Full Disk Access is a macOS privacy permission that lets approved applications read certain protected locations. diCleaner can perform many scans without it, but results involving system Trash, protected logs, or application containers may be incomplete.

When Full Disk Access is useful

Enable Full Disk Access when:

  • System Trash is empty in diCleaner even though protected Trash locations contain items.
  • A junk scan reports that protected categories were skipped.
  • The uninstaller cannot inspect or remove a protected application container.
  • A leftovers scan cannot access supported data belonging to a removed app.
  • diCleaner explicitly shows a Full Disk Access requirement or recommendation.

Full Disk Access does not mean that diCleaner automatically scans or deletes everything. A tool still scans only when you start it, and removal still requires the selections and confirmation used by that tool.

Enable access from diCleaner

  1. Open diCleaner.
  2. Open Settings.
  3. Select Privacy.
  4. Under Permissions, choose Open Full Disk Access Settings.
  5. In System Settings, locate diCleaner in the Full Disk Access list.
  6. Turn access on.
  7. Authenticate with Touch ID or an administrator password if macOS asks.
  8. Quit diCleaner completely.
  9. Reopen diCleaner and repeat the scan.

Depending on the macOS version, the System Settings layout or wording may differ slightly.

Enable access directly in System Settings

If the button in diCleaner does not open the expected page:

  1. Open the Apple menu.
  2. Choose System Settings.
  3. Select Privacy & Security.
  4. Scroll to and open Full Disk Access.
  5. Enable diCleaner.

If diCleaner is not listed, use the add button when available and select diCleaner from the Applications folder. You may also return to diCleaner and open a tool that explains why Full Disk Access is needed.

Verify that access is active

After reopening diCleaner:

  1. Open Settings → Privacy.
  2. Check whether the page reports that Full Disk Access is enabled.
  3. Return to the affected tool.
  4. Start a new scan.

Do not use an old result to verify a new permission. Items skipped during the original scan will not necessarily be inserted into that result afterward.

If diCleaner appears more than once

macOS can retain separate entries for different copies or builds. This may happen if you:

  • Installed both App Store and direct-download editions.
  • Ran a beta from another folder.
  • Duplicated, renamed, or moved the application.
  • Replaced the application with a build signed differently.

Enable the entry that corresponds to the copy you are currently running. To avoid confusion, keep the version you use in the Applications folder and remove obsolete permission entries when macOS allows it.

Access is enabled but scans remain incomplete

Try these steps in order:

  1. Quit diCleaner using diCleaner → Quit diCleaner.
  2. Reopen it from the Applications folder.
  3. Confirm Full Disk Access again in System Settings.
  4. Grant any separate folder access requested by the tool.
  5. Make sure the selected disk is mounted and readable.
  6. Start a completely new scan.
  7. Restart the Mac if macOS still appears to use the previous permission state.

Full Disk Access does not bypass file corruption, unavailable disks, unsupported file systems, active locks, or all administrator restrictions. A specific removal may still require separate authorization.

Turn Full Disk Access off

  1. Quit diCleaner.
  2. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Full Disk Access.
  3. Turn off diCleaner.
  4. Reopen diCleaner.

You can continue using tools that do not require protected locations. Affected scans may skip items or show an access message.

Turning the permission off does not delete data, remove saved Home folder access, reverse previous actions, or disable Online Information & Comments.

What Full Disk Access does not do

Full Disk Access does not:

  • Upload files or file contents.
  • Enable automatic cleanup.
  • Select items for deletion.
  • Grant access to an online service.
  • Replace explicit access to every external disk or user-selected folder.
  • Guarantee that every protected item can be modified without additional authorization.

It changes which supported local locations macOS allows diCleaner to inspect.

Security recommendation

Only grant Full Disk Access to an application copy you obtained from a source you trust. Keep diCleaner updated, avoid running unknown modified builds, and revoke access if you uninstall the app or no longer use features that need protected locations.