Apple is tightening the rules around Full Disk Access on macOS in response to concerns about AI agents, according to reports from heise online and other German technology outlets. The change affects the permission that lets applications read data across a Mac's storage, a level of access that AI agents can exploit.
heise online reports that the move follows complaints involving Meta, as covered by Investing.com Deutsch. Golem and stadt-bremerhaven.de also reported that Apple has sharpened the Full Disk Access requirements, while Business Insider Deutschland framed the changes as new privacy protections for Mac users against AI.
Full Disk Access is a macOS privacy control that grants apps broad visibility into files that are normally off-limits, including data belonging to other applications. Because AI agents often need to read many kinds of files to carry out tasks, the permission has become a focal point for users worried about how much of their data such tools can reach.
The reports do not detail the specific technical changes Apple is making, and the company has not been quoted in the available material. What is clear from the coverage is that Apple is treating AI agents as a distinct risk category for file access on the Mac.
It remains to be seen how the revised rules will apply to existing apps and whether developers of AI tools will need to request permissions differently. Users and developers should watch for Apple's official documentation and any further guidance on Full Disk Access.
