How do I remove full disk access on Mac?

[gsyrba]

Today I was getting ready to import some photos on my iMac.  A message popped up asking if I wanted to allow full disk access.  I was trying to quickly dismiss this, but I must have accidentally clicked allow.  So now when I open the import box to import some film scans on my desktop, there are litterally thousands and thousands of images that pop up... including every icon and photo anywhere on my iMac.  

Needless to say I don't want all of this showing up.  How can I revert back to the previous settings?  I only want Lightroom to access what it was able to before... which was the external drive where my photos are stored and only the photos I upload, and import from either the SD card or desktop.  

[JohanElzenga]

Lightroom Classic needs full disk access, so you did the right thing. What you see has nothing to do with that. Did you perhaps create an alias to the main disk and placed that on your desktop? If Lightroom Classic follows that alias, then that would explain it.

[gsyrba]

I'm not sure why it suddenly needs full disk access.  I've been using Lightroom since 2006 and have never seen the option to import every single image everywhere on my Mac.  Usually when I open the import photos and videosthe source section shows my iMac, and external drives, and an SD card.  Under the iMac HD there used to be 3 options in the drop down list under my user name... Desktop, My Documents, and Pictures.  It was still like that last week before I went on vacation.  I came home the other day, and did the new updates to all of my Apple products, including the iMac.  Now I see 12 options under the import source section, including Library, which has over 15,000 images, many like you see in the attached screen shot.  

I keep my programs and OS always updated.  Not sure if this has anything to do with the recent Mac OS update.  

No on the alias question.

[Conrad_C]

You can toggle Full Disk Access in:

macOS System Settings > Privacy & Security > Full Disk Access

It’s also a good idea to check or reset the settings at:

macOS System Settings > Privacy & Security > Files & Folders

If an app is in either list and you want to remove it, select the application and click the - (remove) button at the bottom of the list. That should reset things and make it ask again next time, giving you a new opportunity to allow or disallow access.

A shortcut is to type “Full Disk Access” into the search field at the top of the left column in System Settings, and it will lead you straight to it. That’s a good tip for any time you don’t know which way to dig through the settings to find an option, but you know at least part of its name.

[gsyrba]

I looked in the system settings yesterday before I posted this (I should have added this info to my main post).  

Under Full Disk Access, everything is turned off.  There are only three items under here, only one is an Adobe product (Photoshop) and it is (and was) turned off.

Under Files & Folders, there are four Adobe options out of the 11 on the list.  They all have "Desktop Folder" and "Removable Volumes" turned on... Documents, Downloads, and iCloud turned off... which is how they have always been set up before.  

I always check these settings any time I get a new computer, the last time being in November.  Nothing has changed here, which is why I am stumped... and hence the reason for this post.  Funny thing, I'm usually the one everyone (friends and family) asks about settings on a Mac.  Obviously they would have stumped me if they asked the question I'm asking now - lol.

[Anshul_Saini · Accepted solution]

Hi @gsyrba,

Thanks for sharing those details and the screenshot, it’s very helpful. As Johan, Conrad & ExUSA pointed out, Lightroom Classic itself hasn’t changed its import behavior. What you’re seeing is likely tied to macOS updates in recent years.

Starting with Ventura and continuing in Sonoma and Sequoia, Apple made changes to how folders and system libraries appear in open/save dialogs. These updates can cause Lightroom’s Import panel to show additional locations like the System Library and caches, even when Full Disk Access isn’t enabled. This isn’t a Lightroom issue, it’s a UI shift on the macOS side.

Here are a few things you can try:
 • In the Import dialog, use the “Include Subfolders” checkbox carefully or keep it unchecked to limit what displays.
 • Stick to selecting specific folders (like your Pictures folder or external drive) instead of the entire Macintosh HD to avoid seeing thousands of system files.

The fact that Full Disk Access settings are off confirms that Lightroom isn’t reading everything, it’s just that macOS shows more folder options.

I hope this clarifies.

Best,

Anshul Saini

[gsyrba]

Hi Anshul,

 The new operating systems (Ventura, Sonoma, Sequoia) never did allow Lightroom to show any additional folders other than the three I mentioned.  

However, you did point out something I did not notice before... the "Include Subfolders" checkbox has never been checked before... but that is exactly what must have changed when I accidentally clicked "allow access" the other day.  I unchecked the box, and things are back to how they have been for years.

Thank you for your help on this!  As a photographer, there are occasional events that I shoot (such as marathons and triathlons) where I try to import 5,000 photos at once.  Seeing those mixed in with the other 15,000 items on the Mac HD would be crazy.  

Best,
Gary 

[Conrad_C]

However, you did point out something I did not notice before... the "Include Subfolders" checkbox has never been checked before... but that is exactly what must have changed when I accidentally clicked "allow access" the other day.  I unchecked the box, and things are back to how they have been for years.

By @gsyrba

Yes, that’s what I was thinking too after looking at your screen shot: If the only thing that changed was Include Subfolders became enabled.

If that’s what happened, then just to clarify, the macOS permissions (Full Disk Access and Files & Folders) probably had nothing to do with this. For any well-known application that’s mission-critical for your business, as long as you have no reason to suspect it, it’s generally recommended to grant Full Disk Access and any location permissions it requests.

The reason Apple added those alerts is in case one day, some malware secretly loads an application that you never intended to have or run. In a case like that, when the alert appears you have the opportunity to say “Hey…I don’t recognize that application name at all,” and reject the request so that it’s blocked from modifying your Mac while you can double-check the application in case it might be legitimate, and then grant permission if it is.

If it seems like those alerts come up more often recently, it’s part of an overall effort by Apple to try and close down any possible ways for malware to secretly modify your Mac. Recent versions of macOS have much tighter security standards than when Lightroom (Classic) 1.0 was released.

I also wanted to point out that Full Disk Access and Files & Folders is not only about importing. One reason I have them enabled for applications like Lightroom Classic and Photoshop is because I store photos and catalogs in various locations on different volumes, so I want to make sure those applications have access to those locations. I also want to make sure I don’t block an important application like Lightroom Classic from access to the various folder paths where it keeps my settings, presets, and templates that I need it to use.

[gsyrba]

"I also wanted to point out that Full Disk Access and Files & Folders is not only about importing. One reason I have them enabled for applications like Lightroom Classic and Photoshop is because I store photos and catalogs in various locations on different volumes, so I want to make sure those applications have access to those locations. I also want to make sure I don’t block an important application like Lightroom Classic from access to the various folder paths where it keeps my settings, presets, and templates that I need it to use."

This does make good sense in general.  We all have our own way of setting things up, of course.  Like you, I store photos, presets, catalogs in various locations on the iMac hard drive, and two large external drives.  I have always made sure Lightroom knows where those are... and if I add or replace a drive, I go through all of the steps necessary for Lightroom (and Photoshop and Bridge) to know where everything is.  I simply don't need it having access to absolutely everything.  That habit goes back to my PC days many years ago when it mattered more to limit what the programs had access to in order not to slow down the PC.  But switching to iMac around 2010 it mattered less... and with the new(ish) iMac M4 with 32GB memory, it probably doesn't matter at all anymore considering how many programs I have open when I'm in Lightroom with no sluggisness whatsoever.  But, the OCD in me keeps me doing some things the same... ("seriously Lightroom... do you really need to access every icon from every program on my Mac?" lol)

"If it seems like those alerts come up more often recently, it’s part of an overall effort by Apple to try and close down any possible ways for malware to secretly modify your Mac. Recent versions of macOS have much tighter security standards than when Lightroom (Classic) 1.0 was released."


Which is one of the many reasons I switched over to Apple.  I love that about them!  Funny, you mention Lightroom Classic 1.0.  I actually started using lightroom in the summer of 2006 when it first became available as a public beta.  Not the first Mac version... but the first PC version (beta 2 or 3?).  I thought it was the best photo software ever back then... and still do.  

[ExUSA]

Apple uses granular permissions for what disk locations an application can read and write to. The problem with restricting this is something frequently seen on these forums, complaints about access errors.

You don't HAVE TO allow any access to anything but you may have problems if you don't. Its the age-old tradeoff between usability and security.

[gsyrba]

I realize I don't have to, and hardly ever do unless the program really needs to, for the exact reason you stated... security.  It was all a mistake by me clicking the wrong selection "allow" while paying attention to something else.  I'll write this off as a lesson learned (the hard way - lol).