Full Disk Access lets an app reach protected files and data on your Mac. If you no longer trust an app, stopped using it, or granted access only for temporary troubleshooting, you can remove that permission in System Settings.
Quick Answer
- Open the Apple menu and choose System Settings.
- Select Privacy & Security.
- Click Full Disk Access.
- Find the app in the list and turn its switch off.
- Authenticate with Touch ID or your Mac login password if macOS asks.
On older versions of macOS, open System Preferences, choose Security & Privacy, select the Privacy tab, and then choose Full Disk Access.
Removing Full Disk Access does not uninstall the app or delete its files. It only prevents the app from accessing data protected by that privacy setting.
What Full Disk Access Means
macOS protects certain files and locations from unrestricted app access. These can include personal data, system settings, backups, mail data, messages, browser information, and files used by other applications.
Full Disk Access is a privacy permission. An app may request it for a legitimate reason, such as:
- Creating or restoring backups
- Scanning files for security threats
- Managing system settings
- Searching protected data
- Cleaning or organizing files
- Recording or analyzing information from other apps
The permission is broader than access to a particular folder. Turning it off is appropriate when an app no longer needs that level of access.
Full Disk Access is also separate from camera and microphone permissions. Removing it will not necessarily stop an app from using your camera or microphone. To review those permissions, see How to Check Which Apps Can Access Your Camera and Microphone on a Mac.
Remove Full Disk Access in System Settings
These steps apply to Macs that use System Settings, including newer versions of macOS.
Warning: Turning off Full Disk Access can stop an app from backing up, scanning, searching, synchronizing, or managing protected data. Save your work and close the app before changing its permission if you are using it for one of these tasks.
- Click the Apple menu in the upper-left corner of the screen.
- Select System Settings.
- Click Privacy & Security in the sidebar.
- Scroll down and select Full Disk Access.
- Locate the app you want to restrict.
- Click the switch next to the app so it changes to the off position.
- If macOS asks for permission, authenticate with Touch ID or enter your administrator password.
- Close System Settings.
The change normally takes effect immediately. However, an app that was already open may continue running with its existing access until it is restarted.
Restart the app after changing its permission
If you want to make sure the change takes effect:
- Save any open work in the app.
- Quit the app by choosing App Name > Quit App Name from its menu bar, or press Command-Q.
- Open the app again from Applications, Launchpad, or Spotlight.
Do not force-quit an app before saving your work. Force-quitting can cause unsaved changes to be lost.
Remove Full Disk Access in System Preferences
Older macOS versions use System Preferences instead of System Settings.
- Open the Apple menu.
- Choose System Preferences.
- Select Security & Privacy.
- Click the Privacy tab.
- Select Full Disk Access in the left sidebar.
- Click the lock icon in the lower-left corner if the settings are locked.
- Authenticate with your Mac login password or another available authentication method.
- Select the app you want to restrict.
- Click the minus (-) button below the app list, or clear the checkbox next to the app if macOS displays checkboxes.
- Click the lock icon again if you want to prevent further changes.
The exact appearance can vary between macOS releases. The goal is to remove or disable the app in the Full Disk Access list.
Remove an App’s Permission Without Uninstalling It
You do not need to delete an app to remove Full Disk Access. Disabling the app in the privacy settings is the safer option when you may use the app again later.
Removing the app itself can affect its settings, stored data, extensions, or related services. If you only want to revoke permission, leave the app installed and turn off its Full Disk Access switch.
If the app is no longer needed, you can uninstall it separately after removing its permissions. Uninstalling an app does not always remove every privacy entry immediately, especially if the app installed background components or system extensions.
What Happens After You Remove Full Disk Access?
The app remains installed, but macOS limits its access to protected data. Depending on what the app does, you may notice that:
- Backups fail or cannot find certain files
- A security scan reports that some locations cannot be scanned
- Search results become incomplete
- A file-management tool cannot access protected folders
- Synchronization or monitoring features stop working
- The app displays a permission warning
Removing Full Disk Access does not usually affect ordinary files in locations the app can access normally. It also does not revoke every other permission the app may have.
For example, an app can still have permission to use the microphone even after Full Disk Access is disabled. Likewise, turning off Full Disk Access does not automatically remove access to the camera, contacts, files in a selected folder, or other privacy categories.
Remove Full Disk Access and Review Other Permissions
If you are restricting an app because it behaves unexpectedly, review its other permissions in Privacy & Security.
- Open System Settings.
- Select Privacy & Security.
- Review categories such as Files and Folders, Camera, Microphone, Screen & System Audio Recording, Accessibility, and Automation.
- Select a category.
- Turn off the app’s access where appropriate.
Do not disable permissions blindly. An app may need a specific permission for a feature you use. For example, a video-call app may need camera and microphone access, while a screen-recording tool may need permission under Screen & System Audio Recording.
If your goal is to troubleshoot audio rather than file access, disabling Full Disk Access is unlikely to solve a microphone problem. See How to Fix the Microphone Not Working on a Mac. For camera-related problems, see How to Fix the Camera Not Working on a Mac.
Troubleshooting
The app is not listed under Full Disk Access
The app may not have requested Full Disk Access, or macOS may have removed its entry after an update or reinstallation.
Try these steps:
- Open the app and check whether it displays a permission request.
- Quit and reopen the app.
- Return to Privacy & Security > Full Disk Access.
- Check whether the app appears under a different name.
- If the app was updated or reinstalled, look for its current copy in the list.
If the app is not listed, there may be no Full Disk Access permission to remove. Check other categories under Privacy & Security if you are trying to restrict a different type of access.
The switch will not turn off
First, unlock the settings if macOS shows a lock or asks for administrator authentication. Enter the password for an administrator account on the Mac, not necessarily the password for the app.
If the switch remains enabled:
- Quit the app.
- Close System Settings.
- Reopen System Settings and try again.
- Restart the Mac.
- Check the setting again after signing in.
A device managed by an employer or school may have restrictions that prevent users from changing certain privacy settings. In that situation, contact the organization’s administrator.
The app still works after access is removed
Some app features may not require Full Disk Access. If the app continues to perform ordinary tasks, that does not necessarily mean the permission removal failed.
To verify the change:
- Quit the app completely.
- Reopen Full Disk Access.
- Confirm that the app’s switch remains off.
- Test the feature that previously required protected data.
An app may also have access through another permission category, a helper process, or a separate app component. Review the other privacy categories if the app can still perform a specific action you intended to block.
The app asks for Full Disk Access again
An app may request the permission again when it needs to perform a protected task. This is common with backup, security, system maintenance, and file-search tools.
You can decline the request if you do not want to grant access. If you need one feature that requires the permission, enable Full Disk Access only while using the feature, then return to Privacy & Security > Full Disk Access and turn it off afterward.
Repeated requests may also occur after an app update or reinstallation because macOS treats the updated app component as a new or changed item.
The app is missing after an update
An update can replace the app’s executable or change how it requests privacy access. Check the list again and look for the app’s current entry.
If the app appears twice, identify the copy you currently use. Avoid enabling access for an old copy located in a backup folder, mounted disk image, or previous Applications folder.
You cannot tell which app has access
Review the complete Full Disk Access list and identify apps you no longer recognize. Before disabling an unfamiliar item, search for its name in Finder or check whether it belongs to software you use, such as a backup utility, antivirus tool, cloud-storage service, or system-management application.
Do not delete unknown files solely because they appear in the privacy list. Removing the permission is reversible and is safer than deleting the app or its support files.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does removing Full Disk Access uninstall the app?
No. It only turns off that privacy permission. The app, its settings, and its files remain on your Mac.
Can I remove Full Disk Access permanently?
You can leave the permission turned off indefinitely. The app may ask for it again when it needs access to protected data, but you can decline the request.
Will the app know that I removed Full Disk Access?
The app may display an error, warning, or permission request when it tries to access protected data. Apps that do not need the permission may continue working normally.
Does turning off Full Disk Access delete the app’s data?
No. Removing the permission does not delete files, settings, backups, or other app data.
Do I need to restart my Mac?
Usually, no. Quit and reopen the affected app first. Restart the Mac if the app continues to behave as though it has the old permission or if System Settings does not reflect the change.
Is Full Disk Access the same as camera or microphone access?
No. Full Disk Access controls access to protected files and data. Camera and microphone access are separate privacy permissions under Privacy & Security.
Can I remove Full Disk Access from Apple apps?
If an Apple app appears in the list, you can turn off its permission when macOS allows the change. However, disabling access may affect built-in features such as searching, backups, or system management. If the setting cannot be changed, the permission may be controlled by macOS or device-management policies.
Final Thoughts
To remove Full Disk Access from an app, open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Full Disk Access and turn off the app’s switch. Restart the app afterward if necessary. If the app still has access to a camera, microphone, or other resource, review those separate permission categories as well.