Apple to Restrict Full Disk Access in macOS

On October 2, 2026, Apple announced changes to the Full Disk Access rules in macOS. The company intends to make it so that an app receives full disk access only after an explicit user action, rather than indirectly or by default.

Full Disk Access is needed primarily by backup programs; otherwise they would not be able to work correctly. But this mode largely bypasses the built-in mechanisms that protect personal data, and that is precisely the problem.

According to Apple, some developers have begun using this kind of access more broadly than necessary. As a result, an app can gain access to everything on the disk: files, mail, messages and browser history, and the user does not always understand the scale of what is happening. For communication apps, this also affects the privacy of the people the user corresponds with.

Risks in the Age of AI Agents

Apple separately notes the growth of autonomous AI agents. The more capabilities and autonomy such programs have, the more serious the consequences of broad access to data. The company calls addressing this task critically important.

The new rules mean that granting an app such broad access will only be possible through a very deliberate action by the user. Apple wants people to understand the risks before they allow access, and to make a decision about their data consciously.

The company does not yet provide any timelines or specific details about the new settings. For now, this is a statement of intent: Apple has announced plans to introduce additional controls, but has not specified what they will look like or when they will appear.

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Translation editors: Соловьев В., Пеков А.