We give developers powerful APIs to build incredible capabilities into their apps for Apple products, supported by a set of controls designed to protect users’ private data. Full Disk Access mainly performs these checks so that backup apps can work properly on the Mac. Some developers use Full Disk Access in ways that put users at risk of exposing everything on their systems—including files, mail, messages, and even browser history—without the user’s full knowledge and understanding. For communication apps, this can also compromise the privacy of the people with whom users are communicating.
Going forward, we will introduce additional controls to ensure that users who truly want to grant an app this exceptional level of access can only do so with very explicit user action. Addressing this is critical. As AI agents become increasingly capable and autonomous, the risks associated with this level of access will grow significantly. We are committed to ensuring that users clearly understand these risks before granting such access, so that they can make informed decisions about their own data and privacy.