Password protect folders

[xisforextreme]

I've been using OS X for about three months now and I love it! I was just wondering if there was any way I could password protect (or lock) a folder with sensitive info on it. OS X seems to require a password for almost everything (installations etc.) so is there any way I can enable a feature like this on a specific folder, without buying any software?

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Not without 3rd party apps.

BUT, there's another way. Use Disk Utility to make an encrypted read/write disk image. And you can move all sensitive stuff to that, once it's mounted. Just don't forget the password, cause once the password is set those encrypted disk images are virtually impossible to crack into...

 

[Plymouthbreezer]

File Vault?

 

[zach]

::is:: there software for this? i've looked, and been unable to find anything...

 

[EGT]

Not without 3rd party apps.

BUT, there's another way. Use Disk Utility to make an encrypted read/write disk image. And you can move all sensitive stuff to that, once it's mounted. Just don't forget the password, cause once the password is set those encrypted disk images are virtually impossible to crack into...

This is by far the best way to protect important data.

I was just wondering, once you've made a disk image, is it possible to change its size or is it fixed?

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

::is:: there software for this? i've looked, and been unable to find anything...

Don't know about freeware, but a simple search at VersionTracker finds some shareware...

 

[PubGuy]

Use Disk Utility to make a dynamically expanding encrypted disk image...its free and extremely secure.

- Goto Applications/utility and launch Disk Utility.
- Click on the NewDiskImage button on the toolbar.
- Give your new file a name.
- Select the SIZE of the image. In the case of a dynamically expanding image, this would be the maximum size you want the image to expand out to during use. When its intially created, it will be small and simply grow as you add files to it.
- Select Encryption.
- Select the FORMAT of a Sparse Disk Image.
- Click create. You will be prompted for a password and the disk image will be created, then mounted for use. Copy your files to it.
- Done!

It really is very simple to create and use. It makes backing up your critical stuff easy and even the backup is encrypted (since you are making a copy of the disk image). I wouldn't bother with any third-party apps...its not required.

 

[jac.blue]

Thank you...

Thank you!
Great idea
I give it a try...

 

[1234wanderer]

Help I need to know ow to password on a mac

I need help to. I have been using mac for a while and need to know how to password protect files, and apps. I have tried dmg but when I try to open the image, it opens without asking for the password. What do I do?

Oh and I have tried to post questions here but where do I do it?

 

[MacDawg]

I need help to. I have been using mac for a while and need to know how to password protect files, and apps. I have tried dmg but when I try to open the image, it opens without asking for the password. What do I do?

You need to choose to encrypt the .dmg, then, when you create the .dmg you need to make sure the box for "save password to keychain" is not checked

How to make and encrypted disk

Woof, Woof - Dawg