How to Lock Folders on macOS: A Guide to Safeguarding Your Files

In the age of global digitalization, we can’t help but think about maintaining the privacy and security of personal data at every step of the way and at every stage of our actions. By storing a variety of files on our devices, from work documents to private photos and videos, we simultaneously put them at risk, and thus ourselves. No wonder the logical question arises: how can we protect our personal files from unauthorized access?

One of the most effective ways is to lock folders with a password. That’s why below we’ll look at how to accomplish this task on macOS using different methods. By mastering folder lock and learning how to lock a folder on Mac, you can improve the security of your data and be calm about it.       

Why is It Crucial to Lock Folders?

We’ve already mentioned that protecting files and folders, including on macOS, is primarily a security issue. Access to a computer by unauthorized persons, or when it is hacked, in most cases leads to the loss of valuable data and compromise of information. Therefore, by using the password protect folder Mac feature, you take preventive measures to protect information even in case of physical loss of the device.

Locking folders on a Mac is especially important for those who store critical projects on their device or work with sensitive data. Therefore, it is logical to ask how to password protect a folder on Mac and understand the principle of password protecting a Mac folder. Knowing how to lock folder on Mac prevents unauthorized access by creating data security. Apple provides several ways to protect files, which we will discuss in detail below, so that you have all the knowledge you need and can feel confident about the safety of your personal data that may be in these folders.

Methods to Lock a Folder on Mac

Here are a few methods that you can try to lock folders on a Mac:

Method 1: Lock a Folder Using Finder’s Get Info Feature

1. Open Finder:
   • Navigate to the folder you want to lock.
2. Access Folder Information:
   • Right-click (or Control-click) on the folder.
   • Select Get Info from the context menu.
3. Lock the Folder:
   • In the Get Info window, look for the Locked checkbox.
   • Check the Locked box to lock the folder.
4. Confirm Permissions:
   • Scroll down to the Sharing & Permissions section.
   • Ensure your user account has the correct permissions. You may want to set others to Read Only or No Access.
5. Close the Get Info Window:
   • After setting the permissions and locking the folder, close the Get Info window.

Method 2: Create a Password-Protected Disk Image

For more advanced protection, you can create a password-protected disk image containing the folder:

1. Open Disk Utility:
   • Go to Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility.
2. Create a New Image:
   • In Disk Utility, click on File in the menu bar.
   • Select New Image > Image from Folder.
3. Select the Folder:
   • Navigate to and select the folder you want to protect.
   • Click Choose.
4. Set Encryption and Password:
   • In the dialog box that appears, choose 128-bit AES encryption (or 256-bit for stronger security).
   • You’ll be prompted to create a password. Enter and verify the password, then click Choose.
5. Name and Save the Disk Image:
   • Give your disk image a name and select where you want to save it.
   • Choose Read/Write as the format if you want to be able to add files to the image later. Otherwise, choose Read-Only.
   • Click Save.
6. Accessing the Locked Folder:
   • The disk image will be created and saved as a .dmg file. To access the folder, double-click the .dmg file and enter the password. The disk image will mount as a virtual drive, allowing you to access the contents.
7. Eject the Disk Image:
   • When done, make sure to eject the disk image by dragging it to the Trash or clicking the eject icon next to it in Finder.

Method 3: Using Disk Utility

One of the most common ways to lock a folder on a Mac is to utilize the built-in utility. Disk Utility lets you build an encrypted disk image that may subsequently be used as a password-protected folder.

• Open the Disk Utility through the Spotlight search
• Choose File, New Image, Image from Folder and сreate a new disk image
• Select the folder you want to protect
• Configure the encryption settings and password. Specifically, select an encryption format and enter a strong password.
• Save the disk image

After that, the folder will be saved as a disk image (.dmg). It can be opened only if you have a password.

This method is very effective because it creates a high level of encryption and allows you to save the folder in a format that is easy to move between different devices.

Method 4: Using third-party apps

Although macOS provides several built-in tools for locking folders, there are also third-party applications. With their help, you can also close the question of how to password protect a folder on Mac. The following apps are popular.

Encrypto

A free tool that encrypts files before sending or saving them.

Hider 2

An application that allows you to hide and password protect your files and folders and is easy to use.

These applications have various additional features. For example, the ability to hide folders or encrypt files before sending them over the network. These features make them convenient for users who want to increase the security of their data.

Limitations and Alternatives

Locking folders using Disk Utility and third-party applications is certainly effective. But this approach has some limitations. We mean that encrypting the disk image can:

• take additional time, 
• limit the ability to access the folder through other programs.

In this case, you may want to consider alternative methods of protection. These include:

• Using accounts with limited access
• Encrypting the entire disk with FileVault

Using FileVault as an alternative approach

FileVault is a built-in feature of macOS. It encrypts the entire disk. Although it does not directly address the topic of how to lock a folder, it does assure that all of your files are password secured. To accomplish this, do the following.

• To enable FileVault in System Preferences, navigate to Safety and Security and then FileVault
• Create a strong password that is going to be used to unlock the disk.

Using FileVault ensures that your data is protected even if your PC is lost.

Practical Tips

• For maximum security, use complex passwords that cannot be guessed by random guessing
• Update passwords regularly 
• Do not store them in plain text on the device itself
• If you don’t want to encrypt the entire disk, you can opt for the Disk Utility method or use a third-party application

Remember that regardless of the technique you use, regular backups to external media or cloud services are vital for reliable data preservation

Conclusion

Protecting folders on macOS is a critical step if you are concerned over the security of your data. You can do this with built-in tools like Disk Utility and FileVault, as well as third-party programs. Each of these methods allows you to effectively implement the Mac password protect folder feature. Which method you choose depends on your needs and security requirements. However, regardless of which method you choose, always follow the basic security principles. That is, ensure to use strong, secure passwords and perform regular backups. By protecting your data now, you can ensure your privacy and peace of mind in the future.