

So, if you found that the methods described are much too difficult, here are a couple of more ways to hide folders on Mac.
HIDDEN FILES MAC SKIN
Even more ways to hide files and folders on your MacĪs they say, there’s more than one way to skin something (please don’t say “cat”). You really wouldn’t want to run out of juice in the middle of a procedure involving the drive on which your entire data is stored. One more thing: don’t forget to hook up your Mac to the power outlet. Depending on your specs, this process can take anywhere from a couple of hours to a few days.ĭon’t worry too much about ending up with a potato computer you’ll still be able to surf the web, watch movies, or play games because everything happens in the background. That’s it! Now FileVault will begin encrypting all the data on your drive. Click again on the Continue button to finish the process.

That is the recovery key you’ll be using in case you don’t remember the password.
HIDDEN FILES MAC CODE
Put this code in a new document or something. It looks very much like a Windows or antivirus activation key. Here’s what’s going to happen if you use the local recovery key method: you will be taken to another dialog box where you will be going to see a system-generated code. I, for one, would go with the later version since it’s more secure (no use compromising two accounts if your password gets stolen). You can choose between iCloud and generating a local recovery key. In the next dialog box, select the recovery method. Click on the padlock icon to make changes. Head to the FileVault tab (it’s right next to the General tab). Click on the Apple icon located in the upper-left corner of your screen. Anyway, here’s what you’ll need to do, should you choose to use FileVault for masking your files, folders, and everything in between. Yes, I know it’s like curing the disease by killing the patient, but I did say that it’s the easiest way to go about hiding your folders. If you really don’t want to trouble yourself with code, there’s a very easy and extremely fast way to hide your folders on Mac, by using the FileVault.īasically, it turns your hard drive into a Fort Knox-like vault that cannot be opened without the proper cipher, which in this case is the username and password associated with your admin account.

HIDDEN FILES MAC HOW TO
How to Hide Folders on Mac using FileVault Now, the next time you will launch Finder, all desired folders will be hidden. Navigate to the following line and type in or paste the following:Īlias hideFiles='defaults write AppleShowAllFiles NO killall Finder /System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app. Type in or paste the following line:Īlias showFiles='defaults write AppleShowAllFiles YES killall Finder /System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app When prompted, type in the username and password associated with your active admin account. Type in or paste the following line: sudo nano ~/.bash_profile Again, you will need to fiddle around with the Terminal. Albeit temporary, we can easily turn this into a more permanent solution. How to hide folders on your Mac by using Terminal AliasesĪliases are macros or shortcuts to various commands. If you look closely, you’ll see that the folder’s path has appeared. Drag-and-drop the folder onto the Terminal window. Fill it with stuff that you want to hide. Type in the following line: chflags hidden Double-click to enter the Utilities menu. From the left panel, select Applications. So, here’s how to hide files/folders using Terminal. Don’t worry it’s just a couple of command lines. There’s also a way to hide folders on Mac, but it involves using the Terminal. How to hide folders on Mac using Terminal

Get yourself acquainted with the Terminal (Mac’s version of Windows’ command prompt) because, as it happens, it’s the only way to hide folders on Mac without resorting to third-party tools.
HIDDEN FILES MAC MAC OS
It may not apply to Mojave or whatever else Mac OS you’re running, but at least you’ll get an idea of what you’re up against. Because I really don’t want to rile up all you wonderful Mac users, I’ve decided to do a follow-up on the whole hiding your folders in plain view dilemma.
