# "Excluded from AI access", so says Claude
**URL:** https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/excluded-from-ai-access-so-says-claude/87659
**Category:** Artificial Intelligence
**Created:** [September 17, 2026, 1:22pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/excluded-from-ai-access-so-says-claude/87659 "2026-09-17T13:22:42Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@davem](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/davem)
#### Post date: [September 17, 2026, 1:22pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/excluded-from-ai-access-so-says-claude/87659/1 "2026-09-17T13:22:42Z")
I asked Claude t(through the macOS desktop application) to look at a .docx file which I provided via its `x-devonthink-item` URL. The response came back that it could not access the file, as
`DEVONthink has it marked as excluded from AI access`
It’s in a (very) old database, as a file in an indexed directory.
I didn’t know that capability had been introduced - I couldn’t see a flag in the settings to suggest it was hidden from AI access. Is this a new feature of which I was unaware, or a symptom of Claude/Golden Gate? (I know Jim will have thoughts about upgrading to a point release, but I had 20gb of disk I didn’t know what to do with)
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### Author:  [@BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/BLUEFROG)
#### Post date: [September 17, 2026, 1:37pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/excluded-from-ai-access-so-says-claude/87659/2 "2026-09-17T13:37:45Z")
😉
There is the _Exclude from: Chat & MCP_ option in the Info pane in DEVONthink. There is also a full database exclusion in its _File \> Database Properties_.
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### Author:  [@davem](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/davem)
#### Post date: [September 17, 2026, 3:42pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/excluded-from-ai-access-so-says-claude/87659/3 "2026-09-17T15:42:51Z")
Evidently I ticked that on the enclosing folder at some point and didn’t notice. Sensible feature, witless user, thanks Jim.
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### Author:  [@BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/BLUEFROG)
#### Post date: [September 17, 2026, 9:44pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/excluded-from-ai-access-so-says-claude/87659/4 "2026-09-17T21:44:38Z")
You’re welcome 🙂