With FileVault encryption on a Mac, a malicious party will not get any meaningful data if it’s stolen. As time goes on, you may consider investing in backup software that will automate this process. One drawback of keeping backups in this way is that they are not easily updated when new data needs to be added to the archive. This is an easy way to password protect large quantities of information that can then be easily moved and archived in external drives. Select done and you will have encrypted and password protected a folder. If it seems like the disk image is stuck during this process, keep in mind that larger-sized files can take more time to encrypt.Warning: if you cannot recall this password then you will not be able to open this folder. Click “Save” and then enter a secure password.Choose an encryption level of 128-bit or 256-bit.Enter a name, tags (optional), and select where to save the disk image.From the menu, select “New Image” > “Image from Folder.” and choose the folder you want to encrypt.Alternatively, you can open Disk Utility it from the Applications > Utilities folder.

Use Spotlight (push ⌘+space or click on the magnifying glass icon on the upper right corner of the menu bar to use Spotlight and type in Disk Utility and press Enter to open.It is similar to a zip file, but it utilizes the strongest Mac encryption method.įor example, this option is how I would add an encrypted folder to my Mac to keep an archive of past financial records. How to Encrypt a Folder on Mac Using Disk Utilityĭisk Utility can create an encrypted file known as a disk image. Print to PDF to instantly secure any document for sending.ġ.

FileVault for encrypting your entire computer.

Disk Utility to password protect folders.

Here are some of the possible solutions for securing your sensitive identification and financial data using Mac tools provided for free: Now, just a few extra clicks are all that is required to add an encrypted folder to my Mac. These kinds of encryption tools have typically only been accessible via the terminal or command line. Then perhaps you should know how to encrypt files on a Mac.Īll your encryption needs are provided as free software on all Macs from OS X Lion to macOS Catalina. Have you ever entered a personal identification number into a document? Did you ever need to send a PDF that contained a piece of sensitive information? Wouldn’t you sleep better knowing that every bit of data on your Mac is secured by an unbreakable encryption standard?

Mac password protect zip folder