Mac Privacy Guides
Each guide starts with the built-in macOS way, says honestly where it stops, and only then shows where an app helps.
Hide and lock on Mac
How to Password Protect a Folder on Mac
macOS has no right-click password for folders. Here is the built-in Disk Utility method, its limits, and what to use instead.
Read the guide ›How to Lock a Folder on Mac: Three Different Meanings
The Locked checkbox, permissions and encryption each lock a folder in a different way. Learn which one matches what you need.
Read the guide ›How to Hide Files on Mac (and Why Hidden Isn't Private)
Hide files on a Mac with chflags or a dot in the name, and learn how to show them again. Also why hiding is not the same as locking.
Read the guide ›Hidden Folder on Mac: Show, Create and Open One
Show hidden folders with Command-Shift-Period, create a hidden folder in Terminal, open one by path, and fix it when it does not appear.
Read the guide ›How to Encrypt a Folder on Mac: 4 Methods Compared
Encrypt a folder on a Mac with Disk Utility, Cryptomator, VeraCrypt or a vault app. See what FileVault does and does not cover.
Read the guide ›FileVault vs a Folder Vault: Do You Need Both?
FileVault encrypts your whole Mac disk. A folder vault locks chosen files after login. Learn what each protects and when to use both.
Read the guide ›Password Protect a Folder on Mac Without Disk Utility
No Disk Utility? Use Terminal, Cryptomator, a locked note or a document password. See what each route covers and where it stops.
Read the guide ›How to Password Protect a PDF on Mac with Preview
Set an open password and an owner password on a PDF in Preview with File > Export, then test it. Also learn what a PDF password does not hide.
Read the guide ›How to Show the Library Folder on Mac (and Open Other Hidden Folders)
Open the hidden Library folder on a Mac with the Go menu and Option key, keep it visible with View Options, or use Go to Folder and Terminal safely.
Read the guide ›Encryption and FileVault
What Is FileVault on a Mac? What It Protects and What It Leaves Open
FileVault is the disk encryption built into macOS. See how it works, how it differs from automatic encryption on newer Macs, and what it cannot cover.
Read the guide ›How to Turn FileVault On or Off on a Mac, and Check Its Status
Turn FileVault on or off in System Settings, pick a recovery method and check status in Terminal. Read the prep list first so you do not lock yourself out.
Read the guide ›FileVault Recovery Key: Find It, Use It, and What a Work Mac Changes
Forgot your Mac password with FileVault on? See where the recovery key may be, how to reset with it, and what changes when your employer manages the Mac.
Read the guide ›Mac Disk Encryption: FileVault, Apple Silicon and What Else to Encrypt
How disk encryption works on a Mac: automatic encryption on Apple silicon and T2, what FileVault adds, and how to cover external drives and backups.
Read the guide ›How to Encrypt an External Drive on Mac (USB Drive, SSD or Card)
Encrypt a USB drive, external SSD or memory card on a Mac with Finder or Disk Utility. See which method erases the drive and what breaks on older Macs.
Read the guide ›How to Encrypt a Time Machine Backup on Mac
Turn on encryption for Time Machine backups, switch an existing disk to encrypted, and learn what the backup password does and does not cover.
Read the guide ›Encrypted Disk Image on Mac: Formats, Passwords and Everyday Use
Which disk image format to choose, how to convert, resize and open an encrypted image on a Mac, and what a forgotten password means. Goes beyond the basics.
Read the guide ›Encrypt Files Before Cloud Sync on Mac: iCloud Drive, Dropbox and Others
Encrypt files on your Mac before iCloud Drive, Dropbox or another service syncs them. Steps with Cryptomator and what the provider can still see.
Read the guide ›Photo vaults
Photo Vault App for Mac: Options and What to Check
Most photo vault apps are for iPhone. See what exists on a Mac, how each option compares, and the checklist for judging any vault.
Read the guide ›Hide Photos on Mac: Photos Hidden Album vs a Vault App
Hide photos on a Mac with the Photos app in a few clicks, see what that protects, and when to move to an encrypted vault app.
Read the guide ›How to Make a Private Photo Vault on a Mac
Build an encrypted photo vault with Disk Utility, then close the leaks people miss: Photos copies, Time Machine and cached previews.
Read the guide ›How to Hide Photos on iPhone, Android and Mac
Hide photos with the Hidden album on iPhone or Mac, or Locked Folder on Android. See what each protects and when you need an encrypted vault.
Read the guide ›Free Photo Vault App: What Free Costs and How to Cancel
Free photo vault apps can mean a trial, limits or ads. Try the built-in options first, then learn to review and cancel a subscription on a Mac.
Read the guide ›How to Hide Videos on Mac: Photos, Finder and Apps
Hide a video on a Mac with the Photos Hidden album or a Finder flag, then see when you need encryption and how to judge apps that hide videos.
Read the guide ›How to Lock Your Photos With a Password on iPhone and Mac
Lock hidden photos on iPhone and Mac with the Hidden album, check the lock setting, and learn what a photo lock app must do to be worth using.
Read the guide ›Apple Hidden Album: Add, Find and Unhide Photos on Mac and iPhone
How to add photos to the Apple Hidden album, find it on Mac and iPhone, unlock it, unhide photos and fix a Hidden album that has gone missing.
Read the guide ›Where to Store Private Photos Safely: Cloud, Phone or Mac
Compare iCloud Photos, Advanced Data Protection, Google Locked Folder, cloud vault apps and your own encrypted container for private photos.
Read the guide ›Secret Photo Album: How to Make One on iPhone, Mac and Android
Make a secret photo album with the Apple Hidden album or Google Locked Folder, see what each protects, and test any secret photo app before you use it.
Read the guide ›iCloud Advanced Data Protection for Photos: What It Changes
Advanced Data Protection adds end-to-end encryption to iCloud Photos. See what it needs, how to turn it on or off, and what it still leaves open.
Read the guide ›Apps to Hide Pictures and Videos: Which Kind Fits Your Situation
Choose an app or built-in way to hide pictures and videos by situation: a quick glance, a partner who knows your passcode, cloud sync, or ID scans.
Read the guide ›Vault apps and safety
What Is a Vault App? How Photo and File Vaults Work
A vault app keeps photos, videos and files behind a lock of its own. Learn how they work, what to check, and the built-in options to try first.
Read the guide ›Video Vault App: How It Differs From a Photo Vault
A video vault must play large files while keeping them protected. See where video leaks, the built-in ways to hide videos, and how to test an app.
Read the guide ›Calculator Vault Apps: How They Work and What They Hide
A calculator vault is a vault app disguised as a calculator. Learn how the disguise works, what it does not protect, and the plain alternatives.
Read the guide ›Hide Photos With a Calculator App: Steps and Risks
How to hide photos with a calculator app: check the app first, set a code, import, delete originals. Also what the disguise leaves open.
Read the guide ›Vault App Download Safety: How to Check a Mac Download
Before you install a vault app on a Mac, check the source, Gatekeeper and notarization, and the SHA-256 checksum. Steps and red flags.
Read the guide ›How to Test a Vault App Yourself on a Mac
Run a hands-on test on your Mac: import a marker file, then look for readable copies in the app folder, temp folders, Spotlight and Time Machine.
Read the guide ›Forgot Your Vault Password? What Recovery Is Possible
Forgot the password to a private photo vault? Recovery depends on how it was built. See what Apple and Google say, and what to try first.
Read the guide ›App Lock vs Vault: Locking an App Does Not Encrypt Its Data
An app lock decides who opens an app. A vault protects the files. Learn the difference, what Apple and Google offer, and which one you need.
Read the guide ›App Vault on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO: What It Is and What You Can Change
App vault on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO is a home screen panel, not a place to hide files. See what Xiaomi says it does and which settings you can change.
Read the guide ›Apps Like Keepsafe: Alternatives by Category and How to Test Them
Apps like Keepsafe fall into four categories: built-in hidden albums, encrypted containers, file encryption tools and other phone vaults. Test any of them.
Read the guide ›Your files. Your Mac. Locked.
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