Apple is tightening the macOS setting that lets apps read everything on a Mac, citing new risks from AI agents. The move follows a report that Meta’s Muse app on Mac could see a journalist’s private messages without permission, a claim Meta disputed. It also comes after a warning about a flaw in ChatGPT’s Mac app that could have let hackers access sensitive data.
The setting in question is called “Full Disk Access.” It was designed to let backups work properly, but AI agents have changed the stakes, Apple says. The company announced the changes in a blog post aimed at developers.
The Muse Claim
Jason Aten, an Inc. columnist, reported that Muse knew the content of his private messages. He claimed he had not given the AI agent permission. The report raised questions about security and trust in desktop-based AI, which can control things on a system and read files and messages.
Meta disputed the claim.
How Full Disk Access Works
Full Disk Access is a macOS setting that lets apps read files, mail, messages, and even browsing history. Muse, like some other AI agents, offers users the option to enable it. Apple explains that the setting gives an app permission to access all of those things.
“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,” Apple said in its blog post.
Apple’s New Controls
Going forward, Apple says it will introduce new controls aimed at ensuring that users who “genuinely wish to grant an app this extraordinary level of access” can do so only with “very explicit user action.”
The company says the change is urgent. “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 wrote.
Apple did not respond to TechCrunch’s inquiry about the feature change.
The Wired Report
The decision to limit the Mac feature also comes after a Wired report cited that a flaw in ChatGPT’s Mac app could have allowed hackers to access sensitive data. That report added to the pressure on Apple to act.
AI agents running on the desktop allow users to provide their respective apps with greater access to the files, messages, and other personal content on their computers by adjusting macOS settings. The combination of the Muse report and the ChatGPT warning pushed Apple to act.
What Users Should Know
The change affects developers first, but the practical effect will land on users eventually. Apps that previously asked for Full Disk Access without much fuss will now need explicit permission from users.
Apple’s approach is cautious. It wants users to understand what they are giving away before they grant it.
“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.”
The Broader Problem
The Muse report and the ChatGPT warning share a common thread: desktop AI apps are powerful, and power brings risk. Apple’s response is to tighten the screws on how apps get that power.
The company is not banning Full Disk Access. It is making it harder for apps to get it automatically. That distinction matters. It preserves the utility of the setting while reducing the chance that users will hand over access without meaning to.
Apple’s statement is careful to note that some developers are the problem, not all of them. The company is targeting behavior, not a specific app or a specific company.
What Comes Next
Apple has not said exactly what the new controls will look like. The company’s blog post was aimed at developers, so the details will likely emerge in the coming weeks as apps update their request flows.
Users should expect prompts that are harder to miss. An app that asks for Full Disk Access will likely require a deliberate click, not a tap through a long list of permissions.
The company is acting fast, and the pressure from both the Muse claim and the ChatGPT warning drove the decision.
Our View
Apple is doing the right thing here. Full Disk Access is a powerful setting, and it deserves more scrutiny than it has gotten so far. The company is responding to real reports of misuse, and it is taking steps to protect users.
The new controls will slow down some workflows. Apps that rely on Full Disk Access for features like message summarization or file search will need to redesign how they ask. That is a cost, but it is a small one compared to the risk of a compromised device.
The company is also sending a signal to developers. If you want this level of access, you need to justify it to users. That is a healthy shift.
The Muse dispute remains unresolved. Meta disputed the claim, and Apple’s statement does not address it directly. The company is focused on the pattern, not the single incident.
The company’s commitment to clarity is the key takeaway. Users should know what they are agreeing to before they agree to it. That is a principle worth defending, even if the prompts get longer and the clicks get more deliberate.
The practical effect will arrive soon. Users who have granted Full Disk Access to apps in the past will see the new prompts when those apps try to renew their permissions. Apps that previously worked silently will now ask again, and this time they will have to explain why they need the access.
Apple’s statement does not settle the Muse dispute, but it addresses the underlying problem: apps asking for too much access without users fully understanding what they are giving up. The company’s approach is cautious, and it preserves the utility of the setting while reducing the chance that users will hand over access without meaning to.
The company’s commitment to clarity is the key takeaway. Users should know what they are agreeing to before they agree to it. That is a principle worth defending, even if the prompts get longer and the clicks get more deliberate.
Source material: “Apple says it’s tightening macOS ‘Full Disk Access’ controls due to new risks from AI agents,” TechCrunch.
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