Using Apple iWork (Keynote, Numbers, & Pages)Īll three of Apple's productivity apps, Keynote, Numbers, and Pages, have password-protection features built in. This updated guide focuses on Yosemite (10.10), though the methods may still work on older systems.

We had previously done a guide on this, but things have changed a lot since then. If you're looking for another way to protect your personal files in Mac OS X, keep reading, as I'll be covering ways to password-protect individual files and folders using iWork, Microsoft Office, Automator, Disk Utility, Terminal, and more. There is also the chance that it will slow down your computer, especially at startup.

Mac OS X does have FileVault as a good security option, which uses XTS-AES 128-bit encryption to password-protect your entire hard drive, but this is a drastic measure to take unless you're prone to theft. While you may not have loads of secret files hiding on your computer, there might be one or two items that need a little extra security, like a file of website logins or a folder of risqué photos.

How to lock a folder on mac desktop