How to Lock a Folder on Your Mac: A Step-by-Step Guide

Are you concerned about the security of your photos on your Mac? If so, locking your pictures using the Photos app is a great way to ensure they remain private. In this article, we'll show you how to lock your photos on a Mac using two different methods.

Method #1: Using the Photos App

To start, open the Photos app on your Mac from Finder, Launchpad, or Spotlight. Once open, click on the Library tab in the left sidebar. This will display all the pictures you've ever added to the Photos app.

Next, select the pictures you want to lock by pressing and holding the Command (⌘) key on your keyboard while clicking on each picture. You can also select multiple pictures at once by holding down the ⌘ key and clicking on each one.

Once you've selected all the pictures you want to lock, right-click or Control-click on any one of the selected files and go to Share > Add to Photos from within the menu that appears. This will add the selected pictures to the Photos app.

Now, click on any one of the selected pictures and a prompt will appear asking if you're sure you want to hide the picture. Click Hide to confirm your action.

Your selected pictures are now locked and cannot be accessed by other apps or users on your Mac. To access these locked pictures again, simply open the Photos app and go back to the Library tab.

Method #2: Using Disk Utility App

Alternatively, you can use the Disk Utility app to lock your photos. This method is a bit more advanced, but it provides an additional layer of security for your pictures.

To start, open the Disk Utility app on your Mac from Applications > Utilities or Spotlight. Select the disk containing the pictures you want to lock and click on the 'Erase' tab.

In the 'Erase' window, select the 'Quick Erase' option and choose a password for the disk. This will create an encrypted disk that can only be accessed with the correct password.

Once you've created the encrypted disk, move your pictures to this disk using the Photos app or any other file manager on your Mac. Your pictures are now locked and cannot be accessed by other apps or users without the correct password.

Locking your photos on a Mac is a simple process that can be done using either the Photos app or Disk Utility app. By following these step-by-step guides, you can ensure the security of your pictures and keep them private from prying eyes. Whether you're concerned about sharing your personal memories with others or protecting sensitive information, locking your photos is an important step in maintaining your digital privacy.

Lock a folder mac