macOS keeps showing "[App] would like to access data from other apps" warning even if accepting it each time

It seems that whenever I scan the contents of ~/Library/Containers with my app, I get the warning [App] would like to access data from other apps, regardless of how often I have already allowed it. When the warning appears, the last scanned file is ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.CloudPhotosConfiguration/Data.

My sample code:

let openPanel = NSOpenPanel()
openPanel.canChooseDirectories = true
openPanel.runModal()
let url = openPanel.urls[0]
let enumerator = FileManager.default.enumerator(at: url, includingPropertiesForKeys: nil)
while let url = enumerator?.nextObject() as? URL {
    print(url.path)
}

Is it expected that one has to allow this warning every time the app is run?

Replies

How is your app signed? A problem with the signature might prevent the OS from "remembering" that permission has been granted before.

How is your app signed? A problem with the signature might prevent the OS from "remembering" that permission has been granted before.

Thanks for the suggestion, but I don't think there's any problem with the signature. All other warnings (Calendar, Reminders, etc.) only get shown once, but this one gets shown each time. I think it only started appearing since macOS 14 Sonoma.

Is it expected that one has to allow this warning every time the app is run?

Yes. TCC privileges fall into various groups, including:

  • Persistent, system wide

  • Persistent, per user

  • Transient, process lifetime

The privilege to access other apps containers falls into that third group.

Share and Enjoy

Quinn “The Eskimo!” @ Developer Technical Support @ Apple
let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@" + "apple.com"

The privilege to access other apps containers falls into that third group.

Thanks for confirming. Personally, I think it's quite annoying that it gets shown each time, and the reason why I noticed this in the first place was that users of my app where asking me why the alert is shown each time they scan the disk, given that one is used to seeing this kind of alert only once. I have filed FB13410100 in case you're interested.

I have filed FB13410100

Thanks.

I recommend that you update your bug with information about your specific use case. What user-level task are you trying to solve that’s triggering this issue?

Share and Enjoy

Quinn “The Eskimo!” @ Developer Technical Support @ Apple
let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@" + "apple.com"

I recommend that you update your bug with information about your specific use case.

Thanks, updated it. It's an app that scans user-selected directories, such as Macintosh HD, and shows the contents as a graph.

I'm running into the same issue while using Aerial screensaver (https://aerialscreensaver.github.io/):

“Aerial Companion.app” would like to access data from other apps.

Aerial Companion needs to access macOS screen savers to install and update Aerial

I've tried to open your feedback ticket to add this information there as well, but wasn't able to open that.