How To Hide Files And Folders On Macos

When you group up a caller Mac, you’re instructed to support it locked down pinch a password, a Touch ID, and / aliases an Apple Watch authorization. But you can’t guarantee that your macOS strategy will only beryllium seen by you and you alone. Maybe your kids want to get your MacBook to play a crippled aliases you want to show a friend nan photos and videos of your latest trip. How do you forestall them from accidentally opening folders aliases files that you want to support private?

These scenarios are wherever hidden files and folders recreation into play. They won’t show up successful Finder during regular strategy browsing — and pinch nan thief of a third-party program, you tin fastener them distant down a password, too.

There are a less ways to hide files and folders utilizing devices that recreation pinch macOS. But earlier you do immoderate of these, you want to beryllium tin to spot immoderate presently hidden files. Press Shift+Cmd+. (period) successful Finder. Any hidden files and grounds names will show up arsenic faded but visible.

Then, to hide immoderate different files aliases file, you tin simply adhd a play to nan commencement of its name:

Like different hidden files, nan renamed grounds aliases files will look faded but still beryllium visible. To hide them all, spot Shift+Cmd+. connected nan keyboard again.

To unhide them, you conscionable petition to rename nan files and folders again without nan period, though you will petition to restart Finder to spot nan difference. Open up nan Terminal utility, participate “killall Finder,” and past deed Enter.

You tin too hide and unhide files and folders done nan Terminal interface if you don’t want to rename them pinch periods. You tin motorboat Terminal by searching for it successful Spotlight (Cmd+Space) aliases done nan Utilities files successful Applications successful Finder.

To unhide a file, repetition nan steps pinch nan chflags nohidden command. You whitethorn petition nan Shift+Cmd+. shortcut to make nan grounds aliases files visible truthful you tin guidance it across.

This is comparatively speedy and easy, but not each that unafraid — anyone who knows nan Shift+Cmd+. shortcut tin spot your hidden files. If you petition a overmuch wide file-hiding option, you’ll petition to move to a third-party tool.

Funter is free and really well-designed, but it fundamentally conscionable does nan aforesaid business arsenic nan Terminal and Finder keyboard shortcuts, albeit successful a nicer interface that’s conveniently adjacent to hand. It lives up successful nan insubstantial barroom astatine nan apical of nan macOS interface, and you tin usage it to show aliases conceal hidden files via a elemental toggle switch. You tin too hunt for hidden files, which tin recreation successful useful if you’ve hidden files distant and forgotten wherever connected your strategy you’ve put them.

If you want to fastener definite files and folders distant connected macOS, truthful they can’t beryllium seen without a password, past Encrypto is nan champion action I’ve recreation across. It’s free to instal and use, and it couldn’t beryllium overmuch overmuch straightforward:

You’ll past get a 2nd encrypted grounds — pinch nan files aliases files locked distant incorrect it — which you tin prevention anyplace you for illustration connected your system. Encrypto too includes easy sharing options if you petition to nonstop these files aliases folders to personification else.

To bring backmost nan accusation you’ve locked away, double-click nan encrypted grounds you’ve created. You’ll beryllium prompted for nan password, which past decrypts nan hidden files, and lets you prevention them wherever you want again.

For different privacy, you could create an encrypted locker of files pinch Encrypto, past hide it utilizing nan options built into Finder aliases Terminal. Even if personification should recreation crossed nan hidden package, they won’t beryllium tin to get into it without nan password.