Apple plans to implement additional consent controls requiring "very explicit user action" before an application can receive macOS Full Disk Access privileges, the company said in an October 2 notice on its developer portal. Apple linked the urgency of the upcoming changes to the growth of increasingly autonomous AI agents that operate across local systems.
Apple says Full Disk Access broadly bypasses its usual privacy controls so that backup apps can function. It warns that some developers use the permission in ways that could expose files, email, messages and browsing history without users fully understanding the extent of access. For communication apps, other participants' privacy can also be affected.
Apple has not yet specified a target release date, macOS version number, or detailed interface mechanism for the forthcoming controls, nor did its notice name specific applications or developers using the permission in these ways.
Current macOS Storage Permissions
Under existing macOS protections enforced in macOS 10.15 and later and detailed in Apple's platform security documentation, the operating system protects designated personal folders—including Documents, Downloads, Desktop, iCloud Drive, and connected network volumes—by requiring per-app user consent. Separate permissions govern automation and accessibility features.
Apps that need full storage access already have to be explicitly added in system settings. Apple's planned controls would strengthen this existing consent requirement; the announcement does not describe how the additional user action will work.
Users can review existing access to particular folders through System Settings under Privacy & Security > Files & Folders, where permissions to standard user directories can be viewed and toggled per application. Apple's documentation notes that any data collected by third-party software remains subject to that third party's terms and privacy policies.