Keeping files private on a Mac

Plain-English guides from the team behind Doghouse. We cover the free built-in tools as well as our own app.

How to password-protect a folder on Mac

Disk Utility, Doghouse, encrypted archives, locked PDFs and notes, separate accounts — what each one really protects, step by step, plus the “protections” that don’t work.

Updated 10 September 2026 · 12 min read How-to · Disk Utility and Terminal

How to make an encrypted disk image on Mac

Which format to pick, what every Disk Utility setting does, the hdiutil Terminal method, and how to resize, reclaim space, back up and change the password.

Updated 10 September 2026 · 10 min read How-to · Touch ID

How to lock a folder with Touch ID on Mac

What Touch ID can and can't protect on a Mac, the built-in locks that use it, and how Doghouse and Finderlock add it to encrypted folders.

Updated 10 September 2026 · 12 min read How-to · Finder, Terminal and Photos

How to hide files and folders on a Mac

Every way to hide a file, folder or photo on a Mac, how to show and unhide them again, and why hiding isn't the same as protecting.

Updated 10 September 2026 · 12 min read How-to · PDF, iWork, Office, zip

How to password-protect a file on Mac

The built-in password for PDFs, Pages, Word, Excel, notes and archives, which ones really encrypt, and what to do for every other file type.

Updated 10 September 2026 · 12 min read Shared Macs

How to keep files private on a shared family Mac

Separate accounts, quick screen locks, Screen Time and the Guest User for a Mac the whole family uses, plus an encrypted vault for what's truly private.

Updated 10 September 2026 · 12 min read How-to · iCloud Drive

How to keep a folder out of iCloud Drive on Mac

iCloud has no exclude list, so here's how to tell what's syncing, keep one folder on your Mac only, and turn off Desktop & Documents without losing track of your files.

Updated 10 September 2026 · 12 min read Works without us

Open a Doghouse vault without Doghouse

Every vault is a standard Apple encrypted disk image, so here's how to open one with just macOS and the password: Finder, Disk Utility, Terminal, another Mac or a Time Machine backup.

Updated 10 September 2026 · 13 min read Quick comparison

FileVault vs Disk Utility vs Doghouse

A side-by-side look at what protects your files while you’re logged in, and what it takes to lock them again.

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