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Full Disk Access lets a Mac app access files across the computer, including data from other apps, Time Machine backups, and certain administrative settings for all users. It describes what macOS permits—not proof that an app actually reads, uploads, or misuses every accessible file. Treat the request as a consequential privacy choice: check which app is asking, why it says it needs access, and whether that purpose reasonably calls for broad file access.
What does Full Disk Access let an app see?
Apple describes Full Disk Access as allowing an app to access all files on the computer. Its examples include data from Mail, Messages, Safari, and Home; Time Machine backup data; and certain administrative settings for all users on the Mac. This is the permission’s potential scope, not a report of what any particular app does. Apple’s Full Disk Access description explains what the setting allows.
macOS 10.13 and later requires apps that need full storage-device access to be explicitly added in the relevant privacy settings. Separately, macOS 10.15 and later has consent controls for files in locations such as Desktop, Documents, Downloads, iCloud Drive, and network volumes. These protections address related but distinct scopes of access. Apple’s platform security guide describes these version-specific controls.
What Full Disk Access does not mean
A permission tells you what macOS allows an app to access; it does not establish whether the app has read particular files, transmitted them elsewhere, or used them in a specific way. Those are questions about the app’s behavior and policies, not answered by the permission listing itself.
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Full Disk Access is not the same as administrator or root privileges, and it does not by itself authorize a normal app to rewrite protected macOS system files. System Integrity Protection restricts root and limits changes to protected parts of the operating system, including system directories and built-in apps. Apple’s System Integrity Protection overview explains those limits.
It also does not turn off FileVault. FileVault encrypts the startup volume; Apple says that without valid login credentials or a recovery key, the volume remains encrypted even if its storage device is removed and connected to another computer. That protection concerns access to the encrypted volume, while Full Disk Access concerns an app’s access on a Mac where the volume is available. Apple’s security guide describes FileVault and app-access controls separately.
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macOS uses other security measures, including sandboxing and protected data areas. Full Disk Access is one privacy control, not the only security boundary on a Mac; nor do other protections guarantee that every app is harmless. Apple’s app security overview provides broader context.
How it differs from other Mac privacy permissions
Full Disk Access is not a catch-all for every privacy prompt. Apple lists it separately from controls that govern access to particular locations or capabilities. Apple’s settings guide describes these controls.
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| Permission or protection | What it covers | Why an app might need it |
|---|---|---|
| Full Disk Access | Broad access to files across the Mac, including the examples Apple lists above. | A task such as searching, indexing, scanning, or backing up data across the computer may plausibly require it. |
| Files & Folders | Files and folders in specified locations. | An app working with files in particular locations may need permission for those locations. |
| Accessibility | Running scripts and system commands to control the Mac. | An app that automates or controls Mac functions may request it. |
| Input Monitoring | Monitoring mouse or trackpad input and seeing keyboard input. | An app whose function involves observing input may request it. |
| Screen & System Audio Recording | Recording the screen or system audio. | An app that captures screen or audio content may request it. |
| FileVault | Encryption of the startup volume. | It is a volume-protection feature, not an app permission. |
| System Integrity Protection | Restrictions on root and modifications to protected operating-system areas. | It is an operating-system protection, not an app permission. |
Should you give an app Full Disk Access?
Judge the request against the app’s stated purpose. A tool whose function is to search, index, scan, or back up data across the Mac may have a plausible reason to request broad access. A request that seems unrelated to the task deserves more scrutiny. This is a practical decision test, not an Apple-mandated rule.
- Identify the app requesting access and the task you were trying to perform.
- Check whether its explanation makes a convincing case for access across the Mac, rather than only to a particular folder or capability.
- If the reason is unclear, consult the app’s documentation or ask its developer before granting access.
- Grant only the permissions needed for the task, and review the setting later if your needs change.
Apple’s general guidance is to review and control what apps can access in Privacy & Security settings. Apple’s guide to controlling what you share on Mac covers app access controls.
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How to review or turn off Full Disk Access
- On macOS 13 or later: Open Apple menu > System Settings > Privacy & Security, then select Full Disk Access. Apple’s current Mac Help guide also describes the route through System Settings > Privacy & Security and the Full Disk Access entry.
- On macOS 12 or earlier: Open System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy, then select Full Disk Access.
- Review the apps listed and change access for the app in question. Labels and layout can vary by macOS release.
Revoking access changes the app’s permission going forward; it does not, by itself, establish that copies the app may already have made or data it may already have sent are erased. Apple’s settings documentation describes managing access, not retroactively deleting data.
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