{"id":19266,"date":"2025-09-17T15:20:57","date_gmt":"2025-09-17T15:20:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/?p=19266"},"modified":"2025-10-23T15:19:46","modified_gmt":"2025-10-23T15:19:46","slug":"background-full-disk-access-mac","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/background-full-disk-access-mac.html","title":{"rendered":"How to Grant Full Disk Access and Allow App Background Activity for Disk Drill on macOS (Sonoma or later)"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what_is_app_background_activity_and_why_it_matters\"><\/span><b>What is App Background Activity and Why It Matters<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Starting with macOS Sonoma, Apple added a privacy control under <kbd>System Settings<\/kbd> \u2192 <kbd>General<\/kbd> \u2192 <kbd>Login Items & Extensions<\/kbd> called <b>App Background Activity<\/b>. When you flip this on for an app, you\u2019re telling macOS it\u2019s OK for that app\u2019s helper processes to run small tasks after you close the app\u2014for example, checking for updates, posting alerts, or preparing services Disk Drill needs to work smoothly.<\/p>\n<p><b>Why Disk Drill asks for it<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ensures Disk Drill\u2019s lightweight background helpers can run when needed.<\/li>\n<li>Improves reliability for device <a href=\"\/help\/monitor-smart-status-disk-health\/\">S.M.A.R.T.<\/a> detection and notifications<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"alert alert-info\" role=\"alert\">\n  &#x1f4a1; <b>Privacy note<\/b>: App Background Activity does not grant access to your files. File access is governed separately by Full Disk Access (<a href=\"\/help\/background-full-disk-access-mac.html#how_to_grant_full_disk_access_to_disk_drill\">explained below<\/a>).\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_to_allow_app_background_activity_for_disk_drill\"><\/span><b>How to Allow App Background Activity for Disk Drill<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>On your first launch of Disk Drill you\u2019ll complete a one\u2011time permissions setup. Disk Drill includes a simple setup wizard to guide you. The first step is enabling App Background Activity:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>In the \u201cDisk Drill needs some permissions\u201d window click <b>Open Login Items &#038; Extensions<\/b>.<img src=\"\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-01.jpg\" alt=\"background full disk access mac step 01\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-19306 colorbox-19266\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-01.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-01-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-01-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-01-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-01-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>Turn <b>Disk Drill.app<\/b> On (toggle to the right).<img src=\"\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-02.jpg\" alt=\"background full disk access mac step 02\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-19308 colorbox-19266\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-02.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-02-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-02-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-02-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-02-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>Enter your Mac\u2019s password. That\u2019s it.<img src=\"\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-03.jpg\" alt=\"background full disk access mac step 03\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-19309 colorbox-19266\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-03.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-03-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-03-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-03-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-03-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_to_grant_full_disk_access_to_disk_drill\"><\/span><b>How to Grant Full Disk Access to Disk Drill<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The final step is to grant Disk Drill Full Disk Access (FDA). macOS protects certain areas of your drive\u2014like Mail, Messages, Time Machine backups, and some system folders\u2014behind this permission. Data recovery apps need FDA to scan those protected locations and recover as much data as possible (see our deeper explanation in <a href=\"\/help\/full-disk-access-mac.html#what_is_macos_full_disk_access\">this article<\/a>).<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>In the \u201cDisk Drill needs some permissions\u201d window click <b>Open Security &#038; Privacy<\/b><img src=\"\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-07.jpg\" alt=\"background full disk access mac step 07\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-19313 colorbox-19266\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-07.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-07-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-07-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-07-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-07-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>Find <b>Disk Drill<\/b> in the list and switch it On.<img src=\"\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-04.jpg\" alt=\"background full disk access mac step 04\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-19310 colorbox-19266\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-04.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-04-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-04-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-04-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-04-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>Enter your Mac\u2019s password.<img src=\"\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-05.jpg\" alt=\"background full disk access mac step 05\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-19311 colorbox-19266\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-05.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-05-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-05-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-05-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-05-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>When macOS asks to Quit &#038; Reopen Disk Drill click <b>Later<\/b><img src=\"\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-06.jpg\" alt=\"background full disk access mac step 06\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-19312 colorbox-19266\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-06.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-06-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-06-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-06-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/background-full-disk-access-mac-step-06-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is App Background Activity and Why It Matters Starting with macOS Sonoma, Apple added a privacy control under System Settings \u2192 General \u2192 Login Items &#038; Extensions called App Background Activity. When you flip this on for an app, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-19266","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-understanding","7":"category-tutorials"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Grant Full Disk Access and Allow App Background Activity for Disk Drill on macOS (Sonoma or later)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Step\u2011by\u2011step guide to allow App Background Activity and grant Full Disk Access to Disk Drill on macOS Sonoma or later\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link 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