How do I hide files in OSX???!

[theNEOone]

I've done a few searches but have only found methods that require terminal commands and creating .hidden folders......pretty annoying.

I have a specific folder with many files, only some of which I want to hide. How do I do this?


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[macuserx86]

looking to hide "sensitive documents" eh my boy? say no more, say no more, nudge nudge wink wink! I put my sensitive documents in a password protected encrypted disc image, which I name blank (a few spaces makes it have no visible name) and put a custom clear icon to replace the disc image icon. then I nest it in some random folders on one of my external drives. There's probably a better way, but this way works for me. nudge nudge wink wink say no more say no more! 😉

 

[Peace]

Good grief just put the PR0N on a thumbdrive and stick it back in your pocket.

 

[macuserx86]

Good grief just put the PR0N on a thumbdrive and stick it back in your pocket.

psh, that's no fun. 😉

 

[sammich]

You could put it in a folder that's already hidden...most of those are system ones, but it doesn't affect the way your computer runs.

 

[throttlemeister]

I've done a few searches but have only found methods that require terminal commands and creating .hidden folders......pretty annoying.

I have a specific folder with many files, only some of which I want to hide. How do I do this?


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Only way to hide files in UNIX is to rename to start with a '.'. Other option is to download truecrypt and create a encryted drive and put your sensitive files on there.

 

[richard.mac]

if you want to get into unix there is another way as well which i like better. change into the directory where the folder you want to hide is and then enter in Terminal:

sudo chflags hidden [I]nameOfFolder[/I]

and type your password

then to get into the folder in Finder you can type the directory into Go To Folder (command-K). or you can enable hidden files in Finder by entering in Terminal

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE; killall Finder

then to hide files enter the same command but change to FALSE

i.e. there is no easy way to easily hide files and show hidden files in the UI but its still not that hard to do.

 

[soLoredd]

I was wondering how to do this as well.

So your telling me that something easy to do in Windows (password protect a folder) would require me to go into Terminal and do it that way? How the hell is that secure?

Say I have the last few years of my tax returns, bank statements, etc. on my MBP. How would I keep that folder from being accessed?

 

[macuserx86]

I was wondering how to do this as well.

So your telling me that something easy to do in Windows (password protect a folder) would require me to go into Terminal and do it that way? How the hell is that secure?

Say I have the last few years of my tax returns, bank statements, etc. on my MBP. How would I keep that folder from being accessed?

The encrypted disc image route is the way to go. If you pick a secure password, there's really no way that somebody's going to get into that. I can be done, but not easily.

 

[theNEOone]

Good grief just put the PR0N on a thumbdrive and stick it back in your pocket.

Not pron....I'm 27 and my g/f doesn't really care so I don't need to hide it.

I'm talking about really sensitive documents....


Solutions above are pretty annoying...wow, so here's the third thing that has pissed me off since switching...

1. Cut/Paste in finder
2. Recovering to original location of deleted files
3. Easily hide/unhide files


This list better not get any longer...


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[macuserx86]

This list better not get any longer...

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Or what? You'll either deal with it or switch back. If you don't like OS X, just install Windows on you machine and use that.

 

[michael.lauden]

if it's too much work to hide your files - they must not be worth keeping secret.

 

[richard.mac]

I was wondering how to do this as well.

So your telling me that something easy to do in Windows (password protect a folder) would require me to go into Terminal and do it that way? How the hell is that secure?

Say I have the last few years of my tax returns, bank statements, etc. on my MBP. How would I keep that folder from being accessed?

what i posted was how to hide a folder or file. its not secure at all if another person knows where the hidden folder is but a little secure if they dont.

if you just want security use Disk Utility to make an encrypted disk image or use TrueCrypt.

 

[theNEOone]

Or what? You'll either deal with it or switch back. If you don't like OS X, just install Windows on you machine and use that.

It better not get any longer or Apple's market share will continue to drop like it did last quarter, not least of which because people like me tell their girlfriends and their girlfriend's father not to get a mac because of stupid quirky sht like not being able to recover deleted files easily. (They're both quite happy w/ the Vaio they ordered a few weeks ago, btw.)

Now **** and stop being a little fanboy btch. Why is it so hard to acknowledge a flaw in an OS!??!!? Is it a personal insult or something? I really don't understand...

I'm not going to "just deal with it." I'm going to complain and make it known when something is a pathetic oversight. And I'm going to exercise my opinion with my wallet the next time I make a purchase or have influence over somebody that is making one. You can be happy just bending over and quietly taking it whenever you feel that you've got no choice.

Call me crazy, but that's just not my deal.


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[karl878]

Instead of hiding a folder, I put sensitive stuff into a folder then change the folders privilege to "everyone, no access". Do this approach through: "Get Info", "Sharing & Permissions".

 

[macuserx86]

It better not get any longer or Apple's market share will continue to drop like it did last quarter, not least of which because people like me tell their girlfriends and their girlfriend's father not to get a mac because of stupid quirky sht like not being able to recover deleted files easily. (They're both quite happy w/ the Vaio they ordered a few weeks ago, btw.)

Now **** and stop being a little fanboy btch. Why is it so hard to acknowledge a flaw in an OS!??!!? Is it a personal insult or something? I really don't understand...

I'm not going to "just deal with it." I'm going to complain and make it known when something is a pathetic oversight. And I'm going to exercise my opinion with my wallet the next time I make a purchase or have influence over somebody that is making one. You can be happy just bending over and quietly taking it whenever you feel that you've got no choice.

Call me crazy, but that's just not my deal.


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I'm not saying there's no faults, I'm just saying that Apple doesn't care what you think. They don't really care what anyone thinks for that matter. For me, OS X works brilliantly, for you it doesn't. There are choices in the computer market so that you can, you know, choose.

 

[theNEOone]

Instead of hiding a folder, I put sensitive stuff into a folder then change the folders privilege to "everyone, no access". Do this approach through: "Get Info", "Sharing & Permissions".

Does this only work to prevent other accounts from viewing the folder? I tried your suggestion and was still able to navigate and view the files in the folder for which I changed the permissions.


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[theNEOone]

I'm not saying there's no faults, I'm just saying that Apple doesn't care what you think. They don't really care what anyone thinks for that matter. For me, OS X works brilliantly, for you it doesn't. There are choices in the computer market so that you can, you know, choose.

You have no idea what you're talking about. The day Apple doesn't care what I or their customers think (collectively), is the day they head down the path towards obsolescence.

They didn't get to where they are now by being stupid. What you're suggesting is defeatism coupled with a hint of stupidity. Companies have to listen to the market or face defeat by a competitor that does.


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[macuserx86]

You have no idea what you're talking about. The day Apple doesn't care what I or their customers think (collectively), is the day they head down the path towards obsolescence.

They didn't get to where they are now by being stupid. What you're suggesting is defeatism coupled with a hint of stupidity. Companies have to listen to the market or face defeat by a competitor that does.


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Whatever man. I hope you can resolve this problem. My original idea of using an encrypted disc image is arguably the most secure. You make them using Disk Utility in /Applications/Utilities Click "new image" then specify your password and disc image size.

 

[SkyBell]

You have no idea what you're talking about. The day Apple doesn't care what I or their customers think (collectively), is the day they head down the path towards obsolescence.

They didn't get to where they are now by being stupid. What you're suggesting is defeatism coupled with a hint of stupidity. Companies have to listen to the market or face defeat by a competitor that does.


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Believe it or not, Apple has never been about caring what the customer thinks. Occasionally, they'll listen. Rarely. It's hard to imagine, but they really don't care. They take risks, they do things they know could be detrimental to themselves. Somehow, most of those risks have paid off. It might just be luck, it might be some brilliant people behind it all, but it happens.

 

[karl878]

Does this only work to prevent other accounts from viewing the folder? I tried your suggestion and was still able to navigate and view the files in the folder for which I changed the permissions.


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Yes, this is working on the System, Account privilege concept. It prevents other accounts from seeing into the folder, but does allow you to see into the folder only you own (though any person/account granted admin privilege could access).

 

[miles01110]

It better not get any longer or Apple's market share will continue to drop like it did last quarter...

What does market share really have to do with anything? Apple's profits have been skyrocketing quarter after quarter. Market share is hardly an argument against Apple, especially because those with the "largest marketshare" are losing money. I know which position I'd rather be in...

Why is it so hard to acknowledge a flaw in an OS!??!!? Is it a personal insult or something? I really don't understand...

It's not, it's just that your definition of a "flaw" is based on the assumption that a basic function of Unix (hidden files begin with a period) is a "flaw." The well-established Unix community disagrees. Your opinion is just as good as theirs, except they do the coding.

I'm not going to "just deal with it." I'm going to complain and make it known when something is a pathetic oversight.

You are going to tell Apple to re-program arguably their flagship product on the basis of one silly "oversight"? Haha. That'll get some good laughs at Cupertino.

And I'm going to exercise my opinion with my wallet the next time I make a purchase or have influence over somebody that is making one.

Good for you. The best form of protest is with the wallet.

You have no idea what you're talking about. The day Apple doesn't care what I or their customers think (collectively), is the day they head down the path towards obsolescence.

As I said above, Apple isn't going to change the foundations of Unix for you. Extrapolating this unwillingness to "Apple doesn't care, whaaa!" is pretty immature.

They didn't get to where they are now by being stupid. What you're suggesting is defeatism coupled with a hint of stupidity. Companies have to listen to the market or face defeat by a competitor that does.

Sorry, but Apple history disagrees with you. They're in a position to do whatever they want, when they want.

Several solutions have been presented to you for hiding your files; I'll add one more. Give them exaggerated names (8713jjkhakjdskfsdagadg889882324288.doc) and bury them in a file tree 50+ levels deep. That should discourage prying eyes. Honestly I don't know why you're complaining about this anymore- as michael.lauden said, if you're unwilling to do any of these things then your issue must not be that important. And if you really want the Windows way of doing things, install Windows on your machine and keep the files on the Windows partition.

 

[wouldyoukindly]

I use a program called MacHider to hide my files... It requires a password to gain access to the software and when any of the files are hidden they really can't be seen in finder.

I then use separate encryption software to encrypt my files (the text ones only) and then even if the sensitive, hidden files were found, without the passphrase, and the same algorithm used to encrypt them, they would be useless to anyone reading.

Hope this helps...

 

[richard.mac]

… not to get a mac because of stupid quirky sht like not being able to recover deleted files easily. …

i agree with everything you are saying, OS X should allow you to hide files and set passwords for folders in the UI, except for this. there is Mac software that allows you to recover deleted files just like for Windows. i believe Windows doesnt allow you to recover deleted items just as OS X doesnt.

anyway ive made a few workflow plug-ins for you place them in /Workflows/Applications/Finder in your user Library then they will be available in the Automator contextual menu under More.

im not quite sure how to make one workflow to both hide and unhide selected items. i used the Get Specified Finder Items then Run Shell Script chflags hidden "$@" method. anyone know?

 

[soLoredd]

The encrypted disc image route is the way to go. If you pick a secure password, there's really no way that somebody's going to get into that. I can be done, but not easily.

Thank you for the info, I'll give it a try.

I don't see why this turned into a blown up issue but as usual, the diehards respond with the "if you don't like it go back to Windows" line. Look, I'm not trying to get OS X to behave like Windows but what I am trying to do is something pretty damn basic (in my mind anyway). I just want to password-protect a folder, that way if someone catches my MBP while I'm logged in they still cannot access this folder. Seems trivial to me but maybe I'm missing something?