Apple tightens Mac full disk access as AI agents push for deeper data reach

Apple is putting a tighter lock on one of the most powerful permissions in macOS. The company says it will add new limits to “Full Disk Access” on the Mac, citing risks from AI agents. What Apple is changing Apple announced the change in an update on Friday, October 2, 2026, a story first reported by TechCrunch. The company says it is rolling out new controls for the permission. Apple framed the goal this way: “Ensure that users who genuinely wish to grant an app this extraordinary level of access can only do so with very explicit user action.” Full Disk Access is roughly the master key to a Mac. Once granted, an app can read your files, your Mail, your Messages and your Safari browsing history. In a post on its developer blog, Apple explained that the permission was originally meant for legitimate backup software. Backup tools need to see everything, because their entire job is copying everything. The problem, according to Apple, is that some developers have used the permission for other purposes. AI agent builders were singled out as a particular concern. Apple says such apps have been able to reach sensitive data, including files, communications and browsing history, without use...