The more security levels you have on your Mac, the more protected your files are. That’s especially true if you allow your computer to be used by multiple people. It’s a smart idea to create a password-protected folder for your most important files, for an extra layer of security. In this tutorial, you will 2 different ways to password protect a folder on Mac for absolutely free and without installing third-party apps.
On your Mac, select a disk, folder, or file, then choose File Get Info. If the information in Sharing & Permissions isn’t visible, click the disclosure triangle. Click the lock icon to unlock it. Enter an administrator name and password. Click a user or group in the Name column, then choose a privilege setting from the pop-up menu.
Fortunately, MacBook owners are able to secure their confidential files by password locking particular folders from prying eyes. Many paid programs provide similar features, but we prefer this free method built into Apple, which allows folders to be transformed into secure disk images. That goes as far back as 10.6 Snow Leopard on Mac OS X.
Here you will 2 different ways to password protect a folder on Mac:
- Password Protect a Folder on Mac using Disk Utility
- Password Protect a Folder on Mac using Terminal
You Might Also Like:
- Keeping the original unprotected folder at hand isn’t such a hot idea as it’s accessible to anyone who uses your Mac when it’s logged into your account, so trash it or archive it somewhere safe.
- Shared folders and collaboration. Use Box to collaborate. Manage and organize documents. Use iCloud Drive with Pages. Export to Word, PDF, or another file format. Open an iBooks Author book in Pages. Reduce the document file size. Password-protect a Pages document on Mac.
- Caution: When you create a password for a document, write down the password and keep it in a secure place.If you lose the password, you can't open or gain access to the password-protected document.Passwords in Excel for Mac and Word for Mac have a 15-character limit.
Method 1. Password Protect a Folder on Mac using Disk Utility
Folders can not be encrypted directly into macOS, but you can place them in password-protected containers. This has the benefit of securing your folders with a password and the files they hold. You can use the built-in Disk Utility application to password-protect files on macOS.
Note: By following the steps below, you will create a password-protected disk image (DMG) folder on a Mac. If you want to password-protect files certain files like images, video and etc, you may place them in password-protected folders.
![Password Folders For Mac Password Folders For Mac](/uploads/1/1/8/6/118682229/777772250.jpg)
Step 1. Launch the Disk Utility app (Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility).
Password Folders For Mac
Disk Utility
Step 2. In the Disk Utility window, click the File tab, select New Image and click Image from Folder.
Step 3. Select the folder you want to password-protect from the pop-up file browser window. In my case, it is the private folder and click Choose.
![Mac Mac](https://www.digitalcitizen.life/sites/default/files/img/win_osx_shared_folders/winosx2.png)
Step 4. You can save this new folder as anything you want. Select where you want to save this folder. You can name it anything you wish.
Step 5. Click on the Image Format option menu and select read/write.
Step 6. Click on the Encryption menu and click 128-bit AES encryption (recommended).
128-bit AES encryption (recommended)
Step 7. When you select the encryption, you will be asked to enter a password. Enter your desired password twice and click Choose. This is the password you will enter to unlock the disk image.
Step 8. Click Save to create the encrypted disk image. This will start a short process in Disk Utility which will notify you when it is finished creating the disk image from your folder.
Step 9. At last, click Done to exit.
Step 10. Now, the folder is completely password protected.
How To Add Password To Folder
This DMG file is not the same as your folder but it is a copy of the content of the folder in the format of a disk image. The disk image is password-protected which needs a password before it can be mounted and read. The initial folder was unchanged and would not be encrypted.
Open the disk image and enter your password to ensure that you will be able to access the image and that it contains all the files in the folder. If you’re confident that everything went well, delete the folder unencrypted. That leaves behind only the encrypted DMG.
Method 2. Lock a Folder on Mac using Terminal
You can also password protect the folder using the Terminal app. Here’s how to password protect a folder using the Terminal app on Mac:
Step 1. Press Command + Spacebar simultaneously to open Spotlight and type Terminal and open it.
Step 2. Now, go the directory that contains the folder you want to be password protected. In my case, it’s in the document directory a file named private and keep the window open.
Step 3. On the Terminal window, type cd and give a space and drag the icon from the folder into the Terminal.
Terminal
Step 4. Type LS and press enter to see the files list. In my case, it’s the private folder.
Step 5. Type zip -er your folder name.zip “any folder name” and press enter. In my case, the folder name is private. I will type zip -er private.zip “private“. As you can see in the screenshot below.
Step 6. Enter your password and press enter.
Step 7. Verify your password and press enter.
Step 8. Now, you have successfully password protected your folder using Terminal.
As you can see in the screenshot below, that folder is password protected. Your original folder still lives on your Mac, unencrypted. Once you are sure you can access the disk image and the files in it, delete your original folder.
Wrapping Up
This feature was all about how to password protect a folder on Mac and I have shown you 2 different ways to do so. However, using Disk Utility is much easier than the Terminal. Tell me which method do you prefer to use? Share your comments in the comment section below.
How to Change Your Facebook Messenger Background or...
October 30, 2020How to use Samsung Wireless DeX on Your...
October 30, 2020How to Check Dell Inspiron Battery Health from...
October 22, 2020How to Change Instagram Font for Profile, Story...
October 22, 2020How to Factory Reset Sony Bravia TV
October 15, 2020How to Check HP Battery Health (HP Battery...
October 14, 2020How to Create & Check Your Laptop Battery...
October 14, 2020Screen Mirror/Connect Laptop to Smart TV (Sony &...
October 12, 2020How to find Serial Number on Dell Laptop...
October 11, 2020You know who you are: a) your passwords are scribbled on a tattered and torn piece of paper right next to your computer; b) your spouse’s credit card number or social security number is on a post-it note next to the mouse; or c) you create a Christmas shopping list and save it on your desktop as “DO NOT READ.”
Save yourself the hassle of applying for a new social or ruining Christmas for everyone. You can create an encrypted, password protected folder on a mac without using any third-party software and it is done in just 5 easy steps – by creating an encrypted disk image.
1. Open Disk Utility by navigating to Applications > Utilities > Disk Utilities.
2. Choose File > New > Blank Disk Image or click the New Image icon.
3. In the New Blank Image window that appears, name the new secure folder or “image.” Next, choose your desired size from the pop-up menu that is sufficient to hold your super-secret data. Then, from the Encryption pop-up menu choose 128-bit AES Encryption (secure enough for all of us and faster than 256-bit). Finally, choose either read/write or Sparse Disk Image from the Image Format pop-up menu and click Create.
A read/write disk image takes up a set amount of space on the drive, while a sparse image is a type of disk image file that grows in size as the user adds data, taking up only as much disk space as stored in it.
4. At this point, you will be prompted for a password. Click one that is easy for you to remember, as a lost password means all the files on the image are lost too.
Remember to uncheck the ‘Remember Password in My Keychain’ option. Otherwise, anybody sitting down at your computer will have access to your image – which would defeat the purpose of this whole helpful article
Click OK and both the sparse image file and mounted image are created. This will look familiar to anyone who has put an external drive into their computer before.
5. Double click the image to mount the “folder.” Drag the content that you want to protect into the mounted image.
When you’re done with it, drag the mounted image to the trash to eject it or right-click it and choose “Eject.” When you next need it, double-click on the image file and enter its password when prompted.
With these 5 simple steps you can create a password protected folder on your mac. While this is an effective means of keeping data from the prying eyes of thieves or children, as explained above, it is far from secure as anyone can simply delete the image. If you really want to secure and protect data for your personal computer or business, call FloridaPro Computing.