If you don’t need the old folder, you can delete itġ1. When it’s done, you’ll be left with a password protected disk image and the original folder. Wait for Disk Utility to finish encrypting your folderġ0. This will let you add and remove content from your protected folder laterĩ. Expand Image Format and choose read/write. Again, click Choose when you’re finishedħ. Alternatively, click the key icon, and let macOS create a strong password for you. Enter a password, and click Choose when you’re doneĦ. Open the Encryption, dropdown menu, and make a choice (128-bit AES encryption should be enough), and click Saveĥ. If you want to, choose a name or location for your protected folder. Now select the folder you want to password protect, and click ChooseĤ. From the menu bar, select File > New Image > Image from Folderģ. Open Disk Utility from Applications > Utilities > Disk UtilityĢ. Here’s how to password protect folders with Disk Utility:ġ. dmg archive file, using AES encryption, which you can only open with a password. Password protecting Mac files with built-in toolsĬreating a password protected folder is easy using macOS’s built-in Disk Utility. As well as letting you lock multiple files or folders at once, it means you can easily add and remove files from your password-protected folder at any time. Password protecting Mac folders rather than individual files is useful for a couple of reasons. How to password protect folders on your Mac It also offers security, optimization, junk cleaning, and more. That means no one, not even your internet provider, can spy on you. It includes a complete virtual private network (VPN) tool, which keeps your web traffic secret, while also hiding your location. And because you’ll encrypt the data at the same time, you’ll make it unreadable to anyone who doesn’t have your password.Ĭoncerned about your privacy? Try MacKeeper. Thankfully, it’s easy to password protect files and folders on your Mac using built-in or third-party tools. That’s especially true if you share your Mac with other people, but computers are also vulnerable to privacy breaches from outside forces. For example, if you have sensitive content or secret projects stored on your Mac, you’ll want to stop people from opening them. Data can have real value, and like anything valuable, sometimes it needs to be kept locked away - to stop other people looking at or stealing it.

How to lock a folder on a shared drive