Where Is the macOS Privacy Permissions Database?
macOS records every privacy permission in TCC.db files, one per user plus a system one guarding sensitive data.
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Every camera, microphone, file, and automation permission on a Mac lands in a privacy database called TCC.db. One copy sits in your Library for your own decisions, and a system copy guards the most sensitive categories.
Both files are SQLite databases locked behind System Integrity Protection, which is why casual browsing fails. The supported interface is System Settings under Privacy and Security. Anything that promises a one-click reset is either toggling those same switches or fighting the OS.
Where macOS stores this, by platform
~/Library/Application Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db
Your per-user privacy decisions (camera, mic, files, automation). Readable with sqlite3 only after granting Terminal Full Disk Access. Prefer System Settings toggles over direct edits.
Frequently asked questions
An app lost camera access. How do I fix it without touching the database?
Open System Settings, then Privacy and Security, and toggle the app off and on. The dialogs rewrite the database correctly; hand edits risk breaking the security model.
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