Apple says Full Disk Access will need "very explicit user action," citing AI agents

Apple's developer notice says Full Disk Access "largely sidesteps" its privacy controls "in order to allow backup apps to function properly on the Mac," and that some developers use it in ways that expose "files, mail, messages, and even browsing history" without users' full knowledge. It says that "going forward, we will introduce additional controls to ensure that users who genuinely wish to grant an app this extraordinary level of access can only do so with very explicit user action." On agents it says: "As AI agents become increasingly capable and autonomous, the risks associated with this level of access will grow substantially."

The post is short and gives no release, date, API or list of affected apps. MacStories' John Voorhees calls it vague, disputes the backup-only framing from his own list of apps holding the permission, and says it is unclear whether Apple means extra confirmation steps or restrictions on which apps may hold the permission. Other outlets reported it as well; this item rests on Apple's post.

Why it matters: If you run agents or a harness on a Mac with Full Disk Access granted, that grant is what Apple has said it will make harder to obtain. Nothing has shipped, so there is nothing to change yet. Scoped access, such as a sandbox or a directory allowlist, is the setup that does not depend on this permission, and it is worth knowing which of your agents currently rely on it.