Help · Mac apps
Full Disk Access on a Mac, explained.
macOS hides some of your own files from apps until you allow it: Mail, Messages, Safari data, other apps' data, Time Machine backups. Full Disk Access is the permission that lets a specific app see all of it. Storage, backup and security apps ask for it because otherwise they can only see part of your disk.
Should I grant it?
Grant it only to apps you trust and that need it to do their job. An app with Full Disk Access can read everything in your user account, not just the parts it's working on. Ask what the app does with it: a storage tool should only measure, a backup tool should only copy, and neither should send your data anywhere.
Add an app
- Choose Apple menu › System Settings › Privacy & Security › Full Disk Access.
- If the app is listed, switch it on. If not, click +, choose the app in Applications and click Open. You can also drag the app's icon into the list.
- Confirm with your password or Touch ID.
- Switch back to the app. Some apps notice straight away; others need to be quit and reopened.
Remove an app
Switch it off in the same list, or select it and click – to remove the entry. Uninstalling an app doesn't always remove its entry, so it's worth checking after you delete one.
Related permissions
- Files & Folders: access to single folders such as Desktop, Documents or Downloads, if an app doesn't need everything.
- App Management: lets an app update or delete other apps, which uninstallers need.
Both are in the same Privacy & Security pane.
Why our apps ask, and what they do with it.
Pangalin Space Manager asks for Full Disk Access so its scan can measure Mail, Messages, Photos and your Library. It only reads; nothing moves until you confirm, and your files never leave your Mac. You can always continue with a limited scan. Pangalin Uninstaller works without it; Full Disk Access just lets it see a few protected folders.
Free to scan · first 5 GB freed free, then $25 a year · 14-day full refund · Notarised by Apple