Access and the Messages connector for Muse to be able to read your Messages content,” according to The Verge. [ 1 , 4 ]
TechCrunch also noted a Wired report that a flaw in ChatGPT’s Mac app could have allowed hackers to access sensitive data. MacRumors said the change comes amid the rise of always-on AI agents such as Meta’s Muse and OpenAI’s Dots, which it said have prompted privacy concerns. Ars Technica’s feed summary said Meta argues that Full Disk Access is not sufficient to read Muse messages and that Apple disagrees, without setting out the disagreement. [ 1 , 3 , 5 ]
Why it matters
Full Disk Access applies to Macs worldwide, so any change to how apps obtain it affects users and developers well beyond the companies named in the coverage. Apple framed the change as a response to a shift in how desktop software works, saying the risks will grow as AI agents become more capable and autonomous. Because the company has not described the controls or set a date, the practical effect on users and developers remains uncertain.
Key facts
- Apple said it will introduce additional controls for the “Full Disk Access” setting on macOS. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Full Disk Access lets an app reach files, mail, messages and browsing history, and was intended to allow backup apps to function on the Mac. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Apple said some developers are using Full Disk Access in ways that could put users at risk. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Apple said users who wish to grant the access should be able to do so only with “very explicit user action.” [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Apple did not say when the new controls will be implemented and has not shared specifics about them. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said Muse’s access to Messages is “entirely opt-in,” requiring both Full Disk Access and the Messages connector to be enabled. [ 4 ]
- TechCrunch cited a Wired report that a flaw in ChatGPT’s Mac app could have allowed hackers to access sensitive data. [ 1 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Apple announced it will introduce additional controls for the “Full Disk Access” setting on macOS because of risks it links to AI agents, in a post on its developer website. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Apple said Full Disk Access was designed to allow backup apps to function properly on the Mac and largely sidesteps its privacy controls. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Apple said the risks of this level of access will grow substantially as AI agents become more capable and autonomous. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Apple has not said when the new Full Disk Access controls will be implemented. [ 3 , 4 ]
- A journalist reported that Meta’s Muse knew the contents of his private messages, and Meta disputed the claim. [ 1 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- What the new controls will actually do and when they will arrive. Apple said it will introduce additional controls but has not described them or given a date; 9to5Mac reported the company shared no specifics.
- Whether Meta’s Muse read a journalist’s messages without permission. The report is disputed: Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said access to Messages is “entirely opt-in,” while the columnist said he had not granted permission.
- Whether a reported flaw in ChatGPT’s Mac app is connected to Apple’s decision. Only TechCrunch links the Wired-reported flaw to the announcement, and Apple is not quoted addressing it.
- How Meta and Apple disagree over the Muse case. Ars Technica’s feed summary says Meta argues Full Disk Access is not sufficient to read Muse messages and that Apple disagrees, but the documents do not set out the disagreement.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- TechCrunch reports Apple’s announcement, citing a journalist’s disputed claim about Meta’s Muse and a Wired report on a flaw in ChatGPT’s Mac app. [ 1 ]
- 9to5Mac reports Apple’s developer blog post and quotes Apple’s statement on Full Disk Access. [ 2 ]
- MacRumors publishes Apple’s full statement and notes Apple did not say when the controls will be implemented. [ 3 ]
- The Verge reports the change and includes Meta spokesperson Andy Stone’s response to the Muse claim. [ 4 ]
- Ars Technica publishes a summary contrasting Meta’s account with Apple’s. [ 5 ]