Do you want to password protect a folder on your Mac? If it’s a folder you use regularly then you can use Disk Utility, a free application that comes bundled with your Mac. That’s the focus of this article. On the other hand, if you want to encrypt a file or folder for long-term storage then you might consider Encrypto made by MacPaw which I mention below.
If you’re going to use the Disk Utility method then I think it’s important to offer this clarification up front. Technically, you’re not exactly password protecting the folder. Instead, Disk Utility will copy your original folder into a special file, called a disk image. This disk image will be encrypted. In order to open this encrypted disk image you’ll need to type in a password. Thus your folder will be stored in a password-protected disk image, which achieves the original goal. Remember to delete your original folder on your Mac. Otherwise, you could get confused by having duplicates copies of files on your Mac.
Encrypto, which is free, lets you quickly encrypt a file or a folder on your Mac. However, once it’s encrypted then you need to save it. Then if or when you want to open that file then you need to decrypt it and save it again. Encrypting and decrypting occurs pretty quickly but having to do this each time makes this cumbersome for files or folders that you regularly access and, in my opinion, only useful for stuff you rarely access. Also, remember to store a copy of the password you use to encrypt each item in your password manager. If you forget your encryption password then you would lose access to your encrypted item.
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