A message that tells the user why the app needs access to the user’s Downloads folder.
SDK
- macOS 10.15+
Framework
- Foundation
Details
- Name
- Privacy - Downloads Folder Usage Description
- Type
- string
Discussion
The user implicitly grants your app access to a file in the Downloads folder when selecting the file in an Open or Save panel, dragging it onto your app, or opening it in Finder. Your app can access that file right away and any time in the future. In addition, if your app creates a new file in the Downloads folder, the app can access that file without user consent.
The first time your app tries to access a file in the user’s Downloads folder without implied user consent, the system prompts the user for permission to access the folder’s contents. Add the NSDownloads key to your app’s Information Property List file to provide a message that explains why your app needs access. The usage description is optional, but highly recommended.
App Sandbox enforces stricter limits on Downloads folder access, so that policy may supersede this one if your app enables sandboxing. See App Sandbox Entitlements for more information.
After the user chooses whether to grant access, the system remembers the user’s choice. To reset permissions, use the tccutil command line utility with your app’s bundle ID:
$ tccutil reset SystemPolicyDownloadsFolder <bundleID>