Apple Limits Mac 'Full Disk Access' Over AI Agent Risk

The change arrives just weeks after Inc's Jason Aten reported that Meta's Muse AI somehow knew the contents of his messages, despite his not giving the chatbot explicit permission to access them on his iPhone or Mac. Meta spokesperson Andy Stone pushed back on that report, saying access to Messages is 'entirely opt-in' and that users must 'enable both Full Disk Access and the Messages connector for Muse to be able to read your Messages content.' That dispute is part of the backdrop Apple is now responding to.

At the center of the matter is a macOS permission Apple describes as 'largely sidestep' of the privacy controls users are normally offered — one the company says exists so backup apps can function properly on Mac. Apple's stated concern is that some developers use Full Disk Access in ways that could put users at risk, exposing everything on their systems, including files, mail, messages and even browsing history, without full knowledge and understanding. The company also frames its move as a response to AI agents becoming increasingly capable and autonomous, warning that the risks associated with this level of access will grow substantially.

What remains unresolved is timing and degree. Apple hasn't said when it plans to roll out the update, and the test is likely to be whether these controls meaningfully change how apps obtain such sweeping access without breaking the backup-style functions the permission was designed to serve — a balance that developers relying on broad access will be watching closely.