Apple announced it will introduce additional controls for the macOS setting known as Full Disk Access. According to the company, the setting was originally intended to support features such as backups, but the emergence of desktop AI agents has increased “the risks associated with this level of access.”
Background
The announcement followed a report from Inc. columnist Jason Aten, who wrote that Meta’s Muse Mac app knew the contents of his private messages even though he said he had not given the AI agent permission. Meta disputed Aten’s claim. The report raised questions about how much security and trust users can expect from desktop AI applications that can access files and messages on a user’s system.
Separately, a Wired article highlighted a flaw in the ChatGPT Mac app that could have allowed attackers to access sensitive data.
What Full Disk Access allows and why it matters
Apple explains that Full Disk Access grants an app permission to access files, mail, messages, and browsing history. The company warned that “some developers are using Full Disk Access in ways that could put users at risk, exposing everything on their systems…without users’ full knowledge and understanding.”
Desktop AI agents typically require users to adjust macOS settings so the apps can access personal content stored on their computers. In Muse’s case, the app optionally lets users enable Full Disk Access.
What Apple will change
Apple said it will add new controls to ensure that users who “genuinely wish to grant an app this extraordinary level of access” do so only through “very explicit user action.”
In a blog post aimed at developers, Apple added: “Addressing this is critical. As AI agents become increasingly capable and autonomous, the risks associated with this level of access will grow substantially. We are committed to ensuring users clearly understand these risks before granting such access, so they can make informed decisions about their own data and privacy.”
Apple had not responded to TechCrunch’s request for comment on the feature change at the time of the report.
Why this matters to users
The planned changes are intended to reduce the risk that applications—particularly desktop AI agents—gain broad access to sensitive data without users fully understanding or explicitly approving that access. The move underscores the responsibility of platforms and developers to protect user data as AI capabilities expand.
(Summary: Apple will impose stricter controls on macOS Full Disk Access in response to increased risks from desktop AI agents, after reports involving Meta’s Muse and a vulnerability in ChatGPT’s Mac app.)
