In this tutorial we will look at how to create a Folder that is password protected. There isn’t a built-in feature for this on Mac OS but there are a couple ways to accomplish this.

One there are two 3rd party apps you can get to make folders password protected.

• Crypt (Link) (Shareware)
• Secret Folder for Mac OS X (Link) ($24.95)

But there is a built-in feature for creating a password protected Disk Image which I think is the easiest way to create a password protected directory. Here is how to create one:

1. Open the Application Disk Utility which is located in your Applications/Utilities Folder.
   
2. Once the Application opens, click New Image on the Toolbar.
   
3. You will see the New image window open:
   
4. Select a name for your Disk Image and pick a location for it.
5. In the options you can pick a different “Volume Name,” that is the name of the folder that will show on your desktop once you mount the image.
6. Next you want to pick the “Volume Size” we are using 100MB. It’s enough space for a lot of documents.
   Note: If you already have documents you want to secure you can see how big they are by selecting the folder they are in and selecting “Get Info” from the Finders File Menu. Keyboard Shortcut apple+opt+i
   
7. To make your Disk Image Password protected you need to select an option from the encryption drop-down menu. When you open it you will have a two options
   
   We will use 128-bit AES encryption for this tutorial.
   
8. After your options are set, click “Create” and you will be prompted to enter the password you want for your Disk Image. Note: If this is to keep files protected on your computer you should not use the Remember password in my keychain. If you use this the folder will open without asking for a password, kind of defeating the purpose…
   
9. That’s it. Your Disk Image will be created in the location you saved it.
   
   When you double click on it you will be prompted for your password:
   
   Again you should not use the Remember password in my keychain.
10. The Volume will be mounted on your desktop.
    
    
    When you are done simply drag the Volume from your Desktop to the Trash or click the Eject button in the sidebar.