Pavel Jelic If your Mac is used by multiple users, you may want an extra layer of security. In theory, even if you're the only one using your Mac, why not go to bed with peace of mind knowing your data is completely safe. This trick can help you with this, with which you can encrypt any folder on Mac quite simply. There is no official way from Apple how you can password protect a folder. In macOS, however, you can create a special folder image that can already be encrypted. If you are interested in how to do it, be sure to read this article to the end.
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How to easily encrypt a folder with a password in macOS
First you prepare the folder, which you want encipher. It can be empty or full of data - it doesn't matter. Once done, open the app Disk Utility. You can do so through Spotlight, which you activate with a keyboard shortcut Command + Spacebar, or using magnifying glass at the top right of the screen. At the same time, Disk Utility is located in Applications, specifically in a subfolder Utility. Which form of launch you choose is entirely up to you. After launching, click on the option in the top bar File and from the drop-down menu that opens, scroll to the first option New image. Then select an option from the next menu Image from folder… After selecting this option, another window will open in which highlight the folder, which you want to encrypt. Then click on the option Choose. In the next window, we now have to set the requirements for encryption, etc. So set it up first folder name and location, where the resulting image should be saved. In the box Encryption then choose either 128-bit encryption, which is faster, or 256-bit encryption, which is slower but safer - it's up to you. Once you click on one of the options, enter it password, with which you want to endow the folder. Then click on Choose. Finally, select an option Image format. If you will never write data to the folder again, select the option read only. If you want to write data to the folder, select the option read/write. Once you're done, click on Impose. A window will then appear informing you about the creation of an encrypted folder. Once everything is done, click on Done.
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The encrypted folder will then appear in the selected location in the format .DMG. For its opening on double click the file and enter password. Then click on OKAY. The folder is then mounted like other disk images - so you can find it at on the right side of the Mac desktop. An image behaves exactly like a folder, only you have to use it every time start. Once you have your work with the folder complete and want it lock again, then click on the attached image right click and select an option Eject. If you want a folder open again, so you have to do it again through .DMG file.
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I'm perfectly clear that there will be people here who will say that a folder image simply isn't a folder. Unfortunately, if you want to encrypt your data in some way and don't want to download additional programs to your Mac, this is the only alternative you can use for additional file encryption. I personally don't know of any other way to encrypt a folder in macOS.
Thanks!
What if I forgot my encrypted password? Do I have a chance to somehow open the folder there?
I forgot too :( I need to open it :D
In a multi-platform environment, a not entirely elegant but functional analogy can be useful in the form of creating an encrypted .zip archive from a folder using a few simple commands in the Terminal. Instructions are here https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/encrypted-zip-mac The resulting (encrypted .zip) file can be found in the user's root folder.
hello, I have a question, how can I increase the capacity of the encrypted folder?? Thanks