A leak shows how Apple may tighten Full Disk Access on Macs, the setting that lets an app read nearly everything, as AI agent apps ask for it more often.
Apple is working to make it harder for apps to get Full Disk Access on a Mac. That setting lets an app read almost everything on your computer. A leaker named pdfu says the first changes could arrive as soon as macOS 27.3. Apple said last month it would require "very explicit user action" after AI agent apps asked for this access and then misused people's data.
Today, if an app tries to read a protected file, macOS denies the request and adds the app to the Full Disk Access list in Settings. The app can then tell you to go there and flip a switch. Per pdfu, apps denied this way will no longer be added to that list. Apps can still ask you to drag their icon into Settings, even with the change turned on.
Many AI agent apps want Full Disk Access to reach things like iMessage. Granting it also exposes everything else on the Mac. The 9to5Mac reporter doubts the change fixes the core problem, since users may still have to grant broad access just to share texts with an agent.
The work is still in development and could change. pdfu also mentions Private Folders, which might allow access to only the iMessage folder, but there are few details. Reviewing which apps already have Full Disk Access is a sensible step now, and the alert box above lists how.
Full Disk Access gives an app a very wide view of your Mac, so check which apps have it and be cautious about granting it to AI helpers.
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