If a Mac app stops working after you changed Full Disk Access, check that the app is still listed and enabled in the privacy settings for your macOS version. Then quit and reopen it. If that does not help, use Apple’s standard app troubleshooting steps—but restoring this permission is not a universal fix, and Apple does not document a single reset procedure for every failure.
Check Full Disk Access for your macOS version
Full Disk Access is a broad privacy permission: Apple describes it as access to all files on the computer, including data from other apps, Time Machine backups, and certain administrative settings. Grant it only if the app’s function warrants that level of access. See Apple’s Change Privacy & Security settings on Mac.
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macOS 13 or later
- Open the Apple menu and choose System Settings.
- Select Privacy & Security, then Full Disk Access.
- Find the affected app and check that its switch is on.
- If it is not listed, use the add control, select the app, and click Open.
macOS 12 or earlier
Open Apple menu > System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy. Apple’s security guide identifies this as the privacy settings location for apps that require full storage access. The interface may differ by macOS release.
Apple documents the version-specific settings route in Controlling app access to files in macOS.
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Quit and reopen the app
After checking or changing the permission, quit the app completely and open it again. Try the task that was failing. If the app remains broken, note what happens: an app that crashes or will not open may need different troubleshooting from one that opens but cannot access a particular file or folder.
Check whether the problem is limited to specific folders
Full Disk Access and Files & Folders are separate privacy categories. Files & Folders controls access to specific locations, including Desktop, Documents, Downloads, network volumes, and removable volumes. If the app fails only when working with one of these locations, check its access under Apple menu > System Settings > Privacy & Security > Files & Folders on macOS 13 or later. On macOS 12 or earlier, use System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy and look for the relevant category or location.
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If it still fails, follow Apple’s app troubleshooting steps
Apple’s guidance for an app that stops responding, closes unexpectedly, or will not open recommends trying these steps:
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- Quit and reopen the app.
- Restart your Mac.
- Check for updates to the app and to macOS, and install available updates.
- If necessary, delete and reinstall the app. Apple warns that deleting an app may also remove data stored in it, so check the app developer’s guidance or back up important app data first.
- If the problem continues, contact the app’s developer for support.
See Apple’s full instructions: If an app on your Mac stops responding, closes unexpectedly or won’t open.
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Do not confuse a permission problem with a security warning
A privacy permission issue is different from a warning that macOS cannot verify an app. Apple describes signing and notarization checks for apps obtained outside the App Store and advises caution when macOS cannot verify an app. Do not bypass a security warning as a way to troubleshoot Full Disk Access; address the warning separately using Apple’s safety guidance in Open apps safely on your Mac.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why restoring access may not solve the problem
Full Disk Access controls access to files; it is not a general app repair command. Apple’s published app troubleshooting covers reopening, restarting, updating, reinstalling when appropriate, and contacting the developer. Its cited guidance does not establish that every failure after a permission change has the same cause or provide a universal Full Disk Access reset procedure. The app name, macOS version, and exact symptom matter when diagnosing what went wrong.
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